The Black and Decker Flavor Scenter Steamer not only allows you to steam a wide variety of foods, but you can also use the scenter screen to add spices and herb flavors to you food. Like all food steamers, it works by heater water in a reservoir and holding the food in a confined space above the water. When steam builds, it surrounds the food and cooks it, infusing any flavors in the steam into the food.

Remove any covers, bowls or trays form the base of the unit.

Fill the base unit with water up to the appropriate fill line. Generally the longer you plan on steaming your food, the higher you should fill the base. Don’t fill the base past the highest, of three, fill lines. You can add lemon juice or white wine to add flavor, but should avoid colored liquids to avoid staining the base. Check the resources for instructions that include suggested water heights and cooking times for numerous types of food.

Take the drip tray, the one that looks like a shallow pan with a screen in the middle, and place it inside the base unit. You can add fresh or dried herbs to the small bowl around the screen, if you desire. If you herbs are small, wet the screen before you put the tray in, so that the herbs don’t fall through.

Place the food you want to cook into the large steaming bowl. Place the lip on the bowl, oriented so that the handles on the lid are directly over the handles on the bowl. Once the lid is secure, place the bowl onto the unit.

Plug the unit in and turn the timer to the desired cooking time. If your desired time is less than 15 minutes, turn the timer past fifteen minutes and then dial it back to your desired time.

Wait for the timer to go off, then use pot holders to remove the cover, lifting it away from your face to avoid any escaping steam.