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Horchata de Chufa

Friday, 02 July 2010 09:59

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Horchata is a very common refreshment drink in Spain that has originated in Valencia and can be found in different variations in many places in the world –of course, especially in the Spanish speaking countries.

There is a nice legend about how Horchata got its name as well, in which a girl brought the chufa milk to the king of Catalunya and Aragon who asked the girl what it was and as the girl answered that it was milk of the tigernut he replied: "Aixo no es llet, aixo es or, xata!" (This is not milk; this is gold, sweetheart!)
So what is this drink really?

Horchata in general is a milky drink that is made of ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, barley, or tigernuts (chufas). In Spain, it is usually made of Chufas/tigernuts which is a plant found in subtropical regions and the Mediterranean area. The tigernut has excellent nutritious qualities –a fat content similar to olives and many minerals (especially phosphorus and potassium).

Also Horchata de Chufa is quite popular among lactose intolerant people when replacing regular milk. Horchata is made by soaking Chufas in water until softened and then by mashing them, mixing them with water or milk (depends on the recipe) and then flavouring the liquid with sugar, cinnamon or vanilla. The drink is very popular during the summer time and needs to be served ice-cold. This traditional Spanish refreshment is not to be confused though with other types of Horchata that can be found around the world (especially in Latin America) and that are usually made of different things than Chufas, mainly rice. This type of drink might be carrying the same name and a similar look but it tastes, in fact, very differently.

Nonetheless, anybody coming to Spain should not miss out on trying this refreshing speciality and it is available all over the country in supermarkets, cafes, restaurants or so called Horchaterias.

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