Caramelizing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The culinary technique involving the application of heat to sugar that alters its composition, resulting in a darker color and a deeper flavor profile
2. A method where sugar is heated until it liquefies and develops a rich, golden-brown color that enhances the taste of various dishes
3. The process of applying heat to sugar to transform it into a thick, amber substance with a sweet, slightly burnt flavor

Etymology: The verb "caramelize" is simply "caramel" with the suffix "-ize", which turns a noun into a verb meaning "to make into or treat with." The suffix has a long pedigree: it passed from Ancient Greek "-izein" through Late Latin "-izare" and Middle French "-iser" before reaching English, where it became one of the most productive verb-forming endings in the language. So the process named here, heating sugar until it turns into caramel, is literally "turning something into caramel." The base noun "caramel" is the more interesting half of the story. It came into English from French, where it was borrowed from Spanish "caramelo" in the sense of a burnt-sugar sweet, and its ultimate origin remains uncertain, with several competing guesses that cannot be confirmed. What is clear is that the ending "-ize" is a grammatical tool rather than a flavor word: it can be bolted onto almost any noun, which is why cooks, chemists, and marketers can all "caramelize" things without any special vocabulary.

Synonyms: browning, glazing, candying