History of the Worcestershire Sauce

Worcestershire sauce has its roots in India but was actually created by accident in its namesake town of Worcester, England in 1835. The Lea & Perrins company says Lord Sandys had returned home to England to retire after successfully governing Bengal, India for many years. He so missed his favorite Indian sauce that he commissioned drug store owners John Lea and William Perrins to come up with a reasonable facsimile.
The original intent of the chemists was to keep some of the batch to sell in the store, but the fish and vegetable mixture had such a strong odor that they decided otherwise and stored it in the cellar. It lay forgotten for two years until it was rediscovered during a clean-up mission. The batch had aged into a wonderfully flavored sauce which was bottled and quickly became a hot item with customers.
The Lea and Perrins Company was started to make and distribute the sauce. The manufacturing plant in Worcester is still very active, although it's now owned by Heinz. The sauce is shipped around the world. The exact recipe is carefully kept secret. Today other companies create their own versions of the sauce.
In 1839, John Duncan of New York brought some Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce to the United States. The product was an immediate success. Over the next few years, Duncan imported large quantities of the sauce into America.
Promoting Worcestershire Sauce
Lea and Perrins successfully branched out by convincing stewards on British passenger ships to include it on their dining table set-ups. It soon became a British staple, primarily as a steak sauce, and further emigrated worldwide. The bottles are still wrapped in paper as was done originally to protect them from breaking during sea voyages. Worcestershire sauce is known as the commercially bottle condiment to be imported to America, arriving in New York in 1839.
Cooking With Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire sauce can be used in many ways during cooking or as a condiment. It is often used as an ingredient in marinades or is brushed onto meat, fish, or poultry as it is grilled, fried, or baked. It can be used when steaming, grilling, or stir-frying vegetables. Worcestershire sauce can be used as a condiment on sandwiches and shellfish, or seasoning for salads. It is used in soups and stews for seasoning and adding savories.
Worcestershire Sauce Ingredients
The ingredients listed on a bottle of Worcestershire sauce—at least on the form of the sauce that is available in my local stores in Canada—are malt vinegar, spirit vinegar, water, molasses, sugar, salt, anchovies, tamarind extract, onion, garlic, spice, and natural flavour. In order to make the sauce, the ingredients are mixed and the resulting liquid is fermented in wooden casks for eighteen months.
The ingredient list varies slightly depending on the country where the sauce is sold. For example, the British Lea and Perrins website lists cloves and chili extract as ingredients and leaves out the malt vinegar.
The ingredients which the Lea and Perrins company tries to keep secret are the spices and the natural flavours. In 2009, it was reported that a company accountant named Brian Keogh had found some leather-bound books in a skip outside the Lea and Perrins factory. The books contain information dating from the mid-1800s and early 1900s. The information suggests that originally soy, lemon essence, cayenne or chili peppers, cloves, pickles, and shallots were added to the anchovies, tamarind, garlic, salt, sugar, vinegar, and water in the sauce. The books are now kept at the Worcester City Museum.
Worcestershire Sauce Recipe (1 liter Bottle)
Ingredients
1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup blackstrap molasses
1/8 cup soy sauce
Juice from 1/2 fresh lime
1tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Salt
Tamarind extract
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon gluten free fish sauce
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ground cloves
Instructions
Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan and whisk together to combine well.
Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the sauce to come to room temperature.
Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor.
Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor.
Using a funnel, pour the sauce into a glass bottle with a cap.
Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to scrape all of the sauce out of the blender or processor.
Seal the bottle well and store the sauce in your refrigerator for up to 4 to 6 week
Anchovies
Anchovies are always present in Worcestershire sauce, which is essentially a fermented fish sauce. This type of condiment has been popular for a long time. For example, garum was eaten in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Garum was a sauce made from salted fish that were left in the sun to ferment.
Fresh anchovies have quite a mild taste, but after the fish are processed and packed in oil and salt they develop a strong flavor. The addition of salt may give anchovy’s high sodium content, which may not be good for health.
