is done.
Prepared flavor extracts such as vanilla
extract are handy because the flavor
molecules have already been dissolved in a
liquid and immediately permeate the dish.
Because cooking will only cause their flavor
to evolve or to evaporate, extracts are best
added toward the end of a preparation.
Grinding, Crushing, Chopping There are
several ways of crushing herbs and spices, and
they have different effects on flavor. Grinders,
choppers, and mortars all generate heat. The
hotter the aroma molecules get, the more
volatile they become and the more readily
they escape, and the more reactive and
changeable they become. The original flavors
are best preserved by prechilling both spice
and grinder to keep the aromatics as cool as
possible. Food processors slice into herbs and
introduce a lot of air and therefore aroma-
altering oxygen, while a pestle pounding in a