Horchata, Valencia's Ancient Refresher

Horchata de Chufa, one of Spain's most famous non-alcoholic drinks, is originally from the southwestern region of Valencia. It’s made from ground chufa nuts (‘tigernuts’ in English), which aren’t actually nuts at all – they’re the roots of a wetland plant called a sedge. The Chufa Sedge originally made its way to Spain during the al-Andalus caliphate, when Arabs ruled most of the Iberian Peninsula. The edible history of the plant goes all the way back to Ancient Egypt and Sudan, and it is mentioned in old Arabic and Persian texts as the central ingredient for a healthy, digestive drink. It has been cultivated in and around Valencia for nearly a millennium, and is considered so central to the region’s gastronomy that it has earned PDO status – a protected designation of origin.

There's a great – if likely apocryphal – story about where the name comes from: a young Valencian girl offered Jaume I, the 13th century King of Aragon, a white sweet drink during a visit to her region. The king loved it and asked the young girl in Catalan “¿Qué es això?” (“What is this?”) She answered, “Es llet de xufa” (“It is chufa milk”), to which the King replied, “¡Això no es llet, això és or, xata!” (“This is not milk; this is gold, my dear!”) and that's – supposedly – why it’s called Horchata. (Other sources give a simpler, less colorful explanation – that the word is derived from the Latin hordeata, or “barley.” We like the first story better!)

Horchata is sweet and refreshing and often made with a touch of lemon and cinnamon. It’s usually consumed through the summer months when temperatures in Valencia rise. It’s healthy – full of iron, potassium, and antioxidants – and provides a great alternative “milk” for people who don’t drink dairy. In Valencia, horchata is often served alongside fartons, long, sweet yeasted buns that are perfect for soaking up the delicious drink.

You can always try our housemade horchata at the Pasteles kiosk, or you can buy our favorite brand at the Colmado or on our online shop – and taste gold for yourself! And during our annual Fallas de Valencia festival, we’re serving horchata con fartons for the full Valencian experience.