Almond orgeat with orange blossom water
A milky, sweet drink made from pounded almonds, perfumed with orange blossom water: the cool refreshment of the salons, without a drop of wine.
A milky, sweet drink made from pounded almonds, perfumed with orange blossom water: the cool refreshment of the salons, without a drop of wine.
I drank little wine in my life, and I hope I will be forgiven for having lived so long: one must believe that sobriety has its rewards. When a cup of well-chilled orgeat was brought to me, where almond mingles with a hint of orange blossom, I found there something to refresh the mind as much as the palate. The almonds were pounded in a mortar, strained through cloth, and sweetened just enough. Drink it without fear: it is the only liquor that never muddled a demonstration.
- •Sweet almonds — a good handful (milky base)
- •Bitter almonds — a few (perfume)
- •Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- •Orange blossom water — a few drops (floral perfume)
- •Fresh water — as needed (dilution)
Almond orgeat with orange blossom water
A milky, sweet drink made from pounded almonds, perfumed with orange blossom water: the cool refreshment of the salons, without a drop of wine.
Why this dish? Fontenelle drank little wine and lived nearly a hundred years, attributing his health to his temperance. Refreshing waters and orgeats, served in the salons and nascent cafés where science and belles-lettres were discussed, suited a man who preferred clear wit to intoxication.
I drank little wine in my life, and I hope I will be forgiven for having lived so long: one must believe that sobriety has its rewards. When a cup of well-chilled orgeat was brought to me, where almond mingles with a hint of orange blossom, I found there something to refresh the mind as much as the palate. The almonds were pounded in a mortar, strained through cloth, and sweetened just enough. Drink it without fear: it is the only liquor that never muddled a demonstration.
Ingredients (period version)
- Sweet almonds — a good handful (milky base)
- Bitter almonds — a few (perfume)
- Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- Orange blossom water — a few drops (floral perfume)
- Fresh water — as needed (dilution)
Ingredients
- Blanched almonds — 150 g (milky base)
- Sugar — 120 g (sweetness)
- Orange blossom water — 1 tsp (floral perfume)
- Bitter almond extract (optional) — 2 drops (perfumed bitterness)
- Water — 70 cl (dilution)
Method
- Finely blend the almonds with 20 cl of water until you get a paste.
- Add the remaining water, mix, and let infuse for 1 to 2 hours in the fridge.
- Strain through a fine cloth, pressing well to extract the almond “milk.”
- Warm this milk with the sugar until dissolved, without boiling, then let cool.
- Flavor with orange blossom water (and a touch of bitter almond).
- Serve very cold, diluted with water or over ice to taste.
How it was made : Orgeat, originally made from barley (hence its name) and later mainly from almonds, was a very popular refreshing drink in the 17th and 18th centuries, sold by lemonade vendors and served in the booming Parisian cafés. Non-alcoholic and scented with orange blossom, it suited both ladies and sober minds.
The contemporary twist : Pour the orgeat over large ice cubes in a tall glass, with a lemon zest: an Enlightenment “almond milk,” distant ancestor of today's plant-based drinks.
Sources : Practices of Parisian lemonade vendors, 17th-18th centuries · Menon, collections of cuisine and office work from the 18th century
Fontenelle · Charactorium