Peru
SEASONINGS
Peruvian seasoning and spice combinations are quite distinctive, with several key elements that make them unique:
AJÍ PEPPERS are the most defining element – particularly ají amarillo — yellow pepper, ají panca — dark red, smoky pepper, ají rocoto — spicy red pepper, and ají limo — very hot pepper. These give Peruvian food its characteristic heat and depth that’s different from other Latin American cuisines. While some dishes can be spicy, Peruvian food generally has a balance of flavors, including sweet, sour, salty, and spicy.
Unique herb varieties from coasts, mountains, jungles:
HUACATAY – black mint, an Andean herb that’s neither quite like mint nor basil, but has its own complex, slightly anise-like quality.
EPAZOTE – Used in the Andes for soups and stews
MUÑA – Andean mint used for altitude sickness and cooking
CHINCO – a native herb essential for pachamanca preparation, it has aromatic, anise-like flavor
Peruvian cuisine has less emphasis on dry spice blends compared to other Latin American cuisines and a strong focus on fresh paste-based seasonings rather than dried spices, extensive use of lime in coastal cuisine, and integration of fermented ingredients like chicha de jora — corn beer, or pisco — grape brandy, in marinades and sauces. Many of these seasonings, especially the native peppers and herbs, are difficult to substitute.
Interestingly, garlic and onions, while not native to Peru, are used in such large quantities that they’ve become fundamental to the cuisine’s flavor profile. They often form the base of dishes along with ají peppers.
Cumin, oregano, and black pepper were introduced by Europeans but are now used in distinctly Peruvian ways – in marinades for anticuchos and in meat dishes. These spices are used more subtly than in other Latin American cuisines.
Unique seasoning combinations emerged from cultural fusion. For instance, the use of soy sauce was introduced by Chinese immigrants and created new flavor profiles.
SAUCES
LECHE DE TIGRE – Though technically the marinade for ceviche, it’s often served as a sauce or even drunk on its own. Contains lime juice, fish juice, chilies, garlic, cilantro, and other seasonings.
HUANCAÍNA SAUCE – A creamy, spicy yellow sauce made with ají amarillo, queso fresco — fresh cheese, milk, saltine crackers, and garlic. It’s famous as the sauce for Papa a la Huancaína but is used widely.
OCOPA SAUCE – A sauce from Arequipa similar to huancaína but distinctly flavored with huacatay — black mint, and ground peanuts, often including evaporated milk and crackers.
AJÍ VERDE – A fresh, spicy green sauce made with cilantro, jalapeños or ají amarillo, lime juice, and garlic. It’s commonly served as a table condiment and used particularly with grilled meats.
SALSA CRIOLLA – A fresh sauce/relish made with sliced red onions, lime juice, chilies, and cilantro. It’s served with many dishes, particularly grilled meats and anticuchos.
CHALACA – A fresh condiment of diced onions, chilies, corn, and lime juice.
United Kingdom
SEASONINGS
British flavor identity emerges from a paradox: a culinary tradition built on restraint yet profoundly shaped by global empire. This restraint reflects a philosophy of enhancing ingredients rather than masking them and relies on the use of fewer spices compared to many cuisines.
British seasoning practices underwent a dramatic transformation across centuries. Medieval British cooking was heavily spiced: research reveals that 90% of 13th-15th century recipes contained imported pepper, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg (source). Later, New World discoveries introduced tomatoes, potatoes, and chili peppers; spices became more accessible to the middle classes. The 1600 founding of the East India Company enhanced British seasoning through organized spice importation and allowed specific spice applications to rise, like CURRY POWDER (made of turmeric, coriander seed, cumin seed, fennel seed, fenugreek, paprika, and mustard), which is a British interpretation of Indian masalas, standardized for British palates. Unlike Indian spice blends, British curry powder provides consistent, mild heat suitable for leftover meat preparations. World War II rationing severely disrupted this heavy spicing trajectory, creating a generation with conservative seasoning habits.
Traditional British herbs that form the foundation are sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley. These hardy, climate-appropriate plants have been local since medieval times and continue dominating now. Sage is perhaps the most characteristically British herb, essential in stuffings, sausages, and the sage-and-onion combination for roasted meats.
Spice-wise, white pepper is distinctly British—it’s preferred over black pepper. Nutmeg and mace are important in baking, essential for milk-based dishes, custards, and the MIXED SPICE BLEND of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and coriander. This British spice blend is common for Christmas puddings, mince pies, and hot cross buns.
SAUCES
British people have a notable affinity for tanginess, which is very visible in sauces:
WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE, accidentally created by Lea & Perrins chemists in the 1830s, undergoes 18-month fermentation to produce its umami profile from anchovies, vinegar, molasses, tamarind, onions, and garlic. This ‘happy accident’ now appears in everything from cheese on toast to cocktails.
HP SAUCE represents the British brown sauce tradition with its blend of tomatoes, malt vinegar, molasses, dates, and tamarind. Served with bacon sandwiches and full English breakfasts, HP sauce shows British preferences for sweet-tangy accompaniments to rich foods.
ENGLISH MUSTARD, though not technically a sauce, but rather a condiment, delivers fierce heat unlike any other variety. It’s significantly hotter and more pungent than French Dijon or American yellow mustard because it’s made without vinegar or with very little acid, relying on water or beer instead. This allows the mustard seeds’ natural heat compounds to remain at full strength, creating that distinctive nasal-clearing bite.
Also not a sauce, but a relish PICCALILLI is made from pickled chunky vegetables like cauliflower and onions in spiced turmeric vinegar. Its traditionally served with cold meats and cheese to add sharp, tangy contrast to rich foods.