Orgeat

[thirtyoneknots]

My goal this weekend is to compare a number of "new to me" orange liqueurs, and compare a number of them in Mai Tais.

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A noble goal if ever a goal could be called that.

[hathor]

Great info, thanks. (My e-mail notification is completely random, so I'm sorry not to respond sooner. I honestly thought that since no one answered, none of you really knew what to do with the stuff )

We were at a cocktail bar the other day, and I noticed that they subbed Cointreau for the Curacao, so that might be an option.

We'll give the Japanese cocktail a try, it sounds intriguing.

Uh, I'm a sissy-girl, I think the Fog Cutter would KILL me. That is a whole load of booze: rum, gin, brandy, and sherry.

Oh, look. It's cocktail time in Umbria, I just placed my order with my personal bartender, I'd like an adapted Japanese cocktail. I'll let you know how it goes.

But, Cocktail Historians: why is it called a Japanese cocktail?

[Chris Amirault]

I've been fiddling around with the Mikado, which has no citrus:

2 oz brandy

1/2 oz orgeat

1/4 oz curacao

2 dashes bitters

This is one (of many, many) drinks where the Fee's whiskey barrel aged bitters really shines; Angostura is a fine choice too.

[hathor]

One "Adapted Japanese Cocktail"! I like it...we might cut back on the lemon. We've got some very strong lemons in the house. Jeff is not so sure, but I think it's rather refreshing and the orgeat gives it a nice mouth feel.

thanks!

[thirtyoneknots]

But, Cocktail Historians: why is it called a Japanese cocktail?

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The story/legend/theory goes that it was created in honor of the visit to New York by the first Japanese dimplomatic mission to the United States., which occured just a few years before the recipe was first published in Jerry Thomas' 1862 Bon Vivant's Companion. Full story here.

[eje]

The Gaby de Lys (Charles Baker?) is another nice feature for quality Orgeat, not dissimilar to the Japanese.

I'll have to check for exact amounts later tonight, but the ingredients are: Gin, Orgeat, Absinthe, and Bitters.

[hathor]

But, Cocktail Historians: why is it called a Japanese cocktail?

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The story/legend/theory goes that it was created in honor of the visit to New York by the first Japanese dimplomatic mission to the United States., which occured just a few years before the recipe was first published in Jerry Thomas' 1862 Bon Vivant's Companion. Full story here.

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Great bit of history. Kind of makes you wish you knew Tommy, he sounds like someone you would want to have a cocktail with.

[thirtyoneknots]

But, Cocktail Historians: why is it called a Japanese cocktail?

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The story/legend/theory goes that it was created in honor of the visit to New York by the first Japanese dimplomatic mission to the United States., which occured just a few years before the recipe was first published in Jerry Thomas' 1862 Bon Vivant's Companion. Full story here.

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Great bit of history. Kind of makes you wish you knew Tommy, he sounds like someone you would want to have a cocktail with.

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Ain't that the truth

[hannnah]

But, Cocktail Historians: why is it called a Japanese cocktail?

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The story/legend/theory goes that it was created in honor of the visit to New York by the first Japanese diplomatic mission to the United States., which occured just a few years before the recipe was first published in Jerry Thomas' 1862 Bon Vivant's Companion. Full story here.

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Great bit of history. Kind of makes you wish you knew Tommy, he sounds like someone you would want to have a cocktail with.

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Ain't that the truth

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Huh. I wonder if he's also the one who did the sketches of all the cities they visited? Our copy of the sketchbook isn't signed, but in addition to drawing the city views, the artist also draws sketches of the hotel rooms themselves - so on the facing page to this Capitol view, there's a drawing of the hotel room in the Willard the artist was staying in. Now, if he'd drawn a picture of the bar, that might be more of a clue. The date of the delegation was 1860, so that's consistent with the Thomas story.

[mkayahara]

The Gaby de Lys (Charles Baker?) is another nice feature for quality Orgeat, not dissimilar to the Japanese.

I'll have to check for exact amounts later tonight, but the ingredients are: Gin, Orgeat, Absinthe, and Bitters.

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FWIW, Embury lists the proportions at 1 part orgeat, 4 parts gin, 3-4 dashes absinthe, but omits the bitters. I wonder what peach bitters would be like in this?

I know vodka isn't the most popular base spirit around these parts, but another drink that would be a good showcase for quality orgeat is the Pearlescent from Wondrich's Killer Cocktails: vodka, orgeat, maraschino, lemon peel. (Proportions in this thread.) It's a nice drink even with the commercial Marie Brizard orgeat I have, and I bet it'd be stunning with the homemade stuff.

