The Horchata thread engendered an especially lively discussion. The reader is advised to go to the Patrick O'Brian Discussion Archives and, using the search feature, look for "Horchata."
Much of the discussion centered on horchata made from the root of the chufa plant, called "Tiger Nuts," found predominantly in Spain, and Mexican or South American horchata made from rice, rice flour, or rice milk.
History and Information About Chufa
Chufa de Valencia
Horchata Notes - Roberta Lovatelli
Horchata and Orgeat - Sue Reynolds
Websites about Horchata
Horchata, the Sweet Latin Drink That Gets Around
Tiger nut milk of Valencia
The Recipes
Horchata Made with Long Grain Rice - Alex Frakt
Horchata Made with Chufa - Alex Frakt
Horchata Made with Rice Four - Alex Frakt
Mexican Rice Milk - Rowen
Horchata - Rowen
Horchata, too - Rowen
Rice Cooler -- Horchata - Rowen
History and Information About Chufa
Chufa de Valencia:
Tuber of the species Cyperus esculentus. This comes in various shapes and sizes, has a thin outer skin, suberic tissue and a high fat and sugar content.
Horchata Notes - Roberta Lovatelli
In Spain and Peru the Horchata is made of chuva, originally a root, its shape is like little potatoes. Children after school would be able to buy these and eat them at cart stands on the streets. This drink is actually rather tasty and very thirst quenching, it tastes even better in the summer when served very cold and you add a little black rum. I have never tried the rice recipe, but frankly just the thought reminds me of that chinese drink that only the chinese can swallow it made of rice called, maotai.
So much so, there is an old indian Peruvian song which goes:
Pa'la chacha la horchata
que sabe a queso
Pa' ti nina bonita
La quaja'ita que sabe a beso
Horchata and Orgeat - Sue Reynolds, who couldn't drink orgeat straight
I think horchata may be an alternative spelling of orgeat, which is an almond-sugar drink which was commonly served to schoolgirls in the Regency era. It is also available in some international grocery stores, along with other syrups. The idea is to pour a small amount over crushed ice--kinda like an almond snow cone, and rather nice, if overly sweet.
The Recipes
Horchata Made with Long Grain Rice - Alex Frakt
Real Spanish Horchata is apparently made from a plant named "Chufas," but here's a version made with rice - which is probably what we encounter in El Mundo Nuevo anyway. (This recipe appears on an astounding 274 web pages.)
1 c Long Grain Rice
4 c Milk
1/2 c Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
Ice
Place the rice in a bowl with enough hot water to cover. Let the rice sit overnight. Next day, remove the water. Place 1/2 cup of water, and 2 cups milk in a blender. Blend until rice is all ground up. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 t vanilla, 1/4 t cinnamon. Do the same with the other half of the ingredients. Strain through cheesecloth (or whatever). Serve over ice. Makes 6 glasses.
Horchata Made with Chufa - Alex Frakt
Real Horchata from Valencia is made with Chufa (Tiger Nut). Unfortunately, Chufa is not available (that I know of) in America. A suitable substitute for the Chufas are Almonds, which give the Horchata the same texture and similar taste. Horchata in not a dairy product and contains little fat, so it is often referred to as "the drink of the gods."
Ingredients:
1/2 kilo (1 pound) Almonds
1/2 kilo (1 pound) Sugar
1 Lemon
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Pinch of Salt
2.5 liters Water (warm)
The first step is to remove the skins from the almonds. The best way to do this is to simply buy them already skinless. If none are available, you will have to boil the skins off. Put the almonds in a pot of boiling water and let sit until the skins become very soft. With time, the skins will dissolve or slide off easily when stirred. Boiling the almonds is a pain. It is much easier to just buy them without skins.
Crush or otherwise pulverise the almonds into a coarse powder. If you boiled your almonds to get the skins off, then smash them (or put them in a strong blender while adding some water) into a mush.
In a large bowl/container add the 2.5 liters of water with a pinch of salt. Slice and add the lemon.
Now mix in the almond powder (or mush). Cover the container and let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
When the two hours are up, add the sugar and cinnamon stick. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
Strain the liquid with a fine cloth. This removes all of the larger particles of almond. Strain until texture is smooth (twice should do it).
Enjoy!
Keep the drink in your fridge and it will stay good for at least six days. For a truly divine experience, put some in your freezer until it is an icey slush!
Horchata Made with Rice Four - Alex Frakt
Here's a version that does use rice flour. I didn't include it last time because it looks like a real pain to make. But perhaps rice crushing is more onerous than dealing with boiling milk. Maybe a combination of recipes, perhaps first mixing the rice flour with some hot water?
Someone suggested it works well with Kahlua, a Latino-Russian?
Ingredients
1 quart non-fat milk
2 quarts water
4 cinnamon sticks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice flour or 1/3 cup raw white rice crushed to a powder in the
blender
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
In a wide skillet pour milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half, 20 - 30 minutes. Strain into a large saucepan and add the water and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and reserve. Combine the sugar, rice flour, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Pour in the milk mixture and whisk to incorporate well. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Then pour the mixture into a pitcher, discarding the sediment that has settled on the bottom of the bowl. Serve cold over ice, with cinnamon sticks as stirrers.
Mexican Rice Milk - Rowen
This is a mexican rice water or rice milk. It is a dessert.
1 cup rice, washed
2 quarts water
1 cinnamon stick
Sugar to taste
Mix together all ingredients; let stand 3 hours. Simmer for 1/2 hour. Puree in a blender and strain through a cloth. Taste for sweetness and add sugar if necessary. Chill and serve over ice.
Horchata - Rowen
3 cups Long-grain white rice
rain or spring water to cover, plus 6-1/2 qts. rain or spring water
2 cups raw almonds, unshelled
1/3 cup freshly ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups sugar, or to taste
Ice cubes
Wash rice. Cover with rain water, and soak for 12 hours. Drain in a mesh sieve. Wash almonds, cover with water, and soak for 4 to 6 hours. Shell almonds and discard skins. Puree the rice in a blender. Set aside. Puree the almonds to a fine paste in a blender. Mix rice, almond paste, cinnamon, sugar, rain water and 16 ice cubes in a large glass jar or clear pitcher. Serve rice beverage in tall glasses over more ice cubes. Makes about 7 quarts.
Horchata, too - Rowen
1 quart milk
2 quarts water
4 cinnamon sticks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup rice flour (or 1/3 cup white rice crushed to a powder in the blender)
1 tablespoon vanilla
Bring milk to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Strain into a large saucepan and add the water and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and discard.
Combine the sugar, rice flour, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk in milk mixture. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Then pour the mixture into a pitcher, discard the sediment that settles on the bottom of the bowl.
Serve cold over ice.
Rice Cooler -- Horchata - Rowen
1 c uncooked rice
4 1/2 c Warm water
3/4 c Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Place rice in a large bowl. Pour warm water over rice. Set aside an soak six hours or overnight. Pour into blender jar; process until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Return to blender, process again. Strain mixture into pitcher through a clean dampened dish towel or cheese cloth. Rinse blender, return mixture to blender; add sugar and vanilla. Process until combined. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve over cracked ice. Yield: 1 quart.
Variations:
Chocolate -- Add 2 ounces grated Mexican chocolate to rice. Continue as directed above.
Strawberry -- Prepare as directed above, adding 1 package (10 ounces) frozen strawberries with the sugar and vanilla. Continue as directed.
Cinnamon -- Add 2 (4-inch) cinnamon sticks to rice. After soaking remove cinnamon sticks and discard. Continue as directed above.
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