The spread of the drink called "Horchata"

Horchata originated in North Africa. They used the chufa/tiger nut to make horchata. It made its way to Spain and West Africa via the Islamic conquests, and then to Latin America, where it was mixed with Indigenous ingredients.

In the Central American countries of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica, horchata refers to the drink known as semilla de jicaro, made from jicaro seeds, native to the region, ground with spices such as ground cocoa, cinnamon, sesame seeds, nutmeg, and vanilla.

Horchata Salvadoreña de morro is made from jicaro seeds, native to the Mesoamerican region.

Horchata de arroz is made of rice, sometimes with vanilla and typically with canela or cinnamon.

It is the most common variety of horchata in Mexico and Guatemala. In the United States, it is popular in taquerías and Mexican ice cream shops.

In Alvarado, horchata de arroz is scented with flowers of the cempasúchil.

Horchata de arroz is one of the three typical drink flavors of Mexican aguas frescas, together with tamarindo and hibiscus.

Horchata de chufa remains popular in Spain, where a regulating council exists to ensure the quality and traceability of the product in relation to the designation of origin. There it is served ice-cold as a natural refreshment in the summer. It is also used instead of dairy milk.

The majority of the Spanish tiger nut crop is utilised in the production of horchata de chufa.

Alboraya is the most important production centre.

From Valencia, where it remained popular, the concept of horchata was brought to the Americas.

A charming false etymology recounts that James I of Aragon, after being given the drink for the first time by a local in Alboraya, exclaimed in Valencian, "Açò és or, xata!" ("That's gold, pretty girl!")

According to the folk tale, "or, xata" became "horchata"

In some parts of Tunisia and Libya, it is called rozata and is usually served chilled in wedding and engagement parties as a symbol of joy and purity because of its white colour and its fresh (flowery) flavor. It comes in many different flavours, such as traditional almond.

Tigernut milk or kunnu aya as it is called in Nigeria, can be made simply by soaking the tubers in water, blending and straining; however, the addition of spices like cardamom and cinnamon is common. As part of the diffusion of Islamic culture, it wended its way to West Africa.

In Spain, the drink arrived when the Moors—who ruled parts of the country from 711 to 1492—introduced the chufa, or tiger nut, from North Africa. Historical Persian and Arabic documents mention the chufa as energy-giving and healthy.

Orzata and Ruggata are almond-based syrups. The name derives from a Latin word hordeata : "made with barley ", but over the centuries, sprouted barley has been replaced by other ingredients. It came to Italy and Malta from North Africa.

Ecuador’s horchata lojana is quite different. Named after Loja, the province that popularized it, the South American staple is bright pink. No nuts or grains are used. Instead, it is an infusion of 18 different herbs and flowers.

Horchata de ajonjolí is made with ground sesame seeds. In Puerto Rico, it is typically made by sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon sticks in water, and then pouring the infusion over ground sesame seeds to be left overnight. It is also made like this in parts of Venezuela & Cuba.

Masato de Arroz is a rice-based creamy Colombian drink popular in the Tolima and Cundinamarca departments of Colombia.

The popular Colombian Masato de Arroz is a fermented drink made with rice, sugar, cloves, water and cinnamon.

Resbaladera is a Panamanian and Costa Rican creamy drink made with rice, barley and spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon.

Horchata, is a term related to a Mediterranean tradition of grain-based beverages. Romans recorded such drinks from the Egyptians. In West African countries such as Nigeria and Mali it is kunnu aya. By 1000 AD it had spread to Spain with the Muslim conquest and then the Americas.

Today, these and other similarly-flavored plant milk beverages are sold in various parts of the world as varieties of horchata or kunnu.

Horchata had humble roots in North Africa, but through Muslim Spain and West Africa, it has spread throughout the world, namely Latin America.

4 extra horchata facts:

Horchata de Melón, present in Latin America, is made using ground melon seeds.

Horchata de Chocolate is made using chocolate.

Horchata de Coco is a popular sweet coconut rice drink.

Dominicans also have horchata de ajonjolí, but it is less common.

Favorite horchata?

Favorite horchata? Part 2