Chapter 16 Seasonings & Flavorings

16-1 Enhancing Food

ObjectivesAfter reading this section, you will be able to:

*Contrast seasonings and flavorings

*Identify seven common ingredients used to enhance flavor.

*Explain when to add seasonings and flavorings to food

*Contrast the characteristics of herbs versus spices

Enhancing FoodImagine eating food without any flavor, or several foods that all have the same flavor.

This doesn’t sound very appetizing, does it?

Fortunately, foods have natural flavoring, but sometimes these flavors need to be strengthened.

Seasonings and flavorings play a role in this

Enhancing the natural flavor of foods is part of the art of cooking

Enhancing FoodYou need to understand how the flavor of food is enhanced in order to work in food production.

Using seasonings and flavorings is a skill that develops over time.

Tasting foods throughout the cooking process will help you develop this skill.

Seasonings and Flavorings

Improve or strengthen natural flavor

Seasonings are ingredients that enhance food without changing the natural flavor

Some seasonings are called flavor enhancers. Flavor enhancers increase the way you perceive the food’s flavor without changing the actual flavor.

MSG is an example of a flavor enhancer.

Seasonings and Flavorings

Flavorings, on the other hand, are ingredients that actually change the natural flavor of the foods they are added to.

Flavorings have their own distinct flavors

Extracts, or concentrated flavors, such as lemon and vanilla, are flavorings

A wide variety of ingredients can be used as seasonings and flavorings.

Seasonings and Flavorings

Salt and pepper are two of the most common

Salt is the most commonly used seasoning today.

Can be added to most foods to heighten flavor

Has a more distinctive taste on cooler foods than on hot foods.

Table salt is the most common type of salt used in food preparation.

Salt

Rock salt usually is used as a bed during baking for foods such as clams, oysters, and potatoes.

Sea salt is preferred by some chefs because it has a strong, distinctive flavor.

Kosher salt is coarse and free of iodine or other additives.

Salt

The amount of salt added to food depends on the food being cooked

It also depends on the preference of the person who will be eating the food.

Use care when adding salt. Taste food before adding more salt

You can always add more, but you can’t remove it.

Pepper

Pepper is the most widely used spice in the world

Spices are flavorings that blend with the natural flavors of foods.

Pepper is usually used in its ground form rather than whole peppers

Ground pepper brings out the flavor of foods and may be hard to see on some foods

Pepper

Whole or cracked pepper, however, is in a large enough form to be detected in the flavor of the food when it is added.

Black Pepper comes from the dried, unripe berries of the pepper plant

Black pepper stimulates juices in the lining of your stomach, it helps with digestions

White pepper

White pepper comes from the kernel of ripe berries

It is an all around seasoning that blends easily with most food, yet maintains a distinctive flavor

White pepper is a little hotter than black pepper

Green Peppercorns

Green peppercorns come from unripened berries

They are preserved in brine until they darken

Expensive

Only used in special recipes

Red Pepper

Red pepper is not like black or white pepper

Derived from the capsicum plant and is related more closely to the bell pepper family.

It is used to add flavor to food, without altering the food’s natural flavor.

Hot red pepper can be difficult to use because of its intense heat

Pepper

Paprika is a fine powder made from grinding sweet red pepper pods.

Paprika can be sweet, mild, medium-hot, or hot.

Hot pepper

hot peppers are commonly referred to as chiles

They vary in their degree of hotness, color, and flavor. Used in Asian and Indian foods

Onions

Onions are a flavoring that can be added to just about any food dish

The onion family also includes scallions, leeks, shallots, chives, and garlic. All of these flavorings have a strong aroma

When using foods from the onion family, keep in mind that unlike herbs, fresh onions have a stronger flavor than dried ones

Lemon

The zest or rind of the lemon is another type of flavoring

It is added to dishes such as fish, meats, poultry sauces, vegetables, and desserts

When cooking with lemon, use only the juice or the zest.

Do not use the pith or white membrane, which is bitter. juice and the zest contain the best flavor

Monosodium Glutamate

Commonly known as a flavor enhancer, MSG comes from seaweed

It intensifies the natural flavor of most of the foods it is added to

MSG is often added to vegetables, poultry, and fish to bring out more flavor

When To Season

As a general rule, you can season food at any time during the cooking process

Certain forms of food lend themselves to seasoning at certain times.

