horchata

I'm not sure why I became obsessed with horchata. Must be the fact that it's made with rice... Also, I've been listening to a lot of Vampire Weekend. (I find that their music doesn't interfere with my work.)

The flavor of this drink was good--refreshing, actually--but you have to make sure you grind that rice down really well and then let it steep forever. And by forever I mean overnight if possible. Rice doesn't want to give it up. Making tea from it is like making soup from stones. I'm thinking about getting a Vitamix so that I can really give it to the rice next time.

Oh, and as far as rice is concerned, I used long grain but David Lebovitz says that any kind will do. Milk is up for grabs, too. I used non-fat and was satisfied. I'm sure whole will also put a smile on your face. Same with rice or coconut milk.

Ingredients

1 cup rice
5 cups warm water
One 3-4" cinnamon stick
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups milk

6 cups

Directions

Using a blender, grind the heck out of the rice. Get it as fine as you can. Add water and the cinnamon stick to the blender, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cinnamon stick. Puree the rice and water until it's very smooth. Strain using a sieve lined with a tea towel. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Add sugar and milk. Stir well. Chill before serving.

Serve it up or over, and sprinkle with a little ground cinnamon.

8 hours