In the world of alcohol, you’re bound to stumble upon a unique beverage every once in a while. This is what happens to anyone who comes across Advocaat for the first time. This traditional Dutch alcoholic beverage is made from eggs, sugar and brandy. Did we just say eggs? Yes! You read that right. The yellow tinted drink has a creamy texture that will remind you of custard. The yellow colour of the beverage comes from the mix of egg yolks, sugar, brandy, cream aromatic spirits and honey. Advocaat is hand crafted and relished by the Dutch people over a plate of their favourite Dutch delicacy - Poffertjes.
There are many accounts of this drink’s origin. The main theories espouse that the origin of this drink comes from the time when Dutch colonised Brazil. Interestingly companies such as Verpoorten and Bols, and the Oxford companion to Sugar and Sweets, who make this alcohol, trace its origin back to a similar drink called abacate that the indigenous people in Brazil consumed. Abacate was made with avocados as an important ingredient. The Dutch colonials in Northern Brazil took this beverage from there and introduced it to Europe as ‘Advocaat.’ Now the problem was that avocados couldn’t be grown in Nothern Europe and so the Dutch replaced that ingredient with egg yolks as they thought that the egg yolk would give a similar consistency and taste. While the main ingredient changed, the original name of the drink was retained, even though the ‘advocaat’ doesn’t contain any avocados as did its predecessor.
In Dutch the word Advocaat also refers to a lawyer or solicitor. This drink was therefore colloquially also dubbed as the advocate’s drink and soon became a beverage that was consumed slowly during social gatherings and informal meet-ups and tête-à-tête of colleagues and co-workers. The Dutch dictionary (1882 edition) describes this drink as ‘so named as a good lubricant for the throat, and thus considered especially useful for a lawyer, who must speak in public.’
Advocaat is sold in wide mouth bottles or jars in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Austria. While the authentic Advocaat has a consistency similar to custard, any export of this alcoholic beverage to countries beyond the above stated nations, would be more liquidy in consistency. This is because when Advocaat is sent for export, albumen is also added along with the egg yolks as an ingredient to the drink. Many foodies love to relish the Advocaat with whipped cream, bananas, ice-cream and more. Describing the drink as something that you have to enjoy consuming with a spoon instead of gulping down like a drink, the Dutch also have stores selling advocaat candy - which is basically advocaat flavoured liquor sweets.
The original thick variety, of this alcohol (which comes without albumen as an ingredient) is used as a waffle, pancake or Poffertjes topping, or as an ingredient for ice cream (especially chocolate flavoured), custards, pastries etc. Its is also served as an apéritif or digestif - which are basically drinks that are served before or after a meal. When consumed as a digestif, the advocaat is topped with whipped cream and then sprinkled with a dash of cocoa powder. It is then served in a very tiny bowl or small glass and is eaten by using a teaspoon. If you were to visit a Belgian restaurant you could get an advocaat layered dessert as complementary accompaniment to a coffee. Would you want to try this unique alcoholic beverage made from egg yolks?