A Tour of Valencia’s Horchata Fields

The sun was beating hard upon our necks, and our shirts were soaked with sweat. It was Sunday afternoon in the middle of the oppressive Valencian summer, and we were walking through the horta nord of Alboraya, learning about chufa: the tiny tuber which is the principal ingredient in horchata.

Horchata (spelled orxata in Valencian), is one of the most well-known products of the Valencian Community, right up there with paella and oranges. A milky-looking drink with a mildly chalky texture, hor...