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The church banned dairy half the year
An old Islamic ingredient
Almond milk was already old by then. An Islamic medical text from the 8th century mentions it as a cough treatment, and a cookbook from Baghdad in the 1200s uses it in a meat stew and in a dessert custard. Like soy milk, it mostly wasn't consumed as a drink.
It reached Europe through trade, and because Spain was under Islamic rule at the time. By the 1300s it appeared in cookbooks in England and France and had become popular across Europe, where it went into recipes instead of glasses.
Back to dairy
By the 1600s, most people had switched back to dairy for their sauces and desserts. The Protestant Reformation had weakened the weight of holy days, mostly in Northern Europe, where dairy was also easier to get. Almonds had to be imported there, which made them expensive.
How did medieval cooks make almond milk?
Cooks ground blanched almonds into a paste, steeped it in water or broth, and strained the liquid through cloth. The result worked as a stand-in for cow's milk or cream in sauces, stews, and custards. It also thickened into dishes like blancmange, which paired almond milk with sugar and chicken or fish. The English recipe collection The Forme of Cury, from around 1390, includes many dishes made with almond milk.
How long did medieval fast days run?
Lent lasted forty days before Easter, and Fridays were meatless all year. Advent and the eves of major feasts added more days, and the exact calendar varied by region and century. Fish was usually allowed on fast days, which is why medieval households kept fish ponds and bought salted fish. Whole fast-day menus therefore leaned on fish, eggs substitutes, and nut milks.
How did Islamic cuisine reach European kitchens?
Spain and Sicily spent centuries under Muslim rule, and Arab agriculturalists brought new crops and methods to both. Sugar cane cultivation spread across the Mediterranean in the centuries after the 8th century. Sugar and almonds came together in sweets and rich dishes that later turned up in cookbooks across Europe.
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