Creme de Noyaux

Crème de Noyaux

 

An almond-flavored pink crème liqueur made from apricot kernels, which is also used to flavor the better known Italian beverage known as Amaretto. Amaretto can shortly be described as a sweet almond-flavored Italian liqueur which is made from apricot or almond pits, in some cases it is even made from both.

 

Crème liqueur is a type of beverage with such a high amount of added sugar that it almost has a syrup-like consistency, unlike cream liqueurs, crème liqueurs does not contain any cream. The crème in this case refers to the consistency of the beverage, this category also inclue crème the cacao, crème de menthe and crème de cassis. The name of crème de noyaux comes from the French word noyau, which means ”kernel, pit, or core”, the drink is used in a number of cocktails, including the Pink Squirrel and the Old Etonian.

 

In fiction crème de noyaux often appears as the vehicle for cyanide poisoning, this is due to the presence of apricot kernels of aromatic chemicals that break down into hydrocyanic acid when mixed with water.

 

One famous story that revolves around this is "Bitter Almonds" by Dorothy Sayers where the main character which is a wine and spirit salesman determines that a custumoer died from drinking the first and oiliest glass of crème de noyaux that had stood unopened for fourty years.

 

Below follows the recipe of the two abovementioned cocktails which contains crème de noyaux:

 

Pink Squirrel

2 parts Crème de Noyaux

1 part Crème de Cacao

1 part light cream Shake all of the ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass and serve.

 

Old Etonian

1 part Dry Gin

1 part Kina Lillet

2 dashes Orange bitters

2 dashes Crème de Noyaux Shake with cracked ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Twist orange peel over drink.