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Infusion

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Process of extracting chemical compounds or flavors from plant material in a solvent

For other uses of the word "infusion", seeInfusion (disambiguation).

"Infused water" redirects here. For commercially-marketed water-based beverages with flavoring, seeEnhanced water.

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Three popular drinks that are infusions:coffee,mate andtea

Infusion is the process of extracting chemical compounds or flavors from plant material in asolvent such as water,oil oralcohol, by allowing the material to remain suspended in the solvent over time (a process often calledsteeping). Aninfusion is also the name for the resultant liquid. The process of infusion is distinct from bothdecoction—a method of extraction involving boiling the plant material—andpercolation, in which water is passed through the material (as in acoffeemaker).

History

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The first recorded use ofessential oils was in the 10th or 11th century by thePersian polymath Avicenna, possibly inThe Canon of Medicine.^{[citation needed]}

Tea is far older than this, dating back to the 10th century BC as the earliest recorded reference.

Preparation techniques

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Infusion is a chemical process that usesbotanicals (typically dried herbs, flowers or berries) that are volatile and release their active ingredients readily in water, oil, or alcohol. In this process, a liquid is typically boiled (or brought to another appropriate temperature) and poured over the herb. After the herb has been allowed to steep in the liquid for an appropriate period of time, it is removed (possibly by straining) leavingan infusion. Unless the infusion is to be consumed immediately, it is bottled and refrigerated for future use.

The amount of time the herbs are left in the liquid depends on the kind of infusion. Infusion times can range from seconds (for some kinds ofChinese tea) to hours, days, or months (for liqueurs likesloe gin).

There are several accessories and techniques for removing the steeped or leftover botanicals that were used to infuse liquids, including metal steepers (which look like clamps), tea infusers (which act as strainers), and French presses (which are commonly used to infuse water with various teas and coffee). The most commonly used technique is the teabag, which is made with filter paper and filled with various tea flavors.

Examples

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Left side: Lime, ginger and mint infused water; Right side: Pomegranate infused water

Tea is a common example of an infusion; most varieties of tea call for steeping the leaves in hot water, although some variants (e.g.Moroccan mint tea) call fordecoction instead. Manyherbal teas are prepared by infusion, as well; lemon,chamomile, senna, apple, ginger,rooibos, and many other plants are used individually or in combination.
Coffee can be brewed by infusion (as in aFrench press) orpercolation.
Herbal remedies are commonly produced through infusions in water or oil.
Flavored oils: Plants with desirable flavors may be steeped in anedible oil orvinegar for an extended period; the infused oil or vinegar is often sold still containing the plant and is then used as flavoring. Chilis, lemon, garlic, and many other plants may be used. There can be ambiguity in the labeling of these oils: for example, what is described assesame oil may be oil extracted fromsesame seeds or another vegetable oil infused with sesame.
Cucumber water, a mix of slicedcucumber with citrus slices and herbs such as mint, is a popular infusion.^[1]

References

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^Hamlin, Suzanne (8 October 1997)."Sips; In California, the Water May Taste Like a Cucumber".The New York Times.

External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toInfusions.

The dictionary definition ofinfuse at Wiktionary
Learning materials related toInfusion maker at Wikiversity

Cooking techniques

List of cooking techniques

Dry

Conduction	Dry roasting Hot salt frying Searing
Convection	Baking Roasting (modern) Smoking Barbecue
Radiation	Charbroiler Grilling (charbroiling) Roasting (traditional) Rotisserie Toasting

Wet

High heat	Blanching Boiling Decoction Parboiling Shocking Reduction
Low heat	Coddling Creaming Infusion Poaching Simmering Low-temperature cooking Smothering Steeping Stewing
Indirect heat	Bain-marie (Double boiling) Sous vide Double steaming Steaming

Fat-based

High heat	Basting Blackening Browning Frying Deep frying Pan frying Shallow frying Stir frying Sautéing
Low heat	Gentle frying Sweating

Mixed medium

Device-based

Non-heat

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History

Preparation techniques

Examples

See also

References

External links