Flavouring
Orange-blossom water
Also called orange flower water, mazahar
Distilled bitter-orange blossom water — mazahar, orange-flower water — a few drops of perfume, not orange juice and not orange extract. Orange salad and roz bi laban want this floral top note. A pour turns pudding into soap.
Origin
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern stills, especially North Africa and the Levant, where orange groves and pastry shops share a bottle. French pâtisserie uses the same water in smaller doses.
Flavour
Floral, honeyed, slightly green, then soapy if you are generous. It should read as blossom, not as cleaning product. Cheap waters smell of alcohol and air freshener.
How it is made
Bitter-orange flowers are steam-distilled; the aromatic water is bottled. It is not a reduction of juice and not an oil (neroli is the essential oil, much stronger).
How to use it
Add off the heat. A quarter teaspoon is usually enough for a bowl of oranges or a pot of rice pudding; whisk it through syrup or yoghurt, then taste. You can always add two drops. In orange salad it should hover over the fruit, not pickle it. Rose water is a cousin, not a silent swap — it reads more Turkish delight. Do not boil the water to 'reduce' it; you will lose the flower and keep the oddness. Vanilla can support it; it cannot replace it.
Storage
Cool cupboard, cap tight, away from light. It fades rather than spoils. If it smells of plastic or nail polish, the bottle is tired. Fridge is optional and can cloud it.
Recipes using it
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