Blue Curaçao is a type of orange liqueur that has been dyed blue. While it may seem odd to drink something blue, the color is purely for aesthetic purposes and does not affect the taste. In fact, when you sip on a glass of blue curaçao, you are actually experiencing the flavors of orange.
To understand why blue curaçao is considered an orange liqueur, we need to delve into its origins. Curaçao is a liqueur that originated on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, which is part of the Dutch Antilles. The liqueur is made from the dried peels of the Laraha orange, a bitter citrus fruit that is native to the island.
The Laraha orange was originally brought to Curaçao by Spanish settlers in the 16th century. However, due to the island’s arid climate and unique soil conditions, the oranges did not develop in the same way as they did in Spain. Instead of becoming sweet and juicy, the Laraha oranges remained sour and inedible.
Despite their inedibility, the Laraha oranges still had value. The local population discovered that the peels of the fruit contained a fragrant and flavorful oil. This oil was then used to create a liqueur, which came to be known as curaçao.
Traditionally, curaçao was made by macerating the Laraha orange peels in alcohol and then adding sugar syrup to sweeten the resulting liquid. The liqueur had a distinct orange flavor with a slight bitterness from the peels. Over time, different variations of curaçao emerged, including blue curaçao.
The blue color of blue curaçao is achieved by adding artificial food coloring, typically a blue dye called Brilliant Blue FCF. This dye does not alter the taste of the liqueur, so when you drink blue curaçao, you are still experiencing the citrusy, orange flavors that are characteristic of the original curaçao.
It’s worth noting that blue curaçao is not the only colored variation of curaçao. There are also variations available in other colors such as green, red, and even black. These colors are achieved using different food dyes, but again, they do not affect the taste of the liqueur.
Blue curaçao is essentially an orange liqueur that has been dyed blue for visual appeal. The blue color does not change the taste, so when you indulge in a glass of blue curaçao, you are still enjoying the flavors of orange.