Annatto in powder

They not only offer intense colours, but their taste is interesting: at first a bit smooth, and then lightly pungent. The red hue that they produce was historically used to make lipstick, which explorers were known to have admired on Indian women, bringing back the tinted paste for their dear partners.

The shrub produces deep red seeds that are rich in carotenoids and vitamin A. Indigenous peoples in Central and South America spread it on their skin to heal wounds. In the West, annatto has been used as a colorant for fabrics, lipsticks, and nail polish. The ‘red spice’ is also used as a natural food coloring for cheese, butter, rice, and pasta. It gives smoked haddock and Livarot cheese rind their distinctive orange color. Annatto can also be used to season and color fish, meat, vegetable and rice dishes.                                                              

This annatto is gathered by indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest of Peru. The vermilion seeds are picked from the fruit and dried in the sun before being ground to a powder.