There is proof that Europeans in the middle ages consumed almond milk even when it wasn't necessary. Due to its flavor and lengthy shelf life, they were drinking and cooking with it. We cannot hold them responsible. Definitely, they were correct about the flavor.
When we hear the phrase "almond milk," we picture expensive milk for the affluent. Most of us still ponder why dietitians and nutritionists want us to spend so much money on milk while continuing to suggest this milk as a very healthy substitute for regular milk. So, when we discovered that this is not a novel concept, we were as shocked as everybody else. You know, in the Middle Ages in Europe, almond milk was the better choice, and just like today, the wealthy classes adored it and couldn't stop gushing about it.
Long before almond milk became associated with status and veganism in the 21st century (Hey, I'm not judging...too much! ), individuals in the Middle Ages (1000CE–1300CE) had a slight crush on the beverage. The cause? Fasting.
Europeans then had a slightly more religious bent than they have now, and they took their religious obligations quite seriously. Fasting was also taken quite seriously by many Europeans. And during the year, there was a considerable amount of fasting. For instance, they would refrain from eating meat, eggs, and milk during Lent, on Fridays, or on any other special days of the week. It's interesting to note that during the Middle Ages, cow milk was regarded as a non-vegetarian animal product. There was frequently fasting, albeit it varied depending on the time, society, and area where one lived. Similar to how many Indians still today refrain from eating meat and drinking alcohol on specific days of the week.
Almond milk was a weakness in the plan of action. Since it isn't actually "milk" in the traditional sense. Because it wasn't made from animals and could be preserved more easily, almond milk gained in acceptance and use. Additionally, unlike cows, which required a lot of resources for the Middle Ages' population to maintain, almonds didn't need to be fed or cared for. Cows need to be fed, cared after, and given regular health checks, whereas almonds can be produced and simply kept at home. It made more sense to use almonds to squeeze out milk at a time when eating animal products was discouraged during the numerous fasts.
They then developed a liking for it. That is, the aristocracy and the upper class. And, as history has repeatedly shown, what the upper class likes, the lower class wants. There is proof that Europeans in the middle ages consumed almond milk even when it wasn't necessary. Due to its flavor and lengthy shelf life, they were drinking and cooking with it. We cannot hold them responsible. Certainly, they were correct about the flavor. The almond milk that we purchase now has many similarities to the almond milk that people in the medieval age drank.
Making almond milk is simple. The nuts are ground to a powder, steeped in water (often hot, but also cold) for a while, and then the powder is strained through cheesecloth or mesh. The liquid that was left was quite thick—it was what we now know as almond milk. But this simple procedure also made almond milk available to commoners, who enjoyed it just as much as the nobility. Everyone was, in a sense, invited to the party when it came to almond milk. All around Europe, including Britain, almond trees were grown. Almonds might be transported over great distances and kept. Almond milk was therefore, relative to cow milk before pasteurization, less "perishable". In contrast, the ideal long-term scenario due to a lack of refrigeration
As a medication, it was also employed. The milk was easy to consume, but doctors of the day noticed that almonds were healthy. Almond milk was also thought to be beneficial for the brain by certain people in that age.
They developed dishes as well. In Lent, "Ersatz eggs appeared... made of almond milk, partially colored yellow with saffron," according to one English author. The "yellow with saffron" element was intended to resemble egg yolk, so yes. Almond milk-based recipes proliferated during the medieval era, indicating that everyone was smitten with it. Nearly 25% of the recipes in Das Buch von Guter Spise, the first known German cookbook from 1350CE, call for almond milk. This milk was used by chefs to make intricate dishes, puddings, desserts, etc. The University of Western Ontario's Professor Melitta Weiss Adamson even goes so far as to say that the medieval period's thirst for almond milk wasn't just "love," but perhaps "addiction."
