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      "date": "2024-07-09T09:00:00-07:00",
      "description": "The almond syrup that makes or breaks a Mai Tai, and why the supermarket version won't do.",
      "draft": false,
      "fields": {
        "author": "Martin Cate",
        "date": "2024-07-09T09:00:00-07:00",
        "description": "The almond syrup that makes or breaks a Mai Tai, and why the supermarket version won't do.",
        "draft": false,
        "image": "",
        "lastmod": "2024-07-09T09:00:00-07:00",
        "publishdate": "2024-07-09T09:00:00-07:00",
        "tags": [
          "syrups",
          "technique",
          "recipes"
        ],
        "title": "Making Your Own Orgeat"
      },
      "html": "\u003cp\u003eOrgeat is an almond syrup with a hint of orange flower water, and it is the\nsingle ingredient most responsible for whether a Mai Tai tastes like a Mai Tai\nor like a rum sour with some sweetener in it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost commercially available orgeat is almond-flavored sugar water. No actual\nalmonds, no texture, no length. It\u0026rsquo;ll make a drink that\u0026rsquo;s technically correct\nand completely flat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-good-orgeat-does\"\u003eWhat good orgeat does\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReal orgeat brings three things. Sweetness, obviously. But also \u003cem\u003ebody\u003c/em\u003e — the\nemulsified almond oil gives a drink a silky weight that sugar alone can\u0026rsquo;t\nproduce. And a nutty, faintly floral length that lingers after the citrus has\ncleared.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you\u0026rsquo;ve had a Mai Tai made with the real thing, the difference isn\u0026rsquo;t subtle\nand you can\u0026rsquo;t go back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-method-in-outline\"\u003eThe method, in outline\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eToast raw almonds\u003c/strong\u003e lightly. This is optional and controversial; it pushes\nthe flavor darker and nuttier. Skip it if you want something more delicate.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrind and steep.\u003c/strong\u003e Blitz the almonds, cover with hot water, and let them\nsit for several hours. You\u0026rsquo;re making almond milk.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrain hard.\u003c/strong\u003e Through a nut milk bag or several layers of cheesecloth, and\nsqueeze. What you want is the liquid, and you want all of it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdd sugar\u003c/strong\u003e — roughly two parts sugar to one part almond milk by weight for\na rich syrup. Warm gently to dissolve; don\u0026rsquo;t boil.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinish\u003c/strong\u003e with a small amount of orange flower water and a splash of\noverproof rum or brandy. The orange flower is easy to overdo — start with\nless than you think.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rum isn\u0026rsquo;t for flavor. It\u0026rsquo;s a preservative. Fresh orgeat with no alcohol\nwill turn in under a week.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"if-youre-not-going-to-make-it\"\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re not going to make it\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat\u0026rsquo;s a completely reasonable choice. Several small producers make genuine\nalmond orgeat and ship it, and a good bought orgeat beats a bad homemade one.\nThe thing to check is the ingredient list. If almonds aren\u0026rsquo;t near the top, put\nthe bottle back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe broader point applies to every syrup in an exotic cocktail. These drinks\nhave a lot of moving parts, and the parts that aren\u0026rsquo;t the rum are doing more\nwork than people assume. Passion fruit, falernum, cinnamon syrup, Martinique\nsugarcane syrup — each one is a decision, not a filler.\u003c/p\u003e\n",
      "id": "posts/making-your-own-orgeat",
      "lastmod": "2024-07-09T09:00:00-07:00",
      "markdown": "\nOrgeat is an almond syrup with a hint of orange flower water, and it is the\nsingle ingredient most responsible for whether a Mai Tai tastes like a Mai Tai\nor like a rum sour with some sweetener in it.\n\nMost commercially available orgeat is almond-flavored sugar water. No actual\nalmonds, no texture, no length. It'll make a drink that's technically correct\nand completely flat.\n\n## What good orgeat does\n\nReal orgeat brings three things. Sweetness, obviously. But also *body* — the\nemulsified almond oil gives a drink a silky weight that sugar alone can't\nproduce. And a nutty, faintly floral length that lingers after the citrus has\ncleared.\n\nOnce you've had a Mai Tai made with the real thing, the difference isn't subtle\nand you can't go back.\n\n## The method, in outline\n\n1. **Toast raw almonds** lightly. This is optional and controversial; it pushes\n   the flavor darker and nuttier. Skip it if you want something more delicate.\n2. **Grind and steep.** Blitz the almonds, cover with hot water, and let them\n   sit for several hours. You're making almond milk.\n3. **Strain hard.** Through a nut milk bag or several layers of cheesecloth, and\n   squeeze. What you want is the liquid, and you want all of it.\n4. **Add sugar** — roughly two parts sugar to one part almond milk by weight for\n   a rich syrup. Warm gently to dissolve; don't boil.\n5. **Finish** with a small amount of orange flower water and a splash of\n   overproof rum or brandy. The orange flower is easy to overdo — start with\n   less than you think.\n\nThe rum isn't for flavor. It's a preservative. Fresh orgeat with no alcohol\nwill turn in under a week.\n\n## If you're not going to make it\n\nThat's a completely reasonable choice. Several small producers make genuine\nalmond orgeat and ship it, and a good bought orgeat beats a bad homemade one.\nThe thing to check is the ingredient list. If almonds aren't near the top, put\nthe bottle back.\n\nThe broader point applies to every syrup in an exotic cocktail. These drinks\nhave a lot of moving parts, and the parts that aren't the rum are doing more\nwork than people assume. Passion fruit, falernum, cinnamon syrup, Martinique\nsugarcane syrup — each one is a decision, not a filler.\n",
      "readingTime": 2,
      "slug": "making-your-own-orgeat",
      "summary": "Orgeat is an almond syrup with a hint of orange flower water, and it is the single ingredient most responsible for whether a Mai Tai tastes like a Mai Tai or like a rum sour with some sweetener in it.\nMost commercially available orgeat is almond-flavored sugar water. No actual almonds, no texture, no length. It’ll make a drink that’s technically correct and completely flat.\nWhat good orgeat does Real orgeat brings three things. Sweetness, obviously. But also body — the emulsified almond oil gives a drink a silky weight that sugar alone can’t produce. And a nutty, faintly floral length that lingers after the citrus has cleared.",
      "title": "Making Your Own Orgeat",
      "url": "/posts/making-your-own-orgeat/",
      "weight": 0,
      "wordCount": 377
    }
  ],
  "slug": "syrups",
  "taxonomy": "tags",
  "term": "Syrups"
}