As the winter continues to chill us to our bones, where do we turn for warmth? Our answer is horchata. This Mexican classic was originally made with chufa nuts (or tiger nuts) and today it is often made with rice and/or almonds. Accounts of horchata date back to the days of the Aztecs and there are many apocryphal tales of how it got its name. All you need to know though is that it is creamy and rich with charming flavors of cinnamon and sometimes lime, horchata is a refreshing drink for any occasion. Typically, it is served on ice, but this breakfast recipe will warm anybody on a dreary day. We recommend that you make this ahead of time and then heat it up in the morning for a great start to your day.
(makes about 6 cups)
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 5 cups water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- Honey (to taste)
Directions
- Prepare your rice milk by combining your rice and water in a blender.
- Blend the mixture so that the rice begins to break up in the water. Let this mixture sit for three hours to allow the rice to soak.
- Strain the rice out of your rice water and combine with your additional ingredients (excluding honey) in a large pitcher. Stir well.
- Heat the horchata on the stove until it is about to boil and then remove it from the heat. Pour into your favorite mug and add honey for flavor.
