Mexican Horchata (rice drink)

[Margi Cintrano]

KauKau and Gourmet Greg,

Thanks for the research ... In Spain, the bartenders, peel the tubers and prepare them for a malted of tiger nut ...

Had no idea, Latinos Americanos in the USA were drinking bottled Horchata ... It is not very common throughout the Iberian Peninsula -- it is indigenious to Valencia and east coast of Spain ... and well, as mentioned children are given this milk type drink.

Thanks again.
Margaux.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Kaku:THANKS SO MUCH for the research

Sorry for mis-spell of your name, Kau Kau --- it was a type-oh mistake.

Apologies.
Margaux.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Cyperus Esculentus - Orgeat Tiger Nut Milk

Kau Kau,

Firstly, thanx so much for your research ... Here is what the Valencian Generalit, Local Government has confirmed on the Cyperus Esculentus, called Orgeat in Valencian, a Catalan dialect similar to however, not Spanish.

Cyperus Esculentus, is a 1 centimetre in diameter, called the Chufa and it has only been cultivated in one region of Valencia.

Horchata on the other hand is a milky liquid that has been drawn from this tuber ( not nut ) to produce a whitish ivory starchy milky soft beverage.

It is called Orgeat or Tiger Nut Milk.

Today, with globalization and exporting, it is mixed with other ingredients for varying markets, to create a popular refreshment. Now, Mexico has a strong link to colonial Spain 1515 during the era of the Conquistadors and Queen Isabel ... Furthermore, in Latin American countries, due to their warmer climates, have a large repertoire of MILKY TUBER, RICE and NUT BEVERAGES: yuca, malanga, ñame, horchatas, rice and almond ...

The Government of Valencia Recipe of Orgeat:

250 grams or 8 ounces of Tiger Nuts or blanched almonds
4 cups iced mineral water
1 1/4 cups fine sugar
lemon zest
cinammon grounded to sprinkle or a cinammon stick

1. wash the tubers or nuts
2. soak overnight for no less than 12 hrs. and rinse twice
3: reserve this tuber water
4. grind the tubers or nuts in a blender with 1 2/3 cup water
5. let stand 2 hours
6. strain through a sieve with cheese cloth and gradually add remaining reserved water
7. add sugar and stir to dissolve
8. add zest and cinammon
9. serve in tall glasses or Martini stemware on crushed ice
*** a splash of Rum could be nice ... Orgeat Rum Cocktail ...

Thanks again for research.
Margaux Cintrano.

 

[roadfix]

I never knew anybody made it from a recipe. Horchata to me is a bottled product that you buy in a Latino market or get served in a Mexican restaurant.

If you're in the hood you can find home made horchata sold by street vendors everywhere. Living in L.A. for several decades I've never had bottled horchata. Also, many fast food restaurants serve horchata, self-serve, from their soda fountain stations.

We have a tamale lady who strolls her shopping cart loaded with large pots of tamales and horchata daily and stops by our shop.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Road Fix,

" If I am in the Hood " ... I live in Mediterranean ... so I do not think I am going over to California in 2011... Though I am sure ur weather is better than Madrid´s ...

However, let me say, that Everything in the Italy and Spain has a recipe, because in rural hamlets, there is very little packaged, bottled or canned ... EVERYTHING is still made by scratch, and caught on line, or hunted ... and steeped in profound history with a Government that markets historic recipes in every town ... For eg: Bolognese in Bolognia or Paella in Spain ...

Another good point is that Orgeat is not really pure Horchata ... Orgeat, is the Valencian tiger milk chufa or tuber drink ... Horchata is A GENRE of milky type soft drinks from tubers ... Thanks for your note.

Thanks.
MARGI.

 

[Kaukau]

Sorry for mis-spell of your name, Kau Kau --- it was a type-oh mistake.

Apologies.
Margaux.

Hey no worries!
Kaukau is Hawaiian pidgin for "food" or "eat". Since it's slang I don't think it matters too much how it is spelled, but I thank you for the concern.