Use Flavor Essence flavorings as your own secret ingredients to create & customize your favorites.
Basic Directions / Guidelines for the flavors
It is commonly known that we all have varying sensitivities and pleasures within the huge range of aromas and tastes. In short, no two palates are identical. Ultimately you will slowly “get to know” Flavor Essence flavorings and experiment with your own beverages and foods to the pleasant point of being able to optimize and balance the flavorings to match your own sense of great taste.
- BASIC POINTER 1: About sweeteners and sugar-free–> These are not sweetened with anything. Our diabetic friends and diet-conscious friends can finally enjoy flavor that is usually adulterated by well-meaning mass-producers. For purists and foodies this also means we can finally eliminate unwanted sweeteners, and just as importantly you can add your own favorite sweeteners and totally control any sugary aspect of you favorites.
- BASIC POINTER 2: Unlike common extracts that have alcohol levels that emulate the percentages found in straight vodka, undiluted Flavor Essence “straight-up” is more akin to a craft beer. Although these do contain some alcohol, but to put it into perspective, several drops diluted into a glass or bottle of a beverage will amount to such low levels of alcohol that trained or gifted palates would not be able to notice or taste it. The percentage present at that point will amount to somewhere in the realm of 1/400th of one percent –less than what is present in natural fresh-squeezed orange juice.
- BASIC POINTER 3: Any of the following things, that are already in your food or drink, will tend to nicely “amplify” Flavor Essence, and you will require a bit less flavoring to create a tasty change: (1) when it contains acids –e.g., if you add squeezes of lemon or lime wedges; (2) when it contains proteins –e.g., in either dairy products or in many shakes; or (3) when it contains sugars –e.g., when it contains natural sugars already, like orange juice (or if you add your own sweetener).
BASIC TIP 1: (Get to know your flavor by starting off with a small amount—then add more to match your own taste pleasures). Our bottles recommend you to use 1 to 2 generous squeezes of Flavor Essence and stir into 12 ounce drinks. Note however, that a fairly significant percentage of our “guru” customers also report back that only a few “drops” produce the effect that they truly desire.
BASIC TIP 2: A positive side-effect of our flavorings is that they will smooth off the “bite” or acidity of coffees/teas and alcohol-based drinks (for example, 1) try a couple of drops of Raspberry stirred into straight cold vodka or on ice to taste a mellowing effect on its bite; and 2) try the same in tea to notice a smoothing effect on the tea as well as a slight amplification of the Raspberry (or other fruit/berry flavor) .
BASIC TIP 3: None of these are intended to robustly replace the “pow” of a syrup. Instead, you should use these to work as tasty background flavors that add subtle, complex yumminess.
BASIC TIP 4: These are very clean flavors, without unwanted ingredients, and they do not produce any odd after-tastes –unless you “dump in” way to much while trying to create the “pow” of a syrup.
Tips for adding Flavor Essence to Beverages:
- POINTER: No matter what you are serving or drinking, as long as you match the flavor-type appropriately, you can quickly add some very tasty gourmet-quality background flavoring to your favorite beverages.
BEVERAGE TIP 1: When flavoring any beverage– if possible you should consider shaking drops (salt-shaker style) or squeezing the bottle of flavoring in first –and then stirring or if a bubly water, letting the effervescence naturally mix in the flavor. (Disregard this if you are using a brand name machine to make bubbly water that requires adding flavors or Flavor Essence in last).
BEVERAGE TIP 2: Sparkling drinks tend to “mask” versus amplify the flavorings. And Non-Sparkling beverages ask for less flavoring
BEVERAGE TIP 3: An added touch is to also squeeze a chunk of fresh cut lemon or lime in with the Flavor Essence berry and fruit flavorings. The citric acids will nicely amplify Flavor Essence.
BEVERAGE TIP 4: When fruit juices are involved, they have naturally occurring sugars, and because of their presence, the flavors are also amplified and you need less to transform your beverage.
BEVERAGE TIP 5: When/if you use your own favorite sweetener – All sweeteners tend to amplify the flavoring, and you will want to adjust the flavor levels to match your own tastes.
BEVERAGE TIP 6: In vodka, rum, tequila –a lesser amount is called for (a few drops to a small squeeze per drink) when you want to create a flavored alcohol that is superior to commercially pre-flavored liquor.
Tips for using Flavor Essence with Foods:
- POINTER: Flavor Essence can be added into any recipe –without altering your primary recipe, baking/cooking projects batters, doughs, mixes and custards. [1 bottle will flavor about 12 basic batches]
- POINTER: Very simply, you can also stir the flavors into chilled whips, homemade frostings and even yogurts.
- POINTER: For the easiest effect, just stir your favorite Flavor Essence flavor into honeys/syrups/butters for use on pancakes, French Toast, and english muffins.
- POINTER: 1 to 2 generous squeezes of Flavor Essence will add delicate but complex background flavor when stirred into oatmeal and other cereals, yogurt.
FOOD TIP 1: In baking, the cocoon-effect of doughs and batters will serve to protect and permeate the added flavors.
FOOD TIP 2: But in high heat cooking, like custards and oatmeal always add the Flavor Essence at the end, after the heat is turned down –not at the beginning. At this point once you stir in some Flavor Essence, its aromas and flavors will “bloom out” best. So, use Flavor Essence to “finish” off your simmered or boiled recipes once you turn off the heat.