By Ryan McKay
After another sweat-drenched day of making hot laps on the interstate inside a fire engine with questionable cooling capability, a refreshing summer drink hits the spot. Yes, yes, yes! Electrolyte-charged drinks have their time and place, but in 2017, we want more control over what we place into our bodies. And, as I’ve always been partial towards Latin-inspired cuisine, it’s no shock to see me gravitate toward the Mexican version of their classic rice-based sweetened beverage called Horchata.
Horchata means different things to different parts of the world; it all depends on the cultural traditions (just like the fire service). Some use peanuts, cashews, almonds (as I do here), sesame seeds, tigernuts, and so on. But no matter the regional ingredient, horchata has the basic tenants of water, grains/nuts, cinnamon, and sugar all brought together in glass and ice. It’s magic.
A few “after the fire” critiques: We’ve essentially made rice milk here, but with an aggressively flavored slant. Welcome to the world of homemade milks! Agave is used as the sweetener here, but feel free to use any that you like. I’ve used honey in the past, but some find it too strong. Many will also mix the horchata base and milk in a cocktail shaker before pouring into a glass; this works well, but good luck finding that in the firehouse. Lastly, for your more pretentious guests (I’m raising my hand here), consider frothing some milk or cream to top the drink and a fresh grating of nutmeg for that little something extra.
Makes 2+ quarts
Fuel
6 Cups Water
1 Cup Rice
½ Cup Almonds, slivered
1 Cinnamon Stick, broken up
2 Cups Milk
½ Cup Agave
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. salt
Cinnamon Powder to taste
Tools
Baking Sheet
Blender
Large Pitcher
Fine Mesh Sieve
Cheesecloth
Tactics
Mix rice, almonds, and cinnamon stick to combine, then place evenly onto the baking sheet. Place in a 350°F oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until slightly toasted. Add toasted mix with water into the blender and blend for five minutes. Pour into the pitcher, add vanilla and agave, and stir to combine. Place horchata mix in fridge for eight hours (or overnight).
When ready to drink, pour horchata mix through the fine mesh with cheesecloth into a glass filled with ice, fill it ⅔ of the way, then add milk near the top. Mix with a spoon or straw, and top with a dash of cinnamon. Indulge!
Ryan McKay is a 13-year fire service veteran and a firehouse cook from Atlanta, Georgia. His goal is to bring the fast-paced lifestyle of the fire service with the slow-paced art of cultivating family and crew through the tool that is food. He has made an appearance on NBC’s primetime show “Food Fighters,” is a co-founder of the Metro Atlanta EMS Conference, and works intimately with the SafePath Child Advocacy Center.
