Horchata

I first tried horchata while working at a family-run Mexican restaurant during high school.  Horchata is a refreshing Mexican beverage made with rice, milk, and cinnamon.  It's the second best accompaniment to a good Mexican dinner, right after a big margarita. Though, for some reason horchata was not a particularly popular menu item.  I think that it was because it was a relatively unknown beverage in this area back then.

In recent years it seems that horchata is gaining some popularity around here.  Now most Mexican restaurants serve it and horchata mix is readily available at grocery stores in northeastern Colorado.  I tried several of the mixes, but they always have a grainy texture and never taste quite right.  So, I was really happy when I just googled "homemade horchata recipe" one day and came across this recipe at Allrecipes.  After some adjustments, this recipe is one of Wade's favorite treats.  It's so easy to whip up in the morning so that the flavors blend in time for dinner.

•2 cups white rice
•3 cinnamon sticks
•3 cups water
•1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
•1/3 (or 1/2 if you like a sweeter drink)
•3 cups milk

Blend the rice, cinnamon sticks, and water together in a blender until it is all sludgy.  Refridgerate several hours, or over night.  Pour through a strainer into a pitcher.  Stir in the vanilla, sugar, and milk.  Serve over ice.

We had the horchata with Chipotle Mayo Chicken and a really, really good cactus casserole from Homesick Texan.  Yum!!