From what Spaniards do orchatu? One of the boards of the traveler who goes to Spain - try orchatu. They say that King James I of Aragon (1205-1276), surnamed the Conqueror, once compared this traditional Spanish drink with gold. According to legend, after the conquest of James I of Valencia, a local girl raised her weary ruler orchatu. Delighted taste a refreshing drink, he exclaimed: «Aixo es OR, XATA!», Which in Catalan means "it is gold, girl!" From the standpoint of folk etymology of this proverb is given the name of the drink. Although linguists believe that the word horchata comes from the Catalan orxata, which has a similar root with the Latin hordeum, which means "barley". Rejection of this version of folk etymology is quite understandable - orchatu in Spain is not prepared from barley, and from the nodules plant that looks like a sedge. Spaniards call it chufoy. Other people call it earth almonds, tiger nuts or very prosaic - sytyu edible. This is a perennial herb of the family Cyperaceae can be found in Africa, Asia Minor, Europe and even in Russia - the Volga and the Caucasus. But it was in Spain, especially in the most eastern of the province - Valencia, to the cultivation of chufy treated with the greatest attention. Tubers of crushed plants, gradually adding water, then the mixture is filtered and added sugar in it. So get a drink, the color and consistency resembling milk. It tastes like peanut milk. Orchatu usually drunk chilled and served in almost all Spanish cafes, it enjoys a special demand on hot days. Excellent orchatoy famous Valencian town Alboraya. Residents of Valencia say their orchatu genuine and even organize celebrations in her honor. The tradition of coffee making from chufy in this region comes from the VIII-XIII centuries - the time of Muslim rule, when here was introduced and found the rapid spread of ground almonds. In ancient times, a drink made from chufy drank in Egypt and Sudan, long before the Spaniards came up with his orchatu. In our time in Latin America, Cuba and other countries are preparing similar drinks made of rice or almond, adding not only water but also citrus juice. Mention of orgeat, or almond milk, occurs even in the dictionary Dahl.
11.10.2007
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