• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

CooksInfo

  • Home
  • Encyclopaedia
  • Kitchenware
  • Recipes
  • Food Calendar
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Encyclopaedia
  • Kitchenware
  • Food Calendar
×
Home » Flavourings » Ambergris

Ambergris

Ambergris is a substance that forms in the large intestines of sperm whales, but it comes out of the front end of whales, not the back — they vomit it up.

When the whale first excretes it, it is pale white and very soft. It does indeed have an excrement smell to it like it came from the intestines .

After a time floating about in the ocean Ambergris actually hardens, changes its smell, and becomes smooth, firm lumps that are dark brown outside, grey or pale yellow inside. Eventually, Ambergris washes up on beaches. Most pieces found are just a few ounces, but anecdotally, pieces up to a few hundred pounds have been known.

It breaks apart easily, and has a somewhat earthy, sweet aroma. Older pieces will smell somewhat musty.

Ambergris used to be used in perfumes, and is still used in scenting the anointing oil that is used in the Coronation ceremonies for the British monarchy.

It was popular in English cooking in the 1600s. Very old recipes may refer to it as “ambergreece”, and call for a small quantity of it to flavour a frosting or a posset.

Ambergris melts at 144 F / 62 C; vaporises at 212 F / 100 C.

Language Notes

The word “Ambergris” comes from the name of two colours, amber and gris (gris being “grey” in French.)

Other names

AKA: Grey Amber, Whale Ambergris

This page first published: Feb 11, 2005 · Updated: Jun 20, 2018.

This web site generates income from affiliated links and ads at no cost to you to fund continued research · Information on this site is Copyright © 2023· Feel free to cite correctly, but copying whole pages for your website is content theft and will be DCMA'd.

Primary Sidebar

Search

    Today is

  • Lemon Chiffon Cake Day
    Lemon chiffon cake

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About this site
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright enforced!
  • Terms & Conditions

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Site

  • Recipes
  • Encyclopaedia
  • Kitchenware
  • Food Calendar

This web site generates income from affiliated links and ads at no cost to you to fund continued research · The text on this site is © Copyright.