October 3, 2007
Horchata
Many of you are probably familiar with the horchata you can buy at Burritoville, a pale, dairy imitation of the real thing made with fat-free milk, rice powder, cinnamon, and sugar. It's potable, but doesn't even begin to compare with horchata made with actual rice and almonds, cinnamon and vanilla, with no milk in sight.
Horchata is a sweet, creamy beverage that we love to drink when eating spicy foods (and whenever else we can get our hands on it, too).
Horchata
(adapted from this recipe, which was adapted from Gale Gand)
1 C basmati rice
2 C blanched, peeled almonds
4" piece of cinnamon
5 C water
3/8 C sugar
2 vanilla beans
Grind the rice into a fine powder using a coffee grinder. Place the ground rice, almond, and cinnamon into a large bowl with 3 1/2 C water. Cut the vanilla beans in half the long way, scrape the seeds into the bowl, and then throw the beans in after them. Cover and leave overnight.
The next day, add the sugar and 1 1/2 C water. Puree everything in your blender, then strain. The best tool we've found for straining is a Thai tea sock, which is basically a fine cotton mesh on a metal ring with a handle. Serve chilled.
Shopping Guide
You pick pick up a Thai tea sock at Bangkok Center Grocery at 104 Mosco Street, between Mott Street and Mulberry Street in Chinatown. It'll cost you something along the lines of $2, and you can stop by Ping's Seafood on Mott Street just around the corner for fantastic dim sum afterwards.
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October 3, 2007 3:14 PM
How about just drinking a normal glass of milk?
October 3, 2007 3:23 PM
With a dash of Kahlua, methinks
www.thesharkbook.com
October 3, 2007 3:26 PM
Ph, some people are lactose intolerant and some people are just smart enough to know that it's not natural to drink the milk of another species.
There is a great food and juice stand that is open on Saturdays and Sundays on Ocean Ave. between Albemarle Rd. and Church Ave. in Flatbush, Brooklyn. It is run by a sweet woman from Honduras who is always more than happy to give free samples of her delicious Carribean juices that she makes herself. Last week she had Horchata (made the natural way of course) and it was delicious! Go try it!
October 3, 2007 3:39 PM
Whoa, [3] - while I'm with you on the lactose free option (i'm lactose intolerant), your implication that drinking the milk of another species is "not natural" is off-base. This planet is full of myriad species that live off the meat, milk, fat, and even waste of other species. There is nothing unnatural about it. In fact, some might argue that drinking a glass of fresh milk is more natural than a glass of water infused with rice and almonds and sugar and other things.
That said, I had some excellent Horchata at the Red Hook ballfields a few weeks ago.
October 3, 2007 3:47 PM
I can dig on those who are lactose free. I totally understand if your body outright rejects it, but I've been drinking milk all my life and I've done alright and I've got the immune system of 5 men.
I dunno, maybe I'm different.
My cousin (who happens to live in manhattan, big surprise) was going on and on about that whole 'unnatural' angle and I couldn't help but laugh. I mean yeah, she makes a point that milk is usually for growing members of any given species, but c'mon..its not like it's gonna kill you.
I just love ice cold 1% milk. When I want it, there's just nothing else that will satisfy.
And I stand by my assertion. That's way too much work for a glass of fake milk.
October 3, 2007 4:08 PM
You New Yorkers are retarded. This is hands down one of the yummiest drinks ever invented.
Oh yeah, I forgot New York doesn't have good mexican food to speak of.
October 3, 2007 4:15 PM
Hi Ph,
I think a normal glass of milk is just fine! I love milk.
Just like it is good to drink water. But sometimes, I like to heat up my water and infuse herbs in it to make a tea. Sometimes it nice to drink something besides water and milk.
So this is just another beverage option for those who want to expand their horizons and try a new treat! After all, isn't that what this is? A column about recipes? So, try it, and enjoy! Or don't, and leave the others to try it in peace!
October 3, 2007 4:20 PM
Matty, you are awesome.
I love how basic stuff elsewhere is "exotic" in NY. Then they act as if they invented/perfected it.
Me, I don't like drinking bevs that I can't see through, excepting a decent pint of porter. Milk fake or real, is kinda yucky.
October 3, 2007 4:21 PM
Ph- I am a fan of milk myself, but I have a feeling you would like horchata if you tried it. It's like milk only better. Try it, you'll see.
October 3, 2007 4:29 PM
The Red Hook ballfields offer great orchata.
October 3, 2007 4:38 PM
Sounds delicious to me. And yes, I am a huge fan of icy old milk too. Nothing better with chocolate syrup and a straw. You can also try adding caramel flavor to it and oh my a real treat!
I too brew my own tea. Whole leaves, green, chamomile, linden with a touch of black (Ceylon). I add ginger or anise or peppermint or whatever I am in the mood for at the time and chill it for iced tea. Brown sugar or buckwheat honey gives it a nice finish.
October 3, 2007 4:44 PM
So do you cook the rice first? Or are you griding uncooked rice?
October 3, 2007 4:45 PM
Oops, sorry, GRinding uncooked rice.
October 3, 2007 4:49 PM
12/13: You're grinding uncooked rice, though if you want you can experiment with toasting the rice first for a nuttier flavor.
October 3, 2007 4:53 PM
The best horchata in the world is sold at El Rincon de Cortez in El Paso, TX. Just saying.
October 3, 2007 5:31 PM
oh my god, people. horchata is not fake milk, nor is it a milk substitute. it is horchata. and it is delicious. as is milk. jeez.
October 3, 2007 5:50 PM
There is a known strong link between Crohn's disease and dairy consumption, but much of the data has been sensored by the dairy board.
"The US has the highest rate of Crohn’s ever recorded. The US also has the worst epidemic of a similar disease among cattle, called Johne’s disease, known to be caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (MAP). There is now growing clinical, epidemiological, immunological, experimental, and DNA evidence that this bacteria is the cause of Crohn’s in people who drink milk from infected cows. Since transmission of this bacteria is facilitated by its presence inside pus cells, American milk drinkers may be at particularly high risk since the US has the highest permitted upper limit of milk pus cell concentration in the world—almost twice the international standard of allowable pus. By US federal law, Grade A milk is allowed to have over a drop of pus per glass of milk.
According to the USDA’s latest figures, there are now three quarters of a million cattle infected with paraTB in the US. Between 20 and 40% of US dairy herds have already become infected with paratuberculosis, and the infection rate is expected to reach 100%. Intensive, modern farming practices—grazing bigger and bigger numbers of cattle on smaller and smaller plots of land—are blamed for the rapid spread of this disease."
October 3, 2007 8:57 PM
burritoville!!!
October 3, 2007 10:20 PM
Didn't you know that horchata cures AIDS and eliminates the homeless problem in our city, you stupid retards?!?!?!
October 4, 2007 4:16 AM
I don't know what makes you think that a Horchata is "fake milk". It's a grain and nut derived beverage that somewhat resembles milk. That's like calling pork "fake chicken". Cremora is fake milk, Horchata is a Spanish/Latin American beverage.
Wake up, there's a whole world full of cultures with different cuisines. The variety of foods available in New York is mind boggling. Don't be so boring, try something different.