FLAVOURINGS. Flavouring agents, with the exception of common salt, are obtained from vegetables and may be from any part of the plant, that is, leaf, stem, root or fruit. Though useful in helping to make certain foods palatable and hence easier to digest, condiments have no food value and should be regarded purely as food "accessories." Flavourings should always be blended with food in cooking and not served with the food. This rule should apply to salt and pepper but custom has largely prevailed to the contrary in this case. All condiments ought to be used sparingly and in such proportions that they do not spoil the natural flavours of the other ingredients.
Pot Herbs.—This expression is usually applied to a particular set of flavouring herbs (parsley, thyme, bay leaf and marjoram) which are used in the form of a "bouquet" for stews, sauces, etc. A complete bouquet has other flavourings added such as lemon, celery, mace, tarragon, etc. The term "pot herbs" is also familiarly given to onion, carrot and turnip added to stock.
These are made by immersing a flavouring agent (e.g., celery seed) in spirits of wine for several days to form a tincture; or, an essential oil, obtainable at a pharmacy (e.g., oil of bitter almonds) is added to spirits of wine when the natural volatile oil cannot be obtained by ordinary methods of immersion and soaking. Examples of essences are cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon, ginger, etc. Vinegars are made by soaking some strong flavouring agent (e.g., chilli) in ordinary vinegar.
Fresh herbs or those dried in leaf or powdered are used in making sauces, stews, etc. It is usual to classify them according to the part of plant to which they belong: (a) Leaves and stems. Among these are sage (for flavouring forcemeats, etc.) ; spearmint, commonly alluded to as "mint" and used in making mint sauce for mutton; bayleaf (bouquets) ; marjoram, thyme and sweet basil (bouquets) ; parsley, used as garnish as well as a popular flavouring agent; peppermint, prin cipally used in confectionery. (b) Flowers and buds. Cloves; saffron (used chiefly for colour) ; capers (pickles, sauces, etc.). (c) Barks. Cinnamon. (d) Roots. Horseradish (grated in sauce or eaten au naturel with beef ; turmeric (chiefly for colour and as an ingredient in curry preparations) ; ginger (puddings, cordials and jams) ; garlic (stews and sauces) ; these are the best known. (e) Seeds. Aniseed (pastry, cakes, cordial) ; carraway (cakes) ; fennel (cakes and liqueurs) ; mustard; nutmeg and mace; cumin; coriander and various seeds used in curry preparations. (f) Fruits. In this class are certain immature fruits, such as all-spice, cap sicum and vanilla pods, etc. See SAUCE.
