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So what's the latest on Commercial Orgeat? |
kick_the_reverb
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 17, 2002
Posts: 573
From: Originally Israel, now Oceanside, CA
|  Posted: 2009-07-22 09:28 am Permalink
Hello all,
Yesterday I spent some time reading old posts about Orgeat. The reason was that I used Trader Vic's newer Orgeat in a presntation I did, and what a surprise (not), it's bad. Not nearly as thick as the old one, and the taste was very weak in the drink.
I have some Monin, and that is what I originaly used for my drinks, but I resent them for changing their syrup line, and rather find something else.
Torani is out of the question, I know what it tastes like, and I'm not going to use it (I did a small batch of 50/50 Monin/Torani for Mai Tais a couple of years ago, but I'll never use it by itself).
What are you all using now?
I am not interested in homemade syrup as answers to this thread, although I'm sure it's great.
Thanks,
Ran
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The Gnomon
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: May 01, 2007
Posts: 1276
From: MD-DC-VA
| Posted: 2009-07-22 12:32 pm Permalink
At Touch of Europe you can get...
Teísseíre
as well as...
Rieme almond syrup.
Not that this really applies anymore, but these two orgeats are French as is the orgeat that Victor Bergeron specified in his Mai Tai recipe. The French style orgeat of today may have no resemblance to what it was in the 1940s. I use Teísseíre when I don't make my own.
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quickiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Dec 29, 2005
Posts: 139
From: Stockton, CA
| Posted: 2009-07-22 2:48 pm Permalink
Rum Balls on a previous post has a recipe for NW Tiki Kon Mai Tai, which uses Amaretto di Saronno instead of orgeat, and it is surprisingly good, although the almond has a completely different flavor profile. I've been put off by Torani because it tastes overly artificial and leaves a weird aftertaste in my mouth.
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thejab
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2984
From: Forbidden Island, CA
| Posted: 2009-07-22 4:08 pm Permalink
Amaretto is an Italian liqueur flavored with herbs and fruits soaked in apricot kernel oil, according to the Disaronno web site. Not really an almond liqueur, though some say it tastes somewhat like almonds.
I still use Trader Vic's brand, though I know it's probably not the best, it's the easiest for me to find. But my bottle is probably a couple years old so may be before they changed it.
[ This Message was edited by: thejab 2009-07-22 16:10 ]
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CincyTikiCraig
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 31, 2009
Posts: 327
From: Cincinnati, Ohio USA
| Posted: 2009-07-22 5:07 pm Permalink
I had been using Torani or Monin Orgeat for some time simply because it's all that I could find here in Cincinnati. The Monin was the better of the two but neither of the syrups were really great IMHO. I ordered a French brand online recently, Routin 1883 Orgeat, and it was a total epiphany for me. Routin is an old French syrup producer that is located in the Alps and their syrups are a cut above others that I've tried. Their Orgeat is complex with a wonderful mouth feel. My Mai Tai's are really world class now thanks to the use of a better brand of Orgeat.
FYI-I also bought Routin's cinnamon, raspberry and vanilla syrup, all of which are top notch. Routin comes in big 1 liter bottles, so you have to replace them less frequently.
If i am traveling or somewhere that I can't get orgeat I use amaretto with a dash of simple syrup. I call it Emergency Orgeat.
[ This Message was edited by: CincyTikiCraig 2009-07-22 17:09 ]
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kick_the_reverb
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 17, 2002
Posts: 573
From: Originally Israel, now Oceanside, CA
| Posted: 2009-07-22 10:01 pm Permalink
I just looked through my inventory and found that besides the almost gone old glass bottle TV, I have another unopened one, plus two unopened bottles:
1. Rosata from Israel
2. Orzata from Italy
Both look very unpromising with their ingredients...
All of the above can't be counted on for the future.
The Routin 1883 sounds like something I should try. Touch of Europe offerings look nice too, but more expensive.
