| Marinating lies at the heart of the barbecue; it is the | | | | Interestingly, it's not just meat that was being |
| fragrance, flavor, and the taste that lingers long after | | | | marinated. References to marinating vegetables can |
| the last piece of meat has been eaten. Take some | | | | be found as far back as Roman times. In early 19th |
| time off from the debates on grills and smokers to | | | | century Russia, vegetables were used in appetizers |
| give a thought to the marinade, for without it your | | | | called zakuski, which were served as buffets apart |
| barbecue will not be memorable. | | | | from the main dinner. |
| Defined as a "seasoned liquid mixture used to impart | | | | In western cooking, marinades probably gained |
| flavor and tenderize meats, fish, and vegetables | | | | popularity during the Renaissance, when people |
| through soaking", the marinade, in fact, perform a | | | | marinated meats and seafood in herbs and vinegar, to |
| variety of functions. Most marinades are a mixture of | | | | preserve the meat as well as enhance its flavor. |
| oil, herbs and spices, and an acidic content that could | | | | With all its checkered history, however, the marinade |
| be vinegar, lemon juice, or wine. In some parts of the | | | | has come to be a vital part of every American's |
| world, in fact, it is yoghurt. The oil contained in the | | | | backyard cookout preparations. Bottles and |
| marinade creates a seal on the food. The acidic | | | | ready-to-use marinades are popular in this country, |
| content tenderizes the tough fibers and the spices and | | | | though gourmet cooks are known to swear by their |
| herbs add flavor and fragrance to the food. | | | | freshly prepared marinades. Much of what we know |
| The term "marinate" may have originally applied to fish | | | | about the beginnings of the bottle marinades in |
| alone (from the Latin "mare", meaning "the sea"), but it | | | | America comes from people who collect old bottles |
| is widely used now to season meats. Some speculate | | | | and advertisements. We do know that bottled sauces |
| that marinades originated in the 1800s, but local | | | | first appeared in the early 19th century, though we do |
| customs suggest that they have been around longer | | | | not know enough about the ingredients that went into |
| than that. As far back as in pre-Columbian Mexico, | | | | these sauces. Some of these early brands can still be |
| cooks were aware that cooking meats in papaya | | | | found on our supermarket shelves today. |
| leaves helped the meat cook tender. The Early | | | | So next time you are mixing the marinade in the bowl, |
| Egyptians are known to have used marinades in their | | | | think about how far back the technique goes, and |
| cooking. Japan and other Asian countries have also | | | | indeed, what some of those ingredients do to enhance |
| been using marinades for some hundreds of years. | | | | your cookout meal. |