Essential Oils in Cooking

Cooking with essential oils

Although it is not recommended to use essential oils internally, when they are incorporated into foods and drinks in tiny amounts, they are heavily diluted and unlikely to cause an adverse reaction. The flavorings industry uses essential oils to flavor food, drinks and toiletries such as toothpaste, so we already ingest tiny amounts of essential oils.

Using essential oils as flavorings

• Make fruit syrups by boiling 100 g (4 oz) of sugar with 600 ml (1 pt) of water for five minutes. Cool, then add 1 drop of lemon, orange, grapefruit or lime essential oil. Stir thoroughly. Add a tablespoon or two of fruit juice before pouring the syrup over ice cream, fruit or sponge cake.
• Make a hot punch using 1 liter (1.75 pt) of red wine mixed with a pot of strong tea made with four teabags. Add a tablespoon of brown sugar, slices of orange and lemon, and a small glass of brandy. Five minutes before serving, add 1 drop each of cinnamon, clove, cardamom and ginger essential oils, and stir well.