Georgia
SEASONINGS
Georgian food tastes sour and savory first, then nutty and herbal, with warmth. Flavors are built around contrast between richness and acidity. Sourness is very important; it is created with sour plums, pomegranate juice, grape verjuice, and small amounts of vinegar. Fruit acidity sharpens meats and walnut sauces and often replaces the role that citrus or dairy plays in other cuisines.
Walnuts are a structural element, ground into sauces satsivi and bazhe, used to thicken stews, and mixed into fillings. Walnuts add fat, bitterness, and body without cream or butter.
Fresh herbs define much of the aroma. Fresh cilantro is the most important, used both as leaves and seeds. Dill, parsley, summer savory and especially fresh tarragon are used generously. Many dishes combine dried and fresh herbs in a single dish. Garlic is used confidently but in balance, rarely sharp.
Georgians use coriander seed, fenugreek, marigold petals, and black pepper a lot. Chili exists, but does not define the cuisine. Blue fenugreek is much more prominent than in neighbouring cuisines. It belongs to the same family as the fenugreek, but has a milder, sweeter flavour reminiscent of autumn leaves. Also, the marigold flower is quite distinctive, called the Imeretian Saffron. Georgians use the dried and ground petals to give an earthy flavour and bright yellow colour to walnut dishes and sauces.
Many spices are dried and ground together rather than added separately, thus there are unique Geogrian mixes:
KHMELI SUNELI – a distinct blend, which combines coriander, fenugreek, blue fenugreek, marigold, bay leaf, summer savory, celery seed, dried basil, dill, parsley, and mint. There is no fixed recipe for khmeli suneli, like Indian masala.
SVANETIAN SALT is a popular mix; the recipe originates in Svaneti, but nowadays it can be bought virtually everywhere and is a practical souvenir. Salt contains a mixture of sea salt, dried garlic, fenugreek, coriander, cumin, chili pepper, dill, and several other herbs.
AJIKA – a spicy and subtly flavored condiment made with hot peppers, garlic, coriander, tomato, fenugreek, marigold, and salt. It is a part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Georgia. It comes in red and green varieties, with red being the hotter option. Red ajika exists in two variants – dry and wet. Dry is a seasoning mix used on raw meat, while the wet one has the consistency of a thicker mustard and is used to highlight the already roasted meat.
TKEMALI – Georgian sauce made of cherry and red-leaf plums. The flavour of this sauce varies, but it’s generally pungently tart. Alongside plums, garlic, cumin, coriander, dill, chili pepper, pennyrile and salt are used. Tkemali is used for fried or grilled meat, poultry and potato dishes, and has a place in Georgian cuisine similar to the one ketchup has in the United States.
BAZHE – rich and creamy sauce of ground walnuts, coriander, fenugreek, blue fenugreek, marigold petals and sometimes onions and garlic. The unique texture comes from the way the walnuts are processed and emulsified with water or other liquids. A touch of vinegar or pomegranate juice is often added to balance brightness. It can be served as a dip for vegetables or bread or poured over grilled meats or fish.
SATSIVI – is a thicker, more luxurious sauce compared to bazhe. It’s made with ground walnuts, coriander, fenugreek, blue fenugreek, sometimes cinnamon or cloves. Satsivi can be served hot or cold and is a classic accompaniment to poultry dishes, especially chicken or turkey.
Mexico
SEASONINGS
The chile pepper is the cornerstone of Mexican seasoning – fresh, cooked, dried, smoked, ground with salt and lime. Mexicans use cilantro, cumin, cinnamon, peppercorn, cloves, garlic, and onion extensively. Also, some native, often regional, ingredients:
- Epazote, a strong and earthy herb for beans and quesadillas
- Mexican oregano with more citrus and licorice notes than the regular;
- Papalo, an exotic herb which tastes somewhere between arugula, cilantro, and rue;
- Achiote/annatto, peppery spice, and reddish-brown coloring agent.
Some traditional spice blends include:
TAJIN – dehydrated lime, salt, dried ground chilies – used in fruits, vegetables, and snacks for a spicy and tangy kick. Used to sprinkle fruits, veggies, toppings for popcorn, nuts, chips, and aguas frescas.
MOLE SPICE BLEND – dried chilies, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cumin, allspice, cacao.
BARBACOA SEASONING – Used in traditional barbacoa, a mixture of guajillo chiles, cumin, cloves, black pepper, and bay leaves is common, sometimes blended with vinegar and other spices to marinate lamb or goat.
SAUCES
Mexican cooking embraces the concept of recado or seasoning pastes, where spices and chilies are ground together to create complex flavor bases.
MOLE SAUCES is a complex category of thick, rich sauces made of 20-30 ingredients and can take days to prepare properly. Key components are chiles, nuts or seeds like almonds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, spices like cinnamon, cloves, cumin, anise, and something sweet, like chocolate, fruit, and sugar. The main ones are sweet and spicy, chocolaty mole poblano, complex and bitter mole negro, lighter and fresher green mole verde, herby, and tangy yellow mole amarillo. Moles are considered a Mexican dish in sauce form, commonly served over meats, with eggs or enchiladas.
GUACAMOLE – both a sauce and a dish made with mashed avocados, lime juice, cilantro, onions, tomatoes, and chilies.
ADOBO is a marinade-style sauce made with dried chiles, vinegar, garlic, paprika, tomatoes, onion, cumin, Mexican oregano, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves. Adobada is Spanish is ‘marinated’, and it can refer to different types of meat as well as al pastor (spit roast) marinade.
SALSA ROJA is a classic red table sauce of red tomatoes and chiles, onion, and garlic that can be served raw, like pico de gallo, or roasted. Used in many dishes and as a table condiment, represents essential heat in Mexican cuisine.
SALSA VERDE – is a tomatillo, serrano or jalapeño, cilantro, onion, and lime juice sauce, fundamental to everyday cooking, used both raw and cooked for tacos, enchiladas, and as a table sauce.
PIPIÁN SAUCE – made from ground pumpkin seeds, tomatillos, and chilies such as poblano, serrano and jalapeño. Similar to mole, but lighter, served with carnitas, as an enchilada sauce, with roasted poultry.
ACHIOTE PASTE / RECADO ROJO – achiote/ annatto seeds, oregano, cumin, black pepper, garlic, cloves, cinnamon. Frequently used in Yucatan cuisine to marinate meats and fish, and flavor rice dishes.
