HISTORY OF HORCHATA
Today, horchata is considered an important part of Valencian heritage, and tiger nuts from this area are recognized with a designation of origin.
According to legend, the origins of the name come from the day, King Jaume I tasted it for the very first time.
Impressed, the king asked to the young lady who was offering it to him what this delicious drink was. When she told that it was tiger nut milk, the king replied, “Açò no és llet, açò és or, xata!” (this is not milk, this is gold, dear!)
It’s a nice story, but the roots of the name “horchata” surely come rather from Latin.
According to the Royal Spanish Academy, the word horchata comes from the Latin hordeata, or “made with barley”.
As it shows, horchata was originally made, not with tiger nuts, but with barley. But nowadays in Spain, the horchata de chufa has firmly established itself as the predominant horchata.
“In the 13th century, the Alboraya area was established as the region responsible for the cultivation of tiger nuts in Spain.”
ARTISANAL HORCHATA RECIPE (for 4 people)
- 1000 ML of COLD STILL WATER
- 250 GR of CHUFA DESIGNATION ORIGIN ALBORAYA
- 200 GR OF SUGAR