What is Horchata? (EP 42)

Horchata is one of Spain's most famous non-alcoholic drinks: a cold, milky beverage made from chufa, a small brown tuber that grows underground in the sandy huerta just north of Valencia. Every glass carrying the Chufa de Valencia seal comes from 339 hectares worked by 240 farmers. In this episode, we go deep (as always), tracing the word back to a Latin barley drink and follows the chufa from spring planting through months of drying in the growers' storage rooms. You'll hear exactly how horchata is made in Alboraya, the town known as its cradle, with soaked tubers, very cold water and no cooking at all. What does it taste like? What do you eat with it? How do you know you're getting the real thing? All your answers, including what makes it different than its Mexican cousin, in this episode.  If you want more about Spain: ∙ Subscribe to Marti's Substack at https://substack.com/@martibuckley ∙ Follow her on Instagram @martibuckley ∙ Visit her blog at travelcookeat.com