Seasoning and Flavoring

Seasoning foods Seasonings: –Ingredients you add to a food to improve its flavor. –Added small amounts –cannot taste individual seasoning

Seasonings Enhancing Natural Taste –Intensifies natural taste –Example: pasta cooked in salted water. Balancing Tastes –Overcome very strong tastes Sour, sweet, bitter Bitter vegetables are less bitter when salt is added. Sour foods are less sour if you add sugar. Cutting Richness –Very rich and fatty foods will be less so if salt is added

Review Why do chefs season food?

Types of Seasoning 4 basic types of seasoning –Salt –Pepper –Sugar –Acids

Salt Sodium Chloride –Used in all cuisines, in all countries –Added to foods during cooking or at table –Enhances flavor of food High-Sodium Foods –Added to a dish adds salt Example: soy sauce, bacon

Where does Salt Come From? Found underground –Mined Found in the ocean Water contains the salt. When it evaporates, the salt is left behind. Salt lasts indefinitely –As long it does not get moist (humidity)

Types of Salt Table Salt –Refined to remove other minerals –Processed to give it a fine, even grain. Iodized salt –Added to salt after WWI –Prevents iodine deficiency –Prevents goiters

Types of Salt Sea Salt –Made by evaporating sea water Not refined Contains other minerals and elements –May have a slight color –Various sizes

Types of Salt Kosher Salt –Salt without any additives –Flakier than table salt Use twice the amount of kosher salt as you would table salt in a recipe.

Types of Salt Rock Salt –Less refined than table salt –Not used for consumption –Used in making ice cream, or a bed for oysters

Types of Salt Monosodium Glutamate –MSG Not a salt Used in the same way as a salt –Provides umami taste –Made from seaweed

Pepper Together with salt, the most widely used seasonings in the world. Actually a spice –Used as both a spice and a flavoring –Black and White pepper are seasonings

Types of Pepper Black Pepper: –Dried, unripe berries of pepper vine –Whole berries, cracked or ground –Grinding is preferable Fresher, more aromatic

Types of Pepper White Pepper –Pepper berries are allowed to dry –Husks removed –Used in light colored sauces –Whole, cracked, or ground –Grinding is preferable

Sugar and Light-Flavored Sweeteners Used to enhance flavor of many dishes As a seasoning: –Only add a small amount –Brown sugar has a flavor and is not a seasoning Liquid Sweetener –Light corn syrup –Light honey –Light maple syrup

Acids Lemon, orange juice, vinegar, wine Sour, tart flavor Also improves appearance/texture of foods –Lemon juice keeps fruit from turning brown

Review: Name the four types of seasonings.

Flavoring Foods Seasoning enhances foods flavor Flavoring changes the flavor of food