School’s out, the kids are free and everybody’s thirsty. While we’re usually big advocates of adult drinks this time of year, here’s a recipe that’s sure to please the kids, as well as the child inside of all of us: horchata. It’s crisp, it’s sweet and just one sip takes you back to those childhood summers of years gone by. While you can make horchata from a variety of pureed roots, nuts or rice, we like this recipe which calls for jasmine rice. For more on the history of this classic Latin summertime beverage, check out the story Louise McCready wrote for Edible Manhattan.
Homemade Horchata
From Louise McCready, and reprinted from Edible Brooklyn. In that story, McCready included not just where to buy it in the borough of Kings but two drinks using horchata as their base, an iced espresso and a Tequila-Kahlua cocktail.
4 c. white rice (preferably jasmine)
½ c. raw almonds
2 cinnamon sticks
8 c. water
sugar to taste
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients but sugar and soak at least four hours. Blend in batches in a blender, then pass through a sieve. Add sugar to taste. Chill.
