On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 789

an extract (rose water). Their aroma comes
mainly from the terpene geraniol. Roses are
mostoftenusedinsweets,butarealsofound
in the savory Moroccan spice mixture ras el
hanout,andinNorthAfricansausages.
Screwpine or Pandan Screwpine is the
aromatic, strap-like leaf of shrubs related to
the lily family that are native to Indonesia
(species ofPandanus). Screwpine leaves are
usedinIndiaandsoutheastAsiatoflavorrice
dishesandsweets,andtowrapmeatsandfish.
Their primary volatile compound is the same
onethatgivesbasmatiandjasminericestheir
distinctive nutty aroma (2-acetyl-1-pyrroline,
which is also prominent in the aroma of
popcorn and of crabmeat). The screwpine
flower is also aromatic and the source of a
more perfume-like extract called kewra,
whichflavorsmanyIndianmilksweets.
Sorrel Sorrel is the startlingly sour leaf of
several European relatives of rhubarb and


buckwheatthatarerichinoxalicacid:Rumex
acetosa, scutatus, andacetosella. Cooks use
them mainly as a source of acidity, and they
also provide a more generic green aroma.
Sorrel readily disintegrates with a little
cooking into a sauce-like puree that
complements fish, but whose chlorophyll
turns drab olive from the acidity. The color

can be brightened by pureeing some raw
sorrelandaddingthattothesaucejustbefore
serving.
Tarragon Tarragon is the small, narrow leaf
of a native of western and northern Asia,
Artemisia dracunculus, a member of the
lettucefamily.Therobustwildtarragon,often
sold in plant nurseries as Russian tarragon,
hasaharshanduninterestingflavor,whilethe
relatively fragile cultivated form, “French”
tarragon,hasadistinctivearomathankstothe
presence of a phenolic compound called
estragole(fromtheFrenchnamefortheplant,