Cooking
One of the things I love most about Morocco is its intensity. I was often overwhelmed by the sounds, sights and flavors found there. In particular the colors seem to vibrate and the smells combined with the heat radiate from everywhere--the tanneries, the medinas, the communal ovens, the trees and gardens. One scent in particular reminds me of my time spent there more than anything else. Orange blossoms.
* Use it to flavor smoothies and milkshakes, especially nut milk based ones
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Cooking
All About Orange Blossom Water
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| Orange trees at the Saadian tombs, Marrakech, Morocco |
One of the things I love most about Morocco is its intensity. I was often overwhelmed by the sounds, sights and flavors found there. In particular the colors seem to vibrate and the smells combined with the heat radiate from everywhere--the tanneries, the medinas, the communal ovens, the trees and gardens. One scent in particular reminds me of my time spent there more than anything else. Orange blossoms. The scent of orange blossoms in Morocco is intoxicating. When a tree is in full bloom the scent is heady and exquisite. I can understand why someone would want to to capture it. Orange blossom water is made from a distillation of the blossoms from bitter orange trees. It is used in bath and body preparations but also in food. You will find it used not just in Moroccan cuisine but also in Persian, Middle Eastern, Indian and Turkish recipes.
I recently purchased some orange blossom water for use in a fruit salad and got to wondering how else I could use it. It turns out that it’s rather versatile. It is a natural complement to fruit, chocolate, vanilla, nuts, dairy and not surprisingly to all citrus flavors. A little goes a long way, start with just a few drops since you can always add more. Middle Eastern brands such as Carlo or Cortas are both good, and cost about $4 a bottle, which will last you a very, very long time. Cortas also makes an excellent pomegranate molasses. If you have access to bitter orange blossoms, you can also make orange blossom water.
Here are some ways to use orange blossom water:
* Add some to fruit salad, it's especially good with strawberries
* Use a few drops and some honey to flavor yogurt or ricotta for a simple dessert
* Add it to whipped cream, creme fraiche or mascarpone as a dessert topping
* Mix a bit into vanilla ice cream or panna cotta
* Stir it into rice pudding before serving
* Sprinkle it on a platter of sliced oranges
* Put a few drops into crepe or pancake batter
* Add just a touch to iced tea, lemonade, fizzy water or cocktails
* Add some in place of vanilla in polenta cake, pound cake or citrus cakes
Here is a collection of Moroccan recipes using orange blossom water from Christine Benlafquih's About Moroccan Food site.
If you have another favorite way of using it, please do share it in the comments.
If you have another favorite way of using it, please do share it in the comments.
- Winter Flavors: A Gift Guide
Pumpkin spice mania has gripped the nation, flavoring everything from coffee to candles. While I do enjoy a scoop of pumpkin ice cream that appears seasonally at the Original Swensen’s ice cream shop, there are actually plenty of other sweet flavors...
- Favorite Things Victoria's Kitchen Almond Water
I first encountered Victoria's Kitchen almond water at the Winter Fancy Food Show this past January. I was struck by how refreshing it was. It's not creamy like almond milk, but thinner and lighter and not too sweet. It has no artificial flavors...
- Highlights From The Winter Fancy Food Show
This year I tried so many delicious things at the Winter Fancy Food Show, it's hard to know where to begin. Let me take you on a brief tour of highlights. Today I'm sharing some delicious international offerings and next week come on back for...
- Orange Mango Smoothie:recipe
Have you ever had an Orange Julius? I seem to recall it being pretty popular in the 70's. Founded in Los Angeles, the juice bar chain (now part of Dairy Queen) makes a frothy kind of orange blender drink that is very refreshing, especially if you...
- Bitter Orange Marmalade Recipe
You know how sometimes a whole crop of citrus is destroyed due to frost or unseasonably cold weather? If my mom had her way, none of that fruit would go to waste. My mother is the queen of finding a use for everything. I suppose it's a kind of variation...