Orgeat syrup facts for kids

Orgeat syrup is a sweet syrup. It is made from almonds, sugar, and rose water or orange flower water. This syrup has a strong almond taste. People use it to flavor many cocktails. Orgeat syrup is a key ingredient in the famous Mai Tai drink. It is also used in many other Tiki drinks.

The History of Orgeat Syrup

Orgeat syrup has a long history. It was first made with a mix of barley and almonds. An old recipe for orgeat can be found in The English and Australian Cookery Book. This book shows how people used to make it.

How Orgeat Was Made Long Ago

The old recipe used a lot of ingredients. It called for bitter almonds, sweet almonds, sugar, water, and lemon rinds. The almonds were crushed with sugar. Then, water was slowly added. This mixture was heated with lemon peel. After boiling, the syrup was drained. The almonds were pressed to get out their "milk." This milk was added to the syrup. Finally, a little orange flower water was mixed in when it was cool. People drank this orgeat as a cool summer drink, mixed with water.

Why Modern Orgeat is Safe

Some bitter almonds naturally contain a tiny amount of cyanide. In very large amounts, this can be harmful. Because of this, modern orgeat syrups are usually made only from sweet almonds. This means today's syrups do not have harmful levels of hydrocyanic acid. So, they are generally safe to drink. However, people with an almond allergy should still avoid them.

What Does "Orgeat" Mean?

The word orgeat comes from Latin. It means 'made with barley'. This word traveled through the French language. In French, barley is called orge. The Catalan word orxata and the Spanish word horchata come from the same origin. Even though they share a word origin, today these drinks are very different. Neither orgeat nor horchata usually uses barley anymore.

Orgeat Around the World

Orgeat and similar almond syrups are popular in many places. They are used in different ways and have unique local names.

Orgeat in North Africa

In Tunisia and Libya, a similar syrup is called rozata. It is often served cold at weddings and engagement parties. Its white color and fresh, flowery taste make it a symbol of joy and purity. Rozata comes in many flavors. These include traditional almond, banana, mango, and pistachio.

Orgeat in the Caribbean

In Suriname, there is a drink called orgeade. This is a syrup similar to orgeat. It is made from sugar and both sweet and bitter almonds.

Orgeat in the Mediterranean

In Maltese culture, ruġġata is a popular drink. It is made from almond and vanilla essence. Sometimes, it also includes cinnamon and cloves for extra flavor.

In Cyprus and on the Greek islands of Chios and Nisyros, a similar syrup is known as soumádha. Soumada has a very old history in Cyprus. It dates back to the Roman period. In 1364, King Peter I of Cyprus even gave soumada as a special gift to King Casimir the Great of Poland. This happened at a big meeting in Poland called the Congress of Kraków.

Soumada bottles.

See also

In Spanish: Sirope de horchata para niños