Site icon

Woodwind Gourmet: Orange-Almond Rice Pudding

IMG_8143I was putting away my oboe after a practice session, the other day, when it occurred to me that I put a lot more in my oboe case than just my oboe. Inside my case is my oboe, a polishing cloth, the obligatory cork grease, a tiny humidifier, and orange peels. Why orange peels? The fresh, citrusy scent is merely a bonus. Actually, the orange peels keep the wood of the oboe from drying out during our long northern Michigan winters.

After thinking further, I realized my oboe has another meaningful encounter with food: a monthly rubdown with almond oil during the winter months. It’s just another way to help the oboe’s wood deal with humidity fluctuations that can lead to cracks and leaks if left unchecked.

So oranges and almonds… interesting! I always knew it helped to be both fruity and nutty if you wanted to be an oboist, but it never occurred to me to take those two elements outside of the practice room and bring them into the kitchen (another of my favorite places to spend time). I decided to put together a small series of recipes to highlight the musical union of oboes, oranges, and almonds.

Today’s offering puts a spin on an old favorite…

Orange-Almond Rice Pudding
Serves 8

The other recipes in the oboes, oranges, and almonds series:

Spicy Orange-Glazed Chicken with Almond Rice
Orange-Almond Scones

Exit mobile version