Sauces, Dressings and Seasonings

Ever happened to you that your meal doesn’t taste good and by adding some sauce, seasoning or dressing it became quite tasty? Well, we all have been down that path. Sauces, seasonings and dressings are the ultimate magic makers in the world of food and culinary. They bring out the flavors in food, add complementary tastes and enhance your overall eating experience. Furthermore, they add succulence and moisture to the food and also add texture. So, if you’re a newbie in cooking then you need to know some of the basic dressings, seasonings, and sauces to take your cooking to the next level. So, here are the lists of some sauces, dressings, and seasonings.

Sauces

Ketchup
Barbeque Sauce
Cocktail Sauce
Hot Sauce
Soy Sauce
Steak Sauce
Horseradish
Dehydrated Horseradish
Picante Sauce and Salsa
Taco Sauce
Worcestershire
Tartar Sauce
Demi-Glace
Tomato
Hollandaise

Dressings

Mayonnaise
Salad dressing
Roquefort/Blue Cheese
Buttermilk
Oil and Vinegar
Red Wine, Vinegar, and Oil
Caesar
Cole Slaw
Creamy Cucumber
Russian
Italian (Separating)
Italian (Non-separating)
French (Separating)
French (Non-separating)
Green Goddess
Thousand Island

Seasonings

Salt and pepper

Basil

Oregano

Marjoram

Parsley

Rosemary

Thyme

Dill

Cinnamon

Paprika

Turmeric

Ginger

Saffron

Cumin

Ginger

Garlic

Coriander

Licorice

Seasoning blends like, Cajun, Creole, and Italian.

Choosing the right Sauces, Dressings and Seasonings

Cooking is an art, and it can’t be learned in a day or a month. Cooking not only involves preparing food, but it also includes selecting and adding the right sauces, dressings, and seasonings in the right amounts. Now, you must have faced a dilemma quite often in the grocery store while choosing some dressing or sauce. Let us be honest; it will only come to you with time and experience. For starter, while choosing a dressing or seasoning, you can read the label and get some idea. Furthermore, you can refer to recipes or watch cooking shows to enhance your knowledge and understanding of various sauces, dressings, and seasonings. There’s no short-cut for this.

How to Prepare Sauces and Dressings?

If you’re conscious about your health and worried about the sodium, fats, and calories in store-bought sauces and dressings, you can learn to make them at home. The Internet is flooded with various recipes to start off with. Here are some tips to consider:

Use vinegar as a dressing base instead of oil
Rely on fresh food products
Use limited salt
Skim off the fat
Make use of low-fat thickening agents
Use store-bought spice blends to save time and effort