Horchata de Coco (Coconut Horchata)

History & Origin

Horchata de coco is a tropical evolution of the classic Mexican horchata that fuses two traditions: Spanish-heritage rice horchata and coconut from Mexico's tropical coasts. Traditional horchata arrived in Mexico with the Spanish, who brought it from Valencia where it is made with tiger nuts. Mexicans adapted it by substituting tiger nuts with rice and cinnamon. The addition of coconut to horchata is an innovation that emerged on the Pacific and Gulf coasts, where coconut palms are abundant. On the beaches of Guerrero, Colima, Veracruz and Tabasco, vendors began adding coconut milk and desiccated coconut to traditional horchata, discovering that the combination was extraordinary. Coconut milk provides additional creaminess and a tropical flavour that perfectly complements the sweetness of rice and the aroma of cinnamon.