On the one hand, we’re ready to ditch hot coffee the moment the weather hits 65 degrees. On the other hand…is it just us or is all that cold brew and iced matcha getting a little boring? This summer, we’re searching for a pick-me-up that’s ice-cold and refreshing, without the jitters (or acid reflux).
Luckily, we think we’ve found just the thing: dirty horchata.
If you’re like, ooh, what’s that?, allow us to explain. You know how a dirty chai is chai tea with a shot of espresso? Dirty horchata is just like that—a shot of espresso added to creamy, sweet horchata.
Wait, you’ve never had horchata, period? You’re in for a treat, friend. Horchata is a traditional Mexican aqua fresca (literally “fresh water”), made from rice milk and flavored with sugar and lots of cinnamon. It’s sweet and milky without any dairy (thanks to the starch content of the rice) and pairs well with spicy foods—although we’d drink it anytime, anywhere. In Spain, Central and Latin American, horchata comes in many varieties (some are made with almonds, vanilla and even dried flowers), but the rice milk kind is the most common in Mexico, Guatemala and the United States.