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From: alan@mtxinu.UUCP (Alan Tobey)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: What is achiote? annato seeds
Message-ID: <317@mtxinu.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 15-Mar-85 18:00:51 EST
Article-I.D.: mtxinu.317
Posted: Fri Mar 15 18:00:51 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Mar-85 23:57:02 EST
References: <442@teklds.UUCP>
Organization: mt Xinu, Berkeley, CA
Lines: 23

> 
> **********************
> Does anyone in net.cooks land know what achiote otherwise
> known as annato seeds is used for?  We have a jar and don't 
> know how to use it.
> .......................Rich Caldwell richca@teklds
> 		       tektronix!teklds!richca


Achiote/annato is the traditional source of the coloring agent
that gives cheese that "real cheese" yellow-to-orange color.
(Compare English cheddar with New York State white cheddar for
the difference).  You can make a water- or oil-based extract
by heating annato in either for 5-10 minutes; watch the oil
so it doesn't get too hot and char the annato.  

It also has a mildly spicy and quite distinctive flavor.  Try
adding some of the extract to rice before cooking to get a sense
against a neutral background.  I use it as part of the mix
of spices I use in making refried beans: coriander, cumin,
ancho and jalapeno chiles, oregano, achiote.

		Alan Tobey / Mt Xinu, Berkeley