1 Seasonings and Flavorings Seasoning – substances that enhance flavor of food, not usually detected themselves Flavoring – substances added for their own flavor

2 1. Salt (NaCl)-health issues, kosher, pickling, iodized, sea salt, flavored 2. Pepper - black = dried unripe berry - white = dried ripe kernel of ripe berry - red = dried pods e.g. cayenne

3 3. MSG – monosodium glutamate “flavor enhancer” – may also add own flavor in high amounts (umami) Used in processed veg, meat, poultry, fish Considered safe, but some are people sensitive: “Chinese restaurant syndrome”

4 4. 5’ Riboncleotides flavor enhancers  umami -yeast autolysates -disodium guanylate -inosinate

5 5. Spices and herbs Spice – dried aromatic plant products “true spice” = bark, roots, buds, flowers, fruits and seeds of plants grown in tropics e.g. allspice, caraway, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, ginger, paprika

6 Herbs – leaves, stems, seeds of plants from temperate climates e.g. leaves and stems = bay leaves, oregano, sage, tarragon, thyme seeds = caraway, sesame, dill (both tropical and temperate)

7 Spice Blends - e.g. curry powder, chili powder (chili pepper, cumin, garlic, oregano), poultry seasoning, mixed pickling spice, Cajun spice

8 Spices and herbs generally added as “flavor builders” (contribute to total flavor) Some, however, have distinctive flavors: e.g. basil, oregano, tarragon, sage Tables 3-1 & 3-2 on pp in Dummies lists some spices and herbs and their uses

Some spice and herb tips… Purchase in small quantities Store in cool, dry, dark place—use within 1 yr Crush dried herbs b/w fingers b/f using Grind your own from whole spices for more flavor Dried spices & herbs more concentrated than fresh, so use only 1/3-1/2 as much when using dried for fresh

Interesting research… 10 Spices get odors from small molecules that evaporate easily (they’re volatile) Some spices can easily penetrate the cell membranes in the brains of insects making them get hyper or fly away People don’t have the same receptors in their brains, so they are safe for humans Combinations of spice extracts, like rosemary, peppermint, cinnamon and thyme, may soon be used as organic pesticides in crops! American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, 2009

11 6. Flavor extracts extracts and essential oils (volatile) from aromatic plants usually dissolved in alcohol e.g. vanilla, lemon, orange, almond

7. Vegetables, fruit, flowers 12 Hot peppers—capsicum genus Fruits—lemon, lime, oranges, acai Vegetables—”mirepoix”: 50% onion, 25% carrots, 25% celery Edible flowers—pansies, violas, marigolds, tulips, squash blossoms, carnations

13 8. Alcohol wine, liqueurs, distilled spirits low boiling point 4-85% retained w/ cooking  depends on time and type of cooking method 9. Flavored oils and vinegars—often used for marinating