Page 32 - Food Service Magazine March 2019

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TPRAODFEILTEALK
“The almond-to-water ratio is the fundamental flavour- determining factor. Think of the difference between full-cream milk and thinned out skim milk. A “full-cream” fresh almond milk will contain around one quarter or one third almonds, and the nut content can mean the difference between a milk that froths for coffee and one that doesn't.”
From top:
Raw almonds ready for harvest. Pepe Saya butter. Will Studd in a cheese factory.
Nonpareil is the most commonly grown almond varietal around the world, with Monterey, Butte and Carmel varietals also widely available. “We choose to use an Australian Nonpareil varietal as they have more neutral
and palatable flavour, and bloom earlier in the season. Their Carmel cousins bloom later and have a more intense almond flavour,” he says.
Of all the common almond breeds, Carmel is the highest in benzaldehyde, the chemical responsible for the unique and bizarre almond-essence flavour.
There are four main steps that go into producing Almond Milk Co.'s almond milk, says Earl. First, raw almonds are sourced whole, not broken, from the Barossa Valley. Secondly, the almonds are soaked so that they soften and sweeten. This “activation” process also breaks down some of the nut's natural acids that act as nutrient inhibitors, making the final product
more nutritious.
No heat is applied to an “activated” almond milk, and it is often labeled as “raw”.
Almond Milk Co.'s almonds are “activated” before they're blended to enhance the flavour, but many producers simply blend dry-roasted almonds.
“Heat undoubtedly changes the flavour profile of the milk as it does with any other fresh food product. Dry-roasted nuts have a distinct flavour,” says Earl.
The third step is blending. “We put our milk through a dual blending phase to make sure all solids are significantly emulsified,” says Earl, who uses nothing but almonds, filtered water, salt and dates. Lastly, the filtration or extraction process will determine the ratio of solids to liquids.
The almond-to-water ratio
is the fundamental flavour- determining factor. Think of the difference between full-cream milk and thinned out skim milk. A “full-cream” fresh almond milk will contain around one quarter or one third almonds, and the nut content can mean the difference between a milk that froths for coffee and one that doesn't.
“There are many products
on the market with hardly any almonds at all. The lowest we have seen is 2.5 per cent. As this affects the consistency and the flavour, cheaper filling agents are added to bulk out the product. These can range from emulsifiers to oils, not to mention the
other additives to stabilise the suspension,” says Earl.
When selecting a high- quality nut or grain milk, the first thing to check is nut or grain content. The higher this is, the more flavour, and the more “milky” the consistency. You should also check for emulsifiers because, depending on the milk's culinary application, they can act differently to those without. And finally, choose local. Milk made near your venue will always taste better.