Thanks for posting this Josh. I had horchata a few years ago in Barcelona and still long for a glass when the weather gets really hot. Next time I'll use your recipe and make myself one.

BTW: seeing you were tempted by arancini you might like to take a look at my IMBB entry

http://ilforno.typepad.com/il_forno/2004/05/around_the_worl.html

Josh

Horchata is very big in Madrid (well probably much of Spain), too. It is very typical to drink this drink during the summer and the name always conjures up the thought of people drinking it on a summer's day in of Retiro Park's terrace bars.

I had no idea horchata is popular in Spain as well. My only association with it was with Mexican food.

Alberto, your arancini look excellent. Now I am able to have both the horchata and (virtual) arancini! I need to make them myself.

Hi Josh-
Your horchata looks and sounds delicous, I must definately give this a try. I've never had it before, but I have had milk made from almonds and enjoyed that, so I'm sure I'll love this. I like the idea of adding lime to it as you saw in one recipe.
Your photos are beautiful, I especially like the rice almond and vanilla bean one.

Hello Josh! I've never had horchata, does it resemble the rice milk you can buy in organic stores?

Thanks for the compliment on the photo, Deb. That's actually a piece of Mexican cinnamon in the picture. If you like almond milk, you'll like horchata.

Clotilde, from these comments, it looks like you missed your chance to try some horchata when you were in Spain. It is sort of similar to rice milk. I was thinking that you could probably make a quick and easy version by mixing rice milk, almond milk, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.

gorgeous photos as always : )

I've had rice milk but never horchata, not even when I visited Spain... now I'm intrigued...

Josh,

Gorgeous pictures. I've never been a big fan or horchata, but this one looks so good I might just have to give it a try.

By the way, the final list of all entries is ready now at http://chezpim.typepad.com/blogs/2004/05/i_am_speechless.html

cheers,
Pim

Hi all,

Horchata is actually very popular throughout Latin America and is made in Panama and Ecuador with sesame seeds instead of almonds. I love it.

Hi folks

I actually referenced this article on my blog Mad About Madrid (http://www.madaboutmadrid.com) recently and this morning I got an email from someone telling me that they prefer 'chufas' (or tiger nuts) to almonds. On further investigation I found other recipes for Horchata de Chufa - which is the one which is actually popular in Spain. Here's a link to one of the recipes: Horchata de Chufas (Tiger Nut Milk): http://pages.zdnet.com/shenanchie/spain/index.htm. It's a long page so you'll have to search for "Tiger Nut Milk".

The real horchata is made in Valencia, Spain. It is Tiger Nut milk. The milk made from almonds in America is called horchata because they take this name from the vocabulary that the Spanish conquerors brought there. The only similarity between them is that both cool drinks are white.
That happens with many words that americans took from spanish language and applied to different things e.g. Tortilla, it is not the same food in america than in Spain, obviously in America there are not the same products that we have in Europe, and the meals, even that they take the same name are not make with the same ingredients.
The Tiger nut was used by Egiptians and only can be cultivate in very special enviroments.

This is probably the best recipe for
"horchata" that I have tried in quite a while. I am currently looking for an american source of "Chufas", or otherwise known as TIGER NUTS, this happen to be the ingredient of choice for horchata in Spain. Will Welcome any suggestions....Best Wishes Ray Molina

I was curious - why doesn't anybody use rice flour instead of grinding rice into, what is essentially, rice flour? I've not tried this yet, but I intend to tomorrow. I don't have a cheesecloth either...

Another thought: Although it's not traditional, why not try nutmeg or cardamon instead of vanilla?

The Spanish version of horchata, made with chufas, has just come to the UK as Tiger White. It's being sold initially as a tasty milk alternative and can be found next to the long life soya milk. Check out www.tigerwhitedrinks.com - its already available in Tescos, Holland & Barrett, Budgens, Booths and independent health food stores.

Link didn't seem to work - I'll try again. http://www.tigerwhitedrinks.com.

How did you achieve the lighting on your almond, rice and cinnamon shot? Is it natural light or artificial?

Jumbuck
http://www.mmmrecipes.com/

The lighting is completely natural. It was taken mid-day with sunlight pouring in through the window.

I´m currently (and probably permanantly) living in Spain, Luckily in Valencia Communidad so Horchata is readily available from all bars, having recently discovered this drink I´m hooked!
So much so I´ve just returned from getting a take away (para llevar) Horchata from the bar below my apartment (at 11pm).
Horchata de Chufa also is readily available in local supermarkets like LIDL.

Greetings & salutations one and all. I'm fascinated by what I've just read here. My father is from Spain but never mentioned horchata. Turns out he doesn't care for the stuff. Regardless, my husband loves horchata of the sort we here in San Francisco Bay Are have available at most Mexican restaurants. So,one day I'm talking with a friend who is also a foodie and she starts talking to me about horchata from Spain made with Tiger Nuts! I thought she was nuts! So together we've been hunting this thing down. NOW, the big question is, HOW do we, stuck here in America, get horchata de chufa of our own? Feedback on this would be HUGELY appreciated. If any of you are actually IN Spain, I would be happy to "trade" products with you. Think a bunelo would still be hot if it was mailed half way around the world?

If you do a Google search for "Buy Chufa nuts" you will come up with all sorts of sites which have info regarding planting, and seeds as well. Apparently not hard to grow, and long known in the U.S. as food for wild turkeys, hogs and deer. The Spanish Horchata has, I believe, a different taste than our local Mexican variety. You can buy the Spanish variety (bottled) from Amazon. I am going to try and grow some from seed in the back yard here in El Paso, Texas.

Just wanted to share that I'm drinking my first Horchata right now!! The Mexican restaurant, Pampano on 49th street between 3rd and 2nd in NYC sells it! YUMMY!!

Hi Robyn,

Right now! I'm 22 blocks away (and jealous)!

I think live horchata blogging is going to be the next big thing . . .

I also have had horchata de arroz with fruit blended. My favorite is one with melon (I think it's the same as "honeydew").

horchata is all around arizona but this recipe is great. I drink horchata daily but i do wonder how fattening it is. Do you have any idea on the healthy aspects???? Thanks again,

Hi to everybody,
I used to life in Managua, Nicaragua and there the “orchata” was even better than the ones you are talking about. The recipe had two other ingredients (Cacao and Jicaro a kind of seeds that grow in Central America). I used to buy in any supermarket. I know that you may not be able to find jicaro seeds, but at least you could try by adding cacao to you current recipe. You will like it. Regards,
Marcelo