On the other hand, when cooking large pieces of food, you should add your seasonings at the beginning of the cooking process

When to Season

If you choose to add your seasonings, throughout the cooking process, be sure to taste the food and evaluate its flavor before adding more seasonings.

Over-seasoning can ruin the natural flavor of food.

Dried seasonings should be added earlier in the cooking process than fresh seasonings.

When to Add Flavor

Flavorings can also be added to food at any time during the cooking process

Flavorings require heat to release their flavors

They need time to blend with the natural flavors of the food they are added to

You will need to take this into consideration when adding flavorings

When To Add Flavor

They should not be overcooked.

Overcooked flavorings quickly lose their effect

Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices are used to enhance the flavor of foods.

Both blend with the flavors of other foods to create a new flavor

Herbs are plants that grow in temperate, or mild, climate.

The parts of the plant that are harvested and used as herbs are the leaves and the stems

Herbs can be fresh or dried. Fresh herbs aren’t as strong in

Herbs and Spices

in flavor as dried herbs

When using fresh herbs, you should use twice the amount of dried herbs called for in a recipe

Dried herbs should be stored in closed containers away from heat or excessive light. As they age they lose their flavors

Herbs and SpicesSpices are obtained from the bark, buds, fruits, roots, seeds, or stems of plants and trees.

Spices are commonly used only in their dried form

Spices come in two forms: whole or ground into powder, spices can be sweet, spicy or hot

The flavor and aroma of spices are due to the oils found within the various parts of the plants

Herbs and Spices

Some flavorings are considered blends, or combinations of herbs, spices and seeds. Chili powder, curry powder, and garlic salt are examples of blends

These are ready made dried products that can be purchased from a supplier or created in the commercial kitchen .

When herbs are used with spices, they complement each other by enhancing flavor.

16-2 Herbs and spices

Objectives:

Identify different herbs and spices

Describe the various forms of herbs and spices

Explain how herbs and spices are used

Explain how to store herbs and spices

Herbs and Spices

Part of the job of a foodservice professional involves working with a great variety of herbs and spices

Can you tell the difference between parsley and chervil?

Do you know how to recognize nutmeg and allspice?

You need to know what they look like, the forms they are available in, their flavors and aromas, and how to use them with food.

Herbs and spices

Herbs and spices enhance the flavor of food, but you must use them correctly.

Incorrect use can ruin the flavor of foods

You need to know the effect of each herb and spice. Experience is you best teacher.

Herb Varieties

Herbs are a flavoring that add color and aroma to foods.

Herbs are grown in temperate climates. they can be fresh or dried

Basil, chives, oregano, and sage are examples of herbs

Fresh herbs are most abundant in the summer.

Knowing which to use, when to use it, and with what food is an important aspect of your job.

Using Herbs

Herbs can be purchased in two forms: fresh and dried

Fresh herbs should be minced or crushed as close to cooking or serving time as possible

If used for cooking, they should be added at the end of the cooking process

Herbs need plenty of time to release their flavor to cold foods

Dried herbs should be added at the beginning of the cooking

Using Herbs

time.

Use a little and taste the food before adding more.

When cooking liquid dishes fresh herbs can be added to the dish in a sachet or a bouquet garni. A sachet is french for bag.

To make a sachet place your herbs in the center of a small square piece of cheesecloth.

Using Herbs

Pull the four corners together and tie the bag with twine.

Usually tied to the handle of a stock pot with twine that is long enough to allow the sachet to be in the liquid.

A bouquet garni is a combination of fresh herbs and vegetables tied in a bundle with butcher’s twine.

The bundle is dropped into the stock pot and allowed to simmer. Before the dish is served the bouquet garni is removed.

Storing Herbs

Proper storage is essential to maintaining the flavor of herbs. Fresh herbs should be wrapped loosely in a damp cloth and refrigerated.

dried herbs should be kept in opaque, airtight containers. Avoid exposing stored herbs to heat, light, and excess moisture

Exposure to air can weaken the flavor of herbs.

Spice Varieties

You should know each spice, its aroma-or distinctive pleasing smell, and its effect on food.

