Orange Blossom Water

The blossoms on Seville oranges. Image courtesy of Feminine Things.

Among the many wonderful scents and flavors you’re likely to experience in Morocco is orange blossom water. This common ingredient in Arab and Mediterranean cooking can either be made combining distilled water with essential oil from orange blossoms (aka neroli oil), or from the water remaining after a steam distillation to produce an essential oil. This second product is known as a hydrosol and has several therapeutic and household applications.

Because it is extremely fragrant, a little orange blossom water goes a long way in cooking. Orange blossom water is commonly used in Moroccan desserts, and it can also take the unpleasant taste out of hard drinking water. When entering a host’s home, guests are sometimes given a jar of orange blossom water to wash and freshen their hands before sitting down to a cup of hot mint tea.

Commercial brands of orange blossom water. Image courtesy of Gourmet Warrior.

In Morocco, orange blossom water is called ilma zaghar. A few uses for this wonderful ingredient are:

~ flavoring drinks from tea and coffee to cocktails

~ baking into pastries and cakes

~ scenting creams and custards

~ drizzling over fresh fruit

Please join us for our signature cocktail, the Moroccan Kiss, which features a whisper of the delicate orange blossom water. You’ll fall in love!