Horchata and Fartons

Horchata de chufa is made from tiger nuts, the small tubers of a sedge grown in the huerta around Alboraia just north of Valencia, soaked, ground, pressed and mixed with water and sugar, then served very cold. It is not a nut milk in the usual sense and has a protected designation covering the Valencian growing area. The chufa was introduced under Muslim rule. Fartons are the accompaniment: long soft glazed buns developed in the 1960s in Alboraia specifically to be dipped, absorbing the drink without collapsing immediately. The proper version, horchata natural, is unpasteurised, separates in the glass and must be stirred, and lasts only a day or two, which is why supermarket cartons taste different.

What you actually see

• The tiger nut fields - chufa grown in the huerta around Alboraia.
• The natural horchata - unpasteurised, separating in the glass, stirred before drinking.
• The fartons - long glazed buns made for dipping.
• The historic horchaterias - long-established cafes in Valencia and Alboraia.

When to go

May to September, the season when horchaterias are busiest and the drink is at its point; many traditional places close or reduce hours in winter. Alboraia's cafes are the source, a short metro ride from Valencia.

Honest expectations

Pasteurised and carton versions are much sweeter and flatter than the fresh drink, and many places serve them. The natural version separates and must be stirred, which surprises first-timers. It is very sweet.

Nearby

Alboraia is on the Valencia metro; the city's old town horchaterias are central.