Flavorings Category

These are wines that are made from plums. Some producers leave the stones in while the plums are fermenting, giving the wine a bit of almond flavoring as well.

Don't confuse this unsweetened juice with grenadine, which is a heavy, sweet syrup. Look for it in health food stores and Middle Eastern markets. Knudsen is a well-regarded brand.

This tart Middle Eastern syrup became trendy a few years ago when Western cooks discovered that it adds zing to meat glazes, sauces, and soups. It also makes a wonderful topping for ice cream, and it can be mixed with soda water to make a tasty non-alcoholic drink. Look for bottles of it in Middle Eastern markets or gourmet stores. Store it in the refrigerator, where it will keep almost indefinitely. Don't confuse pomegranate molasses with grenadine, which is much sweeter.

Bits of pomegranate pulp remain on the seeds as they dry, so they're a bit sticky and serve as a souring agent in Indian cuisine. The seeds also come ground.

This orange-flavored bitters is made in the Netherlands and Germany. It comes in red and green versions.

This table salt has very fine grains, which adhere better to popcorn, potato chips, and French fries.

Eastern European cooks like to put this into their pastries and cakes.

These tiny, nutty seeds are typically used in baked goods, but some cuisines also use them in savory dishes. Europeans prefer black poppy seeds, while Indians prefer white, but the two kinds can be substituted for one another. Since poppy seeds are high in fat, they tend to go rancid quickly, so buy small amounts and store them in the refrigerator. Consuming poppy seeds can result in a false positive on a drug test.

This is a sweet Portuguese fortified wine that's sipped as an after-dinner drink, or used as a cooking ingredient. Vintage ports are the best, but they are very expensive. The sediment at the bottom of the bottle is a sign of quality. Crusted or late-bottled vintage ports are both less expensive and less elegant. Cheaper yet are the lighter and fruitier wood ports, which include the tawny ports and the lowly ruby ports. Wood ports don't age well in the bottle, so try to drink them within a year or two of purchase. Once opened, port should be consumed within a week or so and stored in the refrigerator.

This is an area in the Burgundy region of France that's renown for its exquisite white wines. Made with Chardonnay grapes, these wines are great with seafood and hors d'oeuvres.

This is a highly regarded dry white wine.

See also Powdered Sugar Replacement page for diabetics, and the Powdered Sugar Replacement page on www.vegweb.com.

This paste is made with almond or hazelnut butter and sugar, and it's used to make candy and other desserts. It's hard to make yourself, since homemade nut butters tend to be gritty. Unfortunately, it's also hard to find commercially prepared praline paste, though you can order it online at www.kingarthurflour.com. The oil sometimes separates and rises to the top, so stir before using.

These are lemons that have been preserved in a salty brine for one or two months. They're a staple of Moroccan cuisine and somewhat hard to find in the U.S.

These opaque salt crystals are used to coat pretzels

Pumpkin seeds are terrific snacks. Unlike sunflower seeds, they're usually eaten whole, though hulled pumpkin seeds, called pepitas, are commonly used in Mexican dishes. To roast fresh pumpkin seeds, wash them and blot them dry, then toss them with salt and melted butter or margarine and bake on a cookie sheet in a 325° oven for about 15 minutes. To dry fresh seeds, wash and blot them dry as before, but bake them in a warm (150°) oven for 1 to 2 hours.

This is a Spanish and South American delicacy that's similar to quince jam, only thick enough to cut into slices. It's terrific which cheese or nuts.

A traditional Moroccan spice mix, the name means "head of the shop," suggesting that it was the master of the spice shop who prepared this complex blend. It's often cooked with rice and couscous dishes. Look for it in Middle Eastern markets or African markets.

Torani is a well-known brand.

This is a mild and fruity vinegar that makes a terrific salad dressing.

This mild Puerto Rican specialty is made from peppers and cilantro.

Red chile powder is made from hot red chiles that have been dried and ground. Don't confuse chile powder with chili powder, a mixed spice for making chili.

Red currant jelly is tart and often served with lamb and venison.

These are dried cayenne peppers that have been crushed. They're often sprinkled on pizza to add heat.

Red pepper sauce is a mild sauce made from roasted red bell peppers and other spices.

This Asian vinegar is a bit salty. It's sometimes used in seafood or sweet and sour dishes, or as a dipping sauce.

This is made from azuki beans, and Asian cooks use it to fill buns and dumplings and to make puddings. Like peanut butter, it comes in both creamy and crunchy versions. The creamy version also comes in powdered form. Don't confuse this with sweet bean paste, which is made from sweetened fermented soybeans.

Red wines are heavier and more strongly flavored than white wines, and they go best with heavier, more strongly flavored foods, like red meat, pasta, and ripe cheeses. They should always be served at room temperature.

This assertive vinegar is a staple in French households. It's used in vinaigrettes and for making marinades, stews, and sauces. It's a good choice if you're trying to balance strong flavors in a hearty dish.

This is a white Greek wine that's flavored with pine resin. It's popular with Greeks, but hasn't caught on elsewhere. It should be served at room temperature.

Riesling grapes are used to make white Rhine wine.

Vineyards along the Rhône River in Southeastern France produce red, white, and blush wines, but they're best known for their excellent red wines. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the region's most famous appellation, while Côtes-du-Rhône is the catch-all name given to lesser Rhône wines.

Vietnamese and Thai cooks use this herb in soups and curry dishes.

Rice vinegars are popular in Asian and they're sweeter, milder, and less acidic than Western vinegars. They're sometimes called rice wine vinegars, but they're made from rice, not rice wine. Most recipes that call for rice vinegar intend for you to use white rice vinegar, which is used in both China and Japan. The Chinese also use red rice vinegar with seafood or in sweet and sour dishes, and black rice vinegar in stir-fries and dipping sauces.

Technically, this should be called "rice beer," since it's fermented from a grain rather than a fruit. The Japanese produce two kinds of rice wines: sake, a dry wine that is used for drinking and cooking, and mirin, a sweet wine which is used just for cooking. Chinese cooks use a product similar to sake, called Shaoxing wine.

If made in Germany or Alsace, a Riesling is a very good, somewhat sweet white wine. If made in America, it's usually a so-so white wine that's usually made from Sylvaner = Franken Riesling, Gray Riesling and Emerald Riesling grapes, mediocre varieties which coast on the reputation of their superior relative, Johanissberg Riesling.

This is a region in Northern Spain that's known for its economical and fairly good red wines.