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