How was nut milk made before blenders?

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Accepted answer

Your imagination is right. A mortar for grinding and a cloth for straining were the most often used tools.

One recipe:

Le Menagier de Paris’s almond milk soup
This delicate soup is ideal for the infirmary, but can also be enjoyed by healthy monks.
Bring a pot of water containing two onions to the boil. Meanwhile blanch about 300 grams of almonds in boiling water to soften the skins; leave to cool and peel. After the water has boiled for about 20 minutes, take out the onions and set aside, retaining the water. Next, pound the almonds in a large mortar or food processor, adding most of the water used to cook the onions. Strain the liquid through a muslin cloth to produce a fine milky liquid. Next fry the onions gently in butter. Once the onions are golden brown, add them to the almond milk. Serve with croutons or toast.
–– Andrew Jotischky: "A Hermit’s Cookbook. Monks, Food and Fasting in the Middle Ages", Continuum: New York, London, 2011.

Textiles are the solution to this. Cloth – like cheese cloth – for this was available for a long time.

If original manuscripts detailing this kind of recipe are more your thing:

Sion/Sitten, Médiathèque Valais, S 108 Parchment · 1 f. · 194.5 x 13.3 cm · second half of the 13th century Viandier Go to Overview Page

Language: French Manuscript Summary: This scroll contains a collection of 133 culinary recipes that served as a source for the famous Viandier of Guillaume Tirel, or Taillevent. It was part of the library of Bishop Walter Supersaxo (ca. 1402-1482) and his son Georges (ca. 1450-1529). (tog) Standard description: Description de Nadia Togni pour e-codices, 2010. Show standard description
Online Since: 11/04/2010

This is illustrated in

"Almond Milk the Medieval Way" part 1, part 2, A dollop of History, Posted by Sannieb on November 9 + 20 , 2016.

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