My Chef’s Essences® collection grew out of Aroma, the book I co-wrote with renowned Bay Area chef Daniel Patterson to explore the connection between fragrance and food. This selection fulfills my desire for home chefs to have access to the most beautiful edible essential oils and absolutes available, adding new dimensions to a dish with a single drop that unforgettably captures the quality of the living plant.
They are quite intense and should be used sparingly, as a drop or two goes a very long way. The absolutes have a rounder and more intense aroma and taste than the essential oils.
Start with a drop, then taste to see how many more drops to add. First, dilute the essence in a small amount of the liquid you want to season — butter, oil, sauce, vinaigrette, soup, stew, etc.— then add the seasoned liquid back into the larger amount. Chef’s Essences® should be added as close to the end of cooking as possible, to preserve the volatile components of their scent.
Please store the citrus oils—bergamot, grapefruit, lime, orange—in the refrigerator. Citrus oils should be used within four months and then discarded. All other essences can be stored at room temperature and will keep indefinitely. |