It may sound a bit naff but having discovered McCormick food flavours (I think they are made in the USA), I thought I would recommend them. They are not expensive and can be bought at most stores in LOS in the baking section. The thing is that most are labelled as natural (alcoholic) extracts, not artificial, and they taste great.

I love the flavour of mint and orange so often add 2-3 drops to ice cream irrespective of the ice cream flavour (this is the naff part, but it really does add a nice flavour). Of course I prefer to use natural mint leaves but cannot seem to find them when I need a mint fix.

I also love the vanilla extracts and sometimes add it to coffee. The McCormick web site has hundreds of recipes but not being a cook I only use them to add to desserts.

Anyone else use these flavours for anything quick - what about adding them to salads, for instance, or is that double naff?

McCormick is a low-end food and spice wholesaler and the world's largest distributor of spices and food flavorings. The company is headquartered in Sparks, Maryland and sells spices, mixes and flavorings under its own name, as well as Lawry's, Zatarin's, Thai Kitchen and Simply Asia. I might pick some McCormick's up if I need a dry spice where quality is not an issue. There are much better quality dry spices available in Thailand. I've never used their flavorings as I don't tend to use artificial flavors in my home kitchen.

I used to used them a lot when I first took up cooking, the Mexican Chili Pepper was a quick substitute when cooking tacos or Chili Con Carne.

Once you become more interested in your recipes you start to look around for fresh ingredients. One of the things I miss in Thailand is fresh parsley for stews and find that McCormick's Parsley Flakes are a pretty poor substitute.

I used to used them a lot when I first took up cooking, the Mexican Chili Pepper was a quick substitute when cooking tacos or Chili Con Carne.

Once you become more interested in your recipes you start to look around for fresh ingredients. One of the things I miss in Thailand is fresh parsley for stews and find that McCormick's Parsley Flakes are a pretty poor substitute.

I am able to get fresh curly parsley at Villa, but I haven't found flat-leaf parsley yet. Dried parsley comes off the floor of fresh parsley packing plants.

McCormick is a low-end food and spice wholesaler and the world's largest distributor of spices and food flavorings. The company is headquartered in Sparks, Maryland and sells spices, mixes and flavorings under its own name, as well as Lawry's, Zatarin's, Thai Kitchen and Simply Asia. I might pick some McCormick's up if I need a dry spice where quality is not an issue. There are much better quality dry spices available in Thailand. I've never used their flavorings as I don't tend to use artificial flavors in my home kitchen.

Hi,

I was not talking about anything except the flavours - and they are not artificial flavours they are extracts. Now you have changed the topic to the dry spices - that was NOT my intention - plz read my original post.

I am not a cook, not even a bad one, and have little interest in it - my point is that the flavours I have tried taste delicious to me when added to ice cream. Like I said maybe that is a naff idea but I enjoy it. Yes, I am sure the fresh ingredients are better but I often have trouble finding fresh mint leaves and can't be bothered looking around for them - so the flavours are an option.

I am only making a suggestion and asking for other possible uses that the extracts might be added to - eg. salads and fruits maybe. If it tastes good, it's fine by me.

Edited October 26, 200817 yr by Slogger