Achiote, also called annatto, is a natural food coloring and flavoring made from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), native to tropical regions of the Americas. The seeds contain a fat-soluble pigment called bixin, which gives achiote its vivid orange-red color; to use it, the seeds are dried, ground, and typically steeped in oil or made into a paste with other seasonings. Achiote has a mild, earthy, slightly peppery flavor and is a signature ingredient in Mexican, Central American, and Caribbean cooking, most famously in the Yucatecan dish cochinita pibil, as well as in seasoning pastes, rice, and marinades for meat, poultry, and seafood. It is sold as a paste or powder in Latin American grocery stores and should be stored in a cool, dry place.