Horchata

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons sugar or honey
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. 1. In a blender, grind the rice so it is in fine pieces, roughly the consistency of very coarse polenta. (If your blender won’t go that fine, that’s okay and just break up the rice as much as possible.)
2. 2. Transfer the rice to a bowl then pour warm water over it and add the cinnamon stick. Cover and refrigerate at least eight hours, but preferably overnight.
3. 3. Pluck out the cinnamon stick then puree the rice and water until it’s as smooth as possible. Strain the mixture through a sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth, squeezing it relatively firmly to extract as much of the rice flavor as possible.
4. 4. Stir in the sugar and milk, mixing until the sugar is dissolved. Taste, and adjust sweetness, if necessary. Refrigerate until completely chilled.