Edited July 22, 2008 by mkayahara (log)

[scratchline]

How about a Wahine's Delight?

1/2 oz orgeat syrup

1 oz fresh lemon juice

1 oz gold rum

We like them served on the rocks. Sweet & tropical-summery, and people who don't drink cocktails always lap them up.

[eje]

The Gaby de Lys (Charles Baker?) is another nice feature for quality Orgeat, not dissimilar to the Japanese.

I'll have to check for exact amounts later tonight, but the ingredients are: Gin, Orgeat, Absinthe, and Bitters.

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FWIW, Embury lists the proportions at 1 part orgeat, 4 parts gin, 3-4 dashes absinthe, but omits the bitters. I wonder what peach bitters would be like in this?

[...]

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Oops! Baker doesn't use bitters either: Gaby Des Lys Cocktail; 1 jigger dry gin; 1/2 pony orgeat; 1 scant teaspoon of Absinthe. Frappe with ice and pour into a cocktail glass.

I believe they do add some bitters of some sort when they make it at Beretta here in San Francisco.

[haresfur]

Check out the syrup flavor shown on this bottle label!

Torani Orgeat

[Chris Amirault]

Tried a drink using the Art of the Bar lavender honey syrup, orgeat and WT 101 bourbon (1/2:1/2:2). Don't try it: waaaaay too sweet. But it was prompted by a query from a friend who liked that syrup and orgeat and wondered about a combo. Makes me wonder about using lavender in the orgeat. Thoughts?

[mkayahara]

Does anyone know of any really great drinks that feature tequila and orgeat?

[Chris Amirault]

I can't find any, I'm afraid. The nuttiness of the orgeat probably wouldn't play very well with the tequila's spicy, astringent edge -- though I'm happy to be proven wrong.

[tikibars]

I would say that Grand Marnier is a better sub for Curacao in a Mai Tai...

I did a GM Mai Tai last night and it came out really nice... and if there is one drink that I have down to a science it is this one.

By the way, not to get off of the orgeat subject too much, but in Tiki Road Trip, I suggest Appleton VX and St. James for rums in a Mai Tai, but lately I have been getting great results with just Brugal.

[Chris Amirault]

Which recipe do you use?

[Alchemist]

Bula Mai Tai El Dorado 5 Year, Lime, House Made Roasted Orgeat

This is a new cocktail on The Violet Hour Autumn menu. Steven is roasting the almonds for the home-made orgeat and then adding bitter orange, orange and rose water. It is f%$king awesome! It is so much more complex and deep, and rich, and perfect than anything I have ever tasted in the orgeat family.

Toby

[feste]

Steven is roasting the almonds for the home-made orgeat and then adding bitter orange, orange and rose water.  It is f%$king awesome!  It is so much more complex and deep, and rich, and perfect than anything I have ever tasted in the orgeat family.

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That sounds so f'n delicious! Any way I could talk a recipe out of you Toby?

[slkinsey]

Seriously, y'all... try making it with pistachio nuts instead of almonds.

[bostonapothecary]

Seriously, y'all...  try making it with pistachio nuts instead of almonds.

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any good cocktails for this pistachio "orgeat"?

apple jack, peach brandy, pistachio "orgeat", angostura?

[slkinsey]

I've found that pistacheat works well in any context that might call for orgeat.

[lperry]

Does anyone know of any really great drinks that feature tequila and orgeat?

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Here's one. I don't know if it is any good - I found it while searching for drink recipes with orgeat. If nothing else, it might give you some ideas.

Steven is roasting the almonds for the home-made orgeat and then adding bitter orange, orange and rose water.  It is f%$king awesome!  It is so much more complex and deep, and rich, and perfect than anything I have ever tasted in the orgeat family.

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The roasting is genius. I've got my first batch of orgeat on the stove (FX method), and I did a light roast of the almonds under the broiler. (Roasting? Toasting?) As they were heating, all the oils came to the surface and they took on an amazing fragrance. Mai Tais mañana.

Edited to say that if you click on "orgeat syrup" on the site above, it will lead you to more drink recipes.

Edited September 27, 2008 by lperry (log)

[lperry]

Many thanks to all the orgeat experimenters who posted here. I tasted my finished product, and it is fantastic. All I had tried before was Monin, and there is no comparison.

I ran into only one problem when I couldn't find my cheesecloth, so I substituted with a potato ricer. I figured if it would smash all the water out of frozen spinach, it would work for almond bits, and I could probably get more leverage from a device that was built for crushing. A few pieces of almond made it into the first "riced" batch, but I just poured that through a tea strainer and it worked just fine.