You can achieve this by tasting foods as you experiment with adding spices

You can easily add spices to hot foods such as soups, sauces, and broths with the help of a sachet

Spices Varieties

A sachet allows you to add the flavor of spices to the food without leaving the actual spice in the dish to be served

Using SpicesSpices can be used in a variety of forms, such as whole, ground, sliced or in chunks

The form you use partially depends on the length of cooking time

You can also use whole spices when poaching fruit or in a marinade.

Ground spices release their flavor immediately.

As a rule of thumb spices should not dominate the food but complement it

Storing Spices

Spices should be stored in airtight containers away from direct sunlight.

light can rob spices of their flavor

Many factors in addition to sunlight and heat can affect the flavor of spices

the age, type, and source of the spice play a role in how long a particular spice can be stored.

16-3 Condiments, Nuts & Seeds

*Describe various condiments and the foods they accompany

*Explain how condiments are stored

*Identify a variety of nuts and seeds

*Describe how nuts are used

Varieties of CondimentsCondiments are flavored sauces traditionally served as accompaniments to food

There purpose is to complement food

There is a wide variety of condiments from which to choose

they vary from sweet and tart to hot and spicy, sour, or a combination of these sensations

condiments can be purchased ready to use or created in the kitchen

Varieties of Condiments

Salsa: Spanish word for sauce is salsa

A brand selection of salsas are available today

Salsas can be fresh or cooked mixtures of chiles, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.

Unopened, cooked salsas can be stored at room temperature for six months.

Varieties of Condiments:

Ketchup is a tomato-based sauce used throughout the world as a flavoring

Ketchup is typically bright red in color and has a tangy, sweet and sour taste

As ketchup ages its color becomes dark and its flavor becomes stale.

Steak Sauce

Steak sauce is a tomato-based sauce that is tangier than ketchup

It varies widely in color, from brown to dark red

Steak sauce is used with grilled and broiled meats.

Prepared mustards

Prepared mustards are a combination of ingredients, such as ground white, black, and brown seeds, vinegar salt, and spices

Grinding the seeds releases an oil that gives mustard its unique flavor.

Prepared mustards have a variety of textures, from smooth to coarse to chucky

Pickles

Pickles are made from vegetables that are fermented, or chemically changed in brines or vinegars flavored and seasoned with dill, garlic, sugar, peppers or salt.

Cucumber, tomatoes, and peppers are the most common pickled vegetables.

Relishes

Coarsely chopped or ground pickled items are called relishes

The most common flavors are sweet relish and dill relish.

Vinegars

Vinegar is a sour, acidic liquid used in cooking, marinades, and salad dressings

Vinegar comes in a variety of flavors

Discard vinegars three months after they are opened

Flavored oils

Flavored oils are those that have been enhanced with ingredients, such as herbs, spices, and garlic.

The oils of these ingredients are extracted and then poured into olive or canola oil.

This process creates a more flavorful oil than would result from adding the flavor enhancer itself to the oil

Flavored oils can also be used during cooking or added to food before serving. Used as dressings or marinades too

Flavored Oils

Some flavored oils are created by the chef by simply adding the flavor enhancer, not the extracted oil, to olive or canola oil.

Sometimes different vegetable oils are combined to create a different taste

These flavored oils can be used during the cooking process with a variety of foods

Storing Condiments

Unopened condiments should be stored in cool and dry areas

When using canned condiments, such as ketchup, barbecue sauce, and relishes, remove the condiments from the cans and transfer them into airtight plastic containers

Store condiments in the refrigerator once the original packaging has been opened.

Nuts & Seeds

A variety of nuts and seeds can be used with many different foods to enhance natural flavor.

Nuts are available shelled and unshelled

Nuts can be used in their natural form, blanched, toasted, or roasted.

Nuts and seeds can be used in a variety of foods to add flavor, color, and texture. Nuts are a good source of the B vitamins and of protein

Storing Nuts & Seeds

To store fresh nuts and seeds, place them in an airtight container

The container should be placed in a cool, dry area with limited exposure to light

Nuts can also be refrigerated or frozen in airtight containers

16-4 Sensory Perception

Using seasonings and flavorings successfully requires foodservice professionals to understand sensory perception.

Sensory perception is how a person’s eyes, nose, mouth, and skin detect and evaluate the environment

Sensory perception will help you improve your ability to taste

The Sensory Properties of Food

Sensory properties of food affect how people perceive food.

