Beverage
Neroli Hydrosol Culinary
A tier
Culinary neroli hydrosol is the same bitter-orange flower distillate under the perfumer's name for the blossom. Producers who think in oils call the water neroli hydrosol; pastry cooks call it orange blossom water. A food- grade neroli hydrosol should still be drinkable in syrup, not a cosmetic toner with unknown preservatives. Use it exactly as orange blossom water, but read the label for food use. Some neroli hydrosols are sold to bartenders and are clean enough; some are skincare. If it smells of soap or lists unfamiliar preservatives, leave it off the cake.
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
History
Neroli named the bitter-orange blossom oil; the hydrosol rode along as flower water.
Aromatherapy neroli hydrosols appeared beside culinary orange blossom water and confused shoppers.
Bartenders and pastry chefs began specifying culinary neroli hydrosol when they wanted the flower name.
Food-use labelling became the only safe way to tell a cake hydrosol from a toner.