ANNATTO, ANNATTO SEED

Annatto (Bixa orellana) is a tropical American tree whose seeds are used to produce a food coloring used in cheese, margarine, butter, rice and smoked fish. Annatto is widely used in Latin America and the Caribbean cuisines as both a coloring agent and for flavoring.   Central and South American Indians used the seeds to make a body paint, and as a lipstick. (also called achiote, and lipstick tree)

Annatto seeds are red in color with a slightly bitter taste.

Annatto seeds were used extensively by the Caribs of the Caribbean region as body paint.

In the 17th century annatto was being used in Europe in chocolate recipes, and by the 18th century it was being used to color Cheshire Cheese and Leicester Cheese in England. It has practically no flavor so it is a preferred coloring agent. It is also used as a saffron substitute
 

 

Also see: Food Articles and Cooking Tips

CULINARY SCHOOLS
& COOKING CLASSES

From Amateur & Basic Cooking Classes to Professional Chef Training & Degrees -  Associates, Bachelors & Masters - More than 1,000 schools & classes listed for all 50 States, Online and Worldwide

FOOD TRIVIA and FOOD FACTS

Please feel free to link to any pages of FoodReference.com from your website.
For permission to use any of this content please E-mail: james@foodreference.com
All contents are copyright © 1990 - 2024 James T. Ehler and www.FoodReference.com unless otherwise noted.
All rights reserved.  You may copy and use portions of this website for non-commercial, personal use only.
Any other use of these materials without prior written authorization is not very nice and violates the copyright.
Please take the time to request permission.



 

FoodReference.com Logo

 

 

FoodReference.com (since 1999)

Home   |   Articles   |   FOOD TRIVIA   |   Today in Food History   |   Food_Timeline   |   Recipes   |  Cooking_Tips   |   Food Quotes   |   Who’s Who   |   Culinary Schools and Tours   |   Food_Trivia_Quizzes   |   Food Poems   |   Free Magazines   |   Food Festivals & Events

You are here > Home

Next

 

FOOD TRIVIA and FOOD FACTS SECTION