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From: clark@sdcsla.UUCP (Clark Quinn)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: What is achiote? annato seeds
Message-ID: <820@sdcsla.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Mar-85 13:29:23 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcsla.820
Posted: Wed Mar 20 13:29:23 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 23-Mar-85 01:16:51 EST
References: <442@teklds.UUCP> <523@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Cognitive Science Lab
Lines: 38

> 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
> 

One other reference to achiote/annato seeds (besides the other posted
bits of information) comes from "Ethnic Cuisine: The Flavor-Principle
Cookbook" by Elisabeth Rozin (a very interesting concept cookbook, that there
are principle flavor combinations that characterize ethnic cuisines).

In it, she says
	One great regional variation (talking about Mexican food), that of the
	cuisine of the Yucatan, should be noted.  The same basic foods are
	used here as in the rest of Mexico, but influences from Europe, the
	Caribbean, and America gave rise to the unique combination of sour
	orange, garlic, and achiote.  

Later, in the Foreign Ingredients section, she notes that
	Achiote (annatto): a small, hard red seed used primarily as a coloring
	agent in both Mexican and Indian cooking.  Try to buy it already
	ground, but if not available, buy the seeds and grind them yourself.

	Adobo paste: small compressed squares of ground achiote, garlic,
	vinegar, and other spices.

The book is published by The Stephen Greene Press, Brattleboro, Vermont.

-- Clark


 Clark N. Quinn
 Institute for Cognitive Science C-015
 University of California, San Diego
 La Jolla, California 92093
 (619) 452-2541 (UCSD): (619) 481-0952 (Home)
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