Tamarind
Tamarind extract is an important component of Worcestershire sauce. Tamarinds are bushy, tropical trees that are native to Africa and are cultivated in many countries
Molasses
Molasses is a by-product of the sugar refining process. It's thick, dark syrup with a rich taste. It's often made from sugar cane juice but may also be obtained from sugar beets. Three types of molasses exist.
Malt Vinegar
Malt vinegar is made from malted barley. During the malting process, the barley grain germinates. As it germinates, its starch is changed into maltose. The germinated grain is then dried with hot air and is known as malted barley.
Barley is mixed with water and yeast and brewed (fermented) to make ale. The ale is used to make flavorful vinegar. Malt vinegar is dark brown in color and is traditionally sprinkled on English-style fish and chips.
Distilled Spirit
Distilled spirit or white vinegar is made by the fermentation of distilled alcohol. It's colorless and is the most common type of vinegar bought by most people. The presence of acetic acid gives the vinegar a tangy taste, but the product lacks the extra flavor components of malt vinegar.
Storage
Prior to opening the bottle, Worcestershire sauce can be stored at room temperature. once the bottle is opened, it should be refrigerated to preserve flavor. The general shelf life of Worcestershire sauce is approximately one year, after which it may begin to lose flavor and aroma. Most Worcestershire sauces will come with a "best by" date printed on the bottle, which indicates when the best flavor and quality can be expected.
Varieties of Worcestershire Sauce
The best way to discover your favorite Worcestershire sauce is to sample an assortment of brands and varieties. You can also experiment by adding it to recipes whenever you cook with other savory sauces like soy, oyster, or fish sauce.
Gluten-free Worcestershire: The popularity of gluten-free diets may be one reason that malt vinegar, which contains gluten. To be sure your Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free, check the label.
Vegetarian or Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: The anchovies in the original recipe for Worcestershire sauce are eliminated for vegan or vegetarian versions. This will usually be prominently displayed on the label. 
Low Sodium: Lea & Perrins and some other brands produce versions lower in sodium for those on a low-sodium diet or who simply don't like things as salty.
Low Sodium: Lea & Perrins and some other brands produce versions lower in sodium for those on a low-sodium diet or who simply don't like things as salty.
What Does It Taste Like?
Worcestershire sauce tastes tangy, savory, sweet, and salty. The balance of those flavors makes it an excellent condiment. It is especially valued for adding the umami flavor, which comes from the anchovies. The spices included can vary by brand. Even within the same brand, as in Lea & Perrins, the U.S. version is saltier and sweeter than the U.K. version labeled as the same sauce.
Different version of Worcestershire is available around the world like
China, Hong Kong, Taiwan Shanghainese and Taking Yellow brand
Brazil and Portugal it is known as Molho Inglês 
Costa Rica, a local variation of the sauce is Salsa Lizano, created in 1920 and a staple condiment at homes and restaurants.
Japan, Worcestershire sauce is Usutā sōs, Chūnō sōsu, Nōkō sōsu and Tonkatsu sauce 
U.S. version of Lea and Perrins
El Salvador known as salsa inglesa ('English sauce') or salsa Perrins is very popular in El Salvador. Many restaurants provide a bottle on each table
Germany a sweeter, less salty version of the sauce called Worcester sauce Dresdener Art was developed in the beginning of the 20th century in Dresden, Germany, where it is still being produced
Thai Gy-Nguang brand Formula 2 Worcestershire sauce
Mexico it is known as Salsa Inglesa 
United Kingdom Holbrook's Worcestershire was produced in Birmingham, England, from 1875
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce is sold in the United States by Kraft Heinz and French's
In Venezuela is salsa inglesa ('English sauce') and is part of many traditional dishes such as Hallacas and Asado Negro 
Other English piquant liquid sauces include:
Harvey Sauce
Worcester Sauce
Mrs. Comber's Sauce
Wow-Wow Sauce
Muckleston's Celebrated Shropshire Sauce
Reading Sauce
Yorkshire Relish