Seasoning is the process of supplementing food via

herbs In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

, spices, salts, and/or sugar, intended to enhance a particular flavour.

General meaning

Seasonings include herbs and spices, which are themselves frequently referred to as "seasonings". However, '' Larousse Gastronomique'' states that "to season and to flavor are not the same thing", insisting that seasoning includes a large or small amount of salt being added to a preparation.'' Larousse Gastronomique'' (1961), Crown Publishers
(''Translated from the French, Librairie Larousse, Paris (1938)'') Salt may be used to draw out water, or to magnify a natural flavor of a food making it richer or more delicate, depending on the dish. This type of procedure is akin to curing. For instance, sea salt (a coarser-grained salt) is rubbed into chicken, lamb, and beef to tenderize the meat and improve flavour. Other seasonings like black pepper and basil transfer some of their flavors to the food. A well-designed dish may combine seasonings that complement each other. In addition to the choice of herbs and seasoning, the timing of when flavors are added will affect the food that is being cooked or otherwise prepared. In some cultures, meat may be seasoned by pouring seasoning sauce over the dish at the table. A variety of seasoning techniques exist in various cultures. Seasoning means bringing out or intensifying the natural flavor of the food without changing it. Seasonings are usually added near the end of the cooking period. The most common seasonings are salt, pepper, and acids (such as lemon juice). When seasonings are used properly, they cannot be tasted; their job is to heighten the flavors of the original ingredients. Researchers have found traces of garlic mustard seeds in prehistoric pots that also contained traces of other animals, making this the earliest recording of seasoning food.

Oil infusion

Infused oils are also used for seasoning. There are two methods for doing an infusion—hot and cold.

Olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...

makes a good infusion base for some herbs, but tends to go rancid more quickly than other oils. Infused oils should be kept refrigerated. It is important to note that butter is not considered a seasoning.

Escoffier

In '' Le Guide culinaire'', Auguste Escoffier (1903), '' Le Guide culinaire'', Editions Flammarion Auguste Escoffier divides seasoning and condiments into the following groups:

Seasonings

# ''Saline seasonings'' – salt, spiced salt, saltpeter. # ''Acid seasonings'' – plain vinegar (sodium acetate), or same aromatized with tarragon; '' verjuice'', lemon and orange juices. # ''Hot seasonings'' – peppercorns, ground or coarsely chopped pepper, or ''mignonette pepper'';

paprika Paprika ( US , ; UK , ) is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers. It is traditionally made from ''Capsicum annuum'' varietals in the Longum group, which also includes chili peppers, but the peppers used for paprika tend to be milder an ...

, curry,

cayenne Cayenne (; ; gcr, Kayenn) is the capital city of French Guiana, an overseas region and Overseas department, department of France located in South America. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic Oc ...

, and mixed pepper spices. # ''Spice seasonings'' – made by using essential oils like paprika, clove oil, etc.

Condiments

# ''The pungents'' – onions, shallots,

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...

, chives, and horseradish. # ''Hot condiments'' – mustard, gherkins, capers, English sauces, such as Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, etc. and American sauces such as chili sauce, Tabasco, A1 Steak Sauce, etc.; the wines used in

reductions Reductions ( es, reducciones, also called ; , pl. ) were settlements created by Spanish rulers and Roman Catholic missionaries in Spanish America and the Spanish East Indies (the Philippines). In Portuguese-speaking Latin America, such redu ...

and braisings; the finishing elements of sauces and soups. # ''Fatty substances'' – most animal fats, butter, vegetable greases ( edible oils and

margarine Margarine (, also , ) is a spread used for flavoring, baking, and cooking. It is most often used as a substitute for butter. Although originally made from animal fats, most margarine consumed today is made from vegetable oil. The spread was orig ...

References