Achiote — Claude Code MCP server: what it does, how to install
Achiote turns fuzzy family memories of food into a research plan and a small taste or aroma test. Use it when a dish’s name or ingredients are hard to recall.
Open on GitHubWhat Achiote does
The MCP server gathers details from a memory, proposes hypotheses and search queries, then builds a dossier that distinguishes what the user said from researched facts, inferences, and unknowns. It starts with a minimal test, such as an aroma, bite, or condiment. A full recipe and ingredient substitutions can come later.
Achiote includes 18 MCP tools for memory intake, ambiguous dish-name resolution, sensory analysis, and substitute matching. Web search is optional and uses configured search through SERPER_API_KEY when available. Store guidance is static; the server does not check stock or live prices. Claude Code can use the checked-in .mcp.json after the build step.
What it helps with
- resolve a dish name remembered only by sound
- plan research around a fragment of family food history
- separate researched claims from guesses
- find substitutes with similar sensory properties
- test a likely memory cue before requesting a full recipe
Example prompts for the agent
- Help me identify a dish my grandmother called something like “pasteley”; I may remember plantains or pork.
- Plan research into a family drink and separate evidence from guesses.
- Suggest a small taste test to help identify the flavor I remember.
How to install Achiote
Install
The MCP registry has no launch command for it: see the repository README
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about Achiote
How do I install Achiote in Claude Code?
In the repository, run npm ci, then npm run build. Claude Code can use the checked-in .mcp.json after the build; restart the host session and ask it to use the Achiote skill.
What does Achiote do?
It helps an AI host work from an incomplete food or drink memory, plan research, and assemble a dossier of sources and findings. The first concrete output is a small sensory test; a recipe is optional.
Does Achiote need an API key for web search?
Web search through SERPER_API_KEY is optional. When it is not configured, the search tool returns a no-search note; web search is not guaranteed at runtime.
