[Aztlan] Achiote

[Martha Gottlieb]

Here is the Wikipedia entry for Achiote.  It may have been first described (by 
Linnaeus) from South America - thus the Orellana epithet.

Achiote (Bixa orellana) is a shrub or small tree from the tropical region of 
the American continent. The name derives from the Nahuatl word for the shrub, 
achiotl. It is also known as Aploppas, and its original Tupi name urucu. It 
is cultivated there and in Southeast Asia, where it was introduced by the 
Spanish in the 17th century. It is best known as the source of the natural 
pigment annatto, produced from the fruit. The plant bears pink flowers and 
bright red spiny fruits which contain red seeds. The fruits dry and harden to 
brown capsules.

The inedible fruit is harvested for its seeds, which contain annatto, also 
called bixin. It can be extracted by stirring the seeds in water. It is used 
to color food products, such as cheeses, fish, and salad oil. It is a main 
ingredient in the Mexican spice mixture recado rojo, or "achiote paste". The 
seeds are ground and used as a nearly flavorless but colorful additive in 
Latin American, Jamaican and Filipino cuisine. Annatto is growing in 
popularity as a natural alternative to synthetic food coloring compounds.