These sensory properties are color and appearance, flavor, and texture

Each one is detected by four of five sense organs: the taste buds, nose, skin, and eyes

Sensory

When people eat, these sense organs evaluate the food.

This is done with special receptors, or groups of cells that detect stimuli, or things that cause an activity or response.

When a stimulus is detected, nerve impulses carry the signal to the brain

Color and Appearance

The appearance of food is usually the first indication of how it will taste.

The brighter and more colorful the more visual appeal it has

The brain processes visual information about flavor and texture based on appearance alone

Foodservice professionals should ensure that the color and appearance of food will be visually appealing to customers.

Lighting

Different types of lighting affect the perception of color

Foodservice professionals should be aware that what they see in kitchen lighting may not be what the customer sees in dining room lighting

Physical structure

The physical structure of food affects color

Because light reflects off liquids differently than it does air, cooked onions appear translucent, or clear rather than opaque or cloudy.

Chemical Structure

The chemical structure of food also impacts appearance

The pigments, or the chemicals that give vegetables their color change during the cooking process

Pigments found in foods include red as in beets, white as in cauliflower, green as in broccoli, and yellow as in squash

When properly cooked pigments remain bright, when overcooked become dull

Flavor

The sensory property of flavor, or taste, is a combination of three sensory experience: basic tastes, aromas, and feeling

People’s perception of these three sensory experiences is chemical in nature.

Tastes

The basic tastes are sweet, salty, sour, and bitter

Savory means stimulating and full of flavor

Tastes are detected by taste buds, cells scattered over the surface of the tongue

In addition to taste buds, saliva plays an important role in taste perception

Without saliva, the taste molecules could not reach the taste cells

Aroma

The perception of aroma is more complex than that of tastes.

Humans can detect hundreds even thousands of distinctly different aromas.

The perception of smell allows people to differentiate between similar flavors, such as an orange versus a tangerine

The basic tastes are sweet, salty, sour, and bitter1. Bitter2. Sour3. Salty4. Sweet

Nerve Endings

Nerve endings that reside just below the skin throughout the mouth and the nose are responsible for detecting flavors

In fact, people who have lost their sense of taste and smell often can still detect the presence of certain flavors with these nerve endings

Texture

The last sensory property of food that must be evaluated is texture.

The characteristics of texture can vary greatly.

Sometimes one characteristic stand out, but foodservice professionals need to practice analyzing food as completely as possible

When evaluating the texture of food, ask these questions:

Texture

1. How does the food feel against the soft tissue in the mouth?2. How does the food react to being squeezed, pulled, bitten or

chewed?3. How does the food react to the warmth of the mouth?4. Does the food leave a coating tin the mouth and throat after

swallowing?5. How does the food sound when chewed?

Sensory Evaluation

Sensory evaluation is the systematic tasting of food by consumers and foodservice professionals

Many foodservice operations conduct consumer taste tests to determine what their customers like and dislike

Customers test foods based on their likes and dislikes, but food taste testers need to evaluate food objectively.

To increase objectivity of the evaluations, food products are

sensory evaluation

tasted “blind”. This means that the samples are not labeled so that the testers will not know which product they are tasting

Much proactive is needed to successfully recognize and identify the many interrelated sensory characteristics of food.

Products Factors

Different versions of the same type of food may taste or smell different from each other

This is because different food products have different characteristics

Several factors influence the characteristics of a food products

Product Factors

● Type of ingredients● product temperature● product consistency● presence of other factors● flavor enhancers● amount of oil and water

Plate Composition

Plate composition should be carefully planned even before the food is cooked to ensure success

This is done by presenting contrasts in color and appearance, height, shape, texture, flavor, and temperature of foods

Color of food presented on a plate should be vibrant and contrasting.

Choose several colors to create an interesting plate

Plate Composition

Height -One of the most difficult elements to achieve in plate composition is varying the heights of food on a plate

Achieving this requires careful planning

Shape-Vary the shape of foods in every presentation

Texture-Include a variety of textures in each plate composition by carefully choosing foods that may have soft, hard, chewy, crunchy, creamy or meaty textures

Plate Composition

Flavor-Each element of food in a plate presentation should contribute to the overall flavor of the food

Temperatures-Foods should be served at the appropriate temperatures

Garnishing-Not all food presentations requires a garnish

Garnishes should compliment the food.

A garnish should be the crowning touch on a presentation of food