On a summer evening in Ancient Egypt, Cleopatra VII (69 B.C. – 30 B.C.) made a bet with her lover, Marc Antony, that she could spend 10 million sesterces on a single meal. According to legend, when he agreed, she called for a cup of vinegar, removed one of her priceless pearl earrings and promptly dropped it in the acidic liquid. Cleopatra swirled the pearl in the vinegar until it dissolved, and downed the contents of the vessel in their entirety, thus making an already lavish dinner the most expensive in history.
Historians and scientists have debated the validity of this story, which, as pearl specialists we’ll admit we are relieved to hear — the idea of dissolving a priceless 5-carat pearl is tough to swallow in every sense. Instead, we present a recipe for a beverage that traces its origins back to ancient Egypt, with a touch of luxury that its most famous queen would approve of: coconut horchata, infused with pure ground pearl.
What we know today as horchata is the Spanish word for a creamy drink originating from an ancient Egyptian tonic made of sweetened tiger nuts. Generally served cold, horchata features a blend of ingredients, typically comprised of soaked rice and/or nuts, and accented with warming spices.
This refreshing drink has evolved over time, adapting to different ingredients and regional variations, such as the use of plant-based milks. In Spain, horchata is most likely made of traditional tiger nuts, called chufa. In America, horchata most commonly features blended rice and cinnamon.
Maya, our friend, model and muse, has elevated this ancient tonic by crafting a unique take on the traditional horchata, featuring homemade coconut milk and our pure ground pearl. Served over ice, this creamy beverage is both refreshing and satisfying, with added health benefits from the calcium and trace minerals naturally occurring in freshwater pearl. We’ve been enjoying Maya’s horchata in the afternoons, when we seek