Annatto
I am obsessed with ingredient labels. I take 23% longer than average to make a food purchase decision because of that. (John thinks it’s more like 50%.) Although it’s not a bad habit it can be annoying if you’re my shopping companion.
Annatto is an ingredient I have often read on ingredient lists without really knowing what it was. I figured it had something to do with food coloring but didn’t know what it looked like or where it came from. During my last trip, I got to see annatto in its raw state, before it’s transformed into food coloring powder or liquid to give foods such as cheese, butter and smoked fish a yellow or orangey red color. I opened and touched it; it stained my fingers and then my shorts. It was a gorgeous crimson red that I would not have minded wearing on my lips. I learned that in Central America, it is not only used to color food but also to give it a nice peppery flavor. Dishes such as arroz con pollo and arroz amarillo often call for annatto.
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Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen — 12/22/2011 @ 9:51 pm
How fascinating, I’ve always wondered what it was too.
Lea Ann — 12/23/2011 @ 5:56 am
I like making annatto oil with the seeds. Makes Mexican dishes all that much better.
Bria @ West of Persia — 12/23/2011 @ 7:39 am
We’re two of a kind, Nisrine…I’m a big-time label reader. Annatto is a fave of mine. So beautiful in its original form. Thanks for sharing this :-)
Nisrine — 12/23/2011 @ 11:33 am
Lea, I’d love to make annatto oil. It’s so cool that you make your own!
Sylvie and Bria, thanks!
Heba @ midEATS — 12/23/2011 @ 2:41 pm
That’s so so interesting! Where can I find annatto?
p.s. I am the most annoying ingredient label reader ever. Anything ingredient that sounds like gibberish to me, they just lot a customer ;) lol
Ann — 12/23/2011 @ 10:56 pm
That is great! I love that you pay such attention to your food! Your photos are stunning! Thanks for sharing!
A Canadian Foodie — 12/27/2011 @ 12:57 am
First – WOW – your site and photography is even more gorgeous than ever and I know I have not taken the time to tell you that – but I just must. I have some annatto seeds that I bought at the Asian market just because they were there and I remembered looking for them for a recipe once not finding them. Now I have no clue what to do with them, and mine are very hard and small – bigger than a peppercorn and very dark.
:) Valerie
Sangeeta — 12/28/2011 @ 10:08 am
I enjoy your blog, it’s one of my favourite places. I was happy to look at this entry and see a fruit that I am very familiar with, here in Trinidad and which we use in our cooking! Locally it is known as Roucou or oucou and the link below shows how its made locally. Hope it helps!
http://www.simplytrinicooking.com/2008/12/roucou.html#axzz1hqVHktUv
Dhoolly — 02/03/2012 @ 12:39 pm
I’ve first discovered anatto as a spice in the NOrtheast of Brazil (Recife, PE) where the basic tempering (tempero/spice mix) for most of everyday dishes seems to be based on cumin and anatto powder which is called “coloral” there. I first thought it was only used for coloring purposes but it actually has a taste when it’s pure and not too old, and according to several researches would be packed wit anti-oxydants.
Anyways, I just found out about your blog and I’m loving it, keep going!
Best