Horchata

Horchata or orxata is the name for several kinds of vegetable beverages, made of ground almonds, rice, barley or tigernuts (chufas).

Etymology
The name comes from Valencian orxata, probably from ordiata, made from ordi (barley) (Latin *hordeata < hordeum). The French and English 'orgeat', the Italian 'orzata', and the Surinamese Dutch orgeade have the same origin, though the beverages themselves have diverged, and none of them is typically made from barley anymore.

According to a folk etymology, James I of Aragon was offered a glass of the beverage by an Arab girl after his conquest of Valencia, and exclaimed, Això és or, xata! (This is gold, girl!).

Spain
In Spain, it usually refers to orxata de xufes (horchata de chufas), made from tigernuts, water and sugar. Originally from Valencia, it is served ice cold as a refreshment. It has a regulating council to ensure the quality of the product and the villages where it can come from, with the Denomination of Origin. Classics get an A. The village of Alboraia is well known for the quality of their horchatas. The idea of making horchata from tigernuts comes from the period of Muslim presence in Valencia (from the 8th to 13th century).

Latin America
While in some countries the drink is usually tan and "milky", some recipes call for milk, and others do not. Other ingredients often include sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Though horchata was once typically homemade, it is now available in both ready-to-drink (shelf-stable or refrigerated) and powdered form in grocery stores.

In the US, rice-based or morro horchata is served in many Mexican restaurants, and the horchata de chufas is virtually unknown. Rice-based horchata is also sometimes available in US grocery and convenience stores, especially in Latino neighborhoods.

Horchata, together with tamarindo and jamaica, are the three typical drink flavors of Mexican aguas frescas.

The horchata found in El Salvador is often made of a mixture of herbs, not rice. In El Salvador, horchata is typically flavored with Morro (Calabash tree) seed, ground cocoa and cinnamon as well as sesame seeds, and in some cases is strained.

In Nicaragua and Honduras horchata refers to the drink known as semilla de jicaro, made from the Jicaro seeds ground up with rice and spices. The drink is made with cold milk and sugar and is very popular nationally. Recently Nicaragua has began exporting this product primarily to the United States.

As an alcoholic mixer
Some Latin-American bars in Southern California use horchata as a mixer in a cocktail known as a Rice Rocket. The drink is made of 2 parts horchata, 1 part coconut-flavored rum and a dash of Goldschläger over ice.