Agua Fresca 14. Horchata Rosa
Published August 26, 2008 by Rachel Laudan
Since Alex mentioned the pink horchata of Guadalajara, it seemed time to give a recipe for yet another of the multitudinous drinks that goes by this name (just hit the tag horchata for earlier discussions of this family of drinks). This comes from Maru Toledo who appears on radio and television in Guadalajara and who is also an interesting historian of food, of which more later. This particular recipe come from her Cocinando por Sabor, second edition 2005.
Let’s begin with her commentary or at least a translation of it.
“This ‘horchata’ is the one that is typically served with tacos al pastor here in Guadalajara.
It is a horchata that is not horchata since it does not include rice or dried seed of melon.
I mix the first four ingredients and I tint it so that has a pink color. If you add too much color it is not appetizing. Before serving I add the ice in order to avoid diluting the flavor. It’s ideal for children’s parties.”
Something to consider next time you have a children’s party. Here’s her ingredient list.
1 garrafón of water (20 liters)
8 cans of evaporated milk
2 kilograms of sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
Red food coloring
1/2 bag of ice
A little bird tells me that there’s probably evaporated or condensed milk in a lot of the creamy, milky horchatas that Alex mentions. And Bob Mrotek remarks that his mother-in-law uses condensed milk.
Filed under Mexican Cuisine,agua fresca
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A friend and colleague who is from Los Altos de Jalisco also described to me a horchata to which you add chopped fresh rose petals. I gives a mild rose flavor to the drink which smacks so much of Arabic drinks. I am very intrigued.
I actually am not very fond of the lechera heavy horchatas – so much so I usually ask if its included or see if tastes are offered. For me, it brings it to an unbearable richness which does not work with the filling fritadas it usually accompanys!
In Guadalajara – if you ask specifically for ‘Agua de arroz” you recieve the traditional white.
Here’s a picture of 9 Esquina’s Horchata:
http://flickr.com/photos/xguadalajarax/page4/
Forgot to add my picture of a Oaxacan Horchata I had in GDL for comparison!
http://flickr.com/photos/xguadalajarax/2611405612/
Thanks so much for those photos. Ricardo Muñoz makes a horchata very like the Oaxaca-GDL one you show at Azul y Oro in Mexico City.
Of course you’re dead right about Arabic drinks and that’s the next step in this wandering series.
Hi Alex,
Interesting that you should bring up rose petals. I was about to ask if the antecedent to the red food coloring was rose water or rose petals.