Maceration

Definition

The process of soaking ingredients in liquid to soften, flavor, or preserve them. It's what happens when you leave fruit in booze and call it cooking.

Example Usage

The strawberries underwent maceration in balsamic vinegar overnight.

Origin

From Latin 'macerare' meaning 'to soften'

Fun Fact

Cold maceration can take days, while warm maceration extracts flavors in hours.

Source: Food preservation techniques

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