Keep 'em coming please
Thanks,
Ran
[ This Message was edited by: kick_the_reverb 2009-07-22 22:02 ]
[ This Message was edited by: kick_the_reverb 2009-07-22 22:06 ]
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Shaun of theTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 25, 2008
Posts: 109 | Posted: 2009-07-22 11:33 pm Permalink
I've been using Sonoma Syrup's Orgeat "infused" simple syrup. Its vanilla taste is stronger than its almond component but it does the job.
I've been tempted to buy the Small Hand Foods orgeat that's made in SF but it's quite expensive and all-organic (as in very perishable).
[ This Message was edited by: Shaun of theTiki 2009-07-22 23:35 ]
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Unga Bunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 06, 2003
Posts: 5734
From: CaliTikifornia
| Posted: 2009-07-23 07:59 am Permalink
You guys should try Entner-Stuart Almond Premium Syrup.
It's made from Maui sugar.
Good stuff.
http://www.baristaproshop.com/catalog/product.php?productid=176
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kick_the_reverb
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 17, 2002
Posts: 573
From: Originally Israel, now Oceanside, CA
| Posted: 2009-07-23 1:15 pm Permalink
Thanks for the tip Unga Bunga, that looks like another good option.
Ran
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Hakalugi
Site Administrator
Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Posts: 2804
From: Redondo Beach, CA
| Posted: 2009-07-23 1:26 pm Permalink
For those of you listing an orgeat to try, can you confirm if it contains rose water or orange-flower water, or neither? I'm under the impression that some brands of orgeat neglect to include this important ingredient.
[ This Message was edited by: Hakalugi 2009-07-23 13:30 ]
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GatorRob
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 20, 2004
Posts: 1766
From: 3 hrs 33 mins to paradise
| Posted: 2009-07-23 4:14 pm Permalink
I can also vouch for the Teisseire Orgeat. Nice smooth almond flavor with none of the "burn" I've experienced with some other brands. It's a little pricey, but I think it's worth it. Homemade is better, but has to be used so quickly.
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Bongo Bungalow
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 20, 2007
Posts: 1226
From: Indiana
| Posted: 2009-07-23 6:18 pm Permalink
You mean the Collins Brand orgeat I've been using isn't very good? I could do better?
_________________
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kick_the_reverb
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 17, 2002
Posts: 573
From: Originally Israel, now Oceanside, CA
| Posted: 2009-07-23 8:38 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-07-23 13:26, Hakalugi wrote:
For those of you listing an orgeat to try, can you confirm if it contains rose water or orange-flower water, or neither? I'm under the impression that some brands of orgeat neglect to include this important ingredient.
[ This Message was edited by: Hakalugi 2009-07-23 13:30 ]
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Thanks Hakalugi, that's a very good point.
Ran
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Rum Balls
Grand Member (7 years) 
Joined: Oct 04, 2004
Posts: 828
From: Portland, OR
| Posted: 2009-07-24 05:50 am Permalink
Quote:
| You guys should try Entner-Stuart Almond Premium Syrup.
It's made from Maui sugar. |
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This company's now located an hour down I-5 from Portland in Albany. Don't know who, if anyone, sells their stuff retail around here. Not only do they make an almond syrup, but I also see on their website that they make cane syrups...and list a passion fruit syrup! More investigation is needed!
http://www.entnerstuartsyrups.com/html/Products.html
_________________
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Unga Bunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 06, 2003
Posts: 5734
From: CaliTikifornia
| Posted: 2009-07-24 12:22 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-07-23 13:26, Hakalugi wrote:
For those of you listing an orgeat to try, can you confirm if it contains rose water or orange-flower water, or neither? I'm under the impression that some brands of orgeat neglect to include this important ingredient.
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Yes , good question.
I just threw out the Entner-Stuart bottle and won't know until I buy another.
I just read my Trader Vic's (plastic) bottle and it does not contain either of these. In fact, it looks like there's a lot of nasty crap in it, but no rose water or orange-flower water. Interesting.
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