For thousands of years, gourmets have prized almond extract for its rich, full flavor. The almond can be described as a fruit, originating from the Middle East where its trees were planted along the shores of the Mediterranean.
In fact, Egyptian pharaohs flavored their breads with almond oil, and Cleopatra is said to have been so enamored with the fruit that she regularly bathed in its milk.
The cultivation and use of almonds in baking later spread to Italy, where, from the 1500s, almonds became a key ingredient in biscuits, jams, cakes and liqueurs such as amaretto.
Spanish conquistadors brought the almond seed to California, planting orchards where the strongly scented, flowering trees still flourish today. Almonds continue to be a widely popular ingredient used in cookies, cakes, pastries and more.
){kind=link}