Home News The best horchatas: supermarkets VS artisan

The best horchatas: supermarkets VS artisan

The arrival of summer is noticeable when the terraces begin to fill up. Coastal cities fill with people looking for a break. Ice cream parlors and cafes have a sign that reads: «horchata«. And, although this drink so typical of the Valencian Community can be consumed throughout the year, it is during the summer months when it is most successful. Without a doubt, this Valencian product is part of the traditional cookbook of Spanish gastronomy. Let's get to know the best horchatas!

Horchata: the result of a divine product

Horchata is made mainly with water, sugar and chufa. According to the story, this last ingredient, tigernut, arrived in the municipality of Alboraya - which is today the cradle of horchata - twelve centuries ago from the hand of the Arab people. They decided to move their crops from Chuf -Sudán- to Valencian territory. Since then, tigernut cultivation has only grown. So much so that today this small tuber is the symbol of the place. So much so, that in Alboraya there is a street called la Horchata Avenue -Avinguda l'Orxata in Valencian-. It is said that the origin of the name of this famous drink dates back to the time of King James I. A maiden offered him a kind of milky-looking vegetable juice and, when tasting it, said: "Açò és or, xata." In Spanish «This is gold, chata-.

However, there is a small but important note to make. Although the horchata be a drink originally from the Valencian Community, not all are Valencian. What does this mean? We have already said before that it is a product with a lot of history and that it is part of the national and Valencian gastronomic culture, and that is something that must be preserved. So, if you want to try the authentic horchata, you have to buy the one that has Designation of Origin Chufa de Valencia -whose stamp must be included in the packaging of the same-. Yes, as you read it.

the best horchatas
Glass of horchata

Now that we know a little more about the history of horchata, we are going to see the different options we have depending on the supermarket. All this thanks to the analysis of an expert horchatero, owner of an artisan factory of this drink. Will there be much difference between industrial and artisan horchata? Let's find out!

The best horchatas on the market

Sergio Ferrer is the fourth generation in charge of Oroxate, a horchatería located in Madrid but with a Valencian soul -and raw material. In high season, according to El Español, Sergio's factory can produce up to 300 liters of horchata daily. “The horchata has to have good water, a good amount of tigernut and we add 9% sugar. With the appropriate measures and after cleaning and disinfecting the tiger nuts, we beat everything and sift the horchata by hand ”, Sergio told the newspaper.

Sergio Ferrer analyzed the horchatas of the large supermarket chains: Día, Carrefour, Mercadona, Lidl and Alcampo. It is evident that, as they are industrial products, the taste will not be the same as that of artisanal horchata. But the horchatero master took into account different aspects such as color, the amount of tigernut or sweetness to evaluate whether they are the best horchatas or not.

the best horchatas
Oroxata has been making horchata since 1946 | Source: oroxata.com

He rated it as Day as "passable" in terms of appearance. «Although it says that it contains 10% tigernut, it doesn't know anything. It totally tastes like cinnamon. The tigernut is nil, "he explained. Something similar happened with that of Carrefour: «Apart from not knowing chufa, the final aftertaste left by this horchata is quite industrial. I mean, it has a flavor bitter that it is nothing typical of the tigernut, "he told El Español. For the expert, the two least achieved. That of Lidl could be placed in the center of the ranking, since «I don't know much about chufa. It has a good sweetness, but the tigernuts are quite absent.

Things began to change when he tried the Mercadona. «The taste is good. This horchata is much more successful because you can see the tigernut flavor. Obviously, it has influenced that it contains more quantity. ", He explained. He was also satisfied with the color, "because it is yellowish and cream, like the inside of tiger nuts." Of the To fieldHe said that "it is not that it tastes excessively like tigernut, but that it tastes less to me of the preservatives and industrial colorants that are thrown on it compared to others." They were Sergio's two favorites.

the best horchatas
Horchata de Alcampo | Source: alcampo.es

It is true that there will always be differences in a product in an artisanal version and in its industrial version. However, that does not mean that you cannot taste a good quality horchata in the supermarket. What are you waiting for to drink a glass and start enjoying the best horchatas of the summer? That is, the ones that refresh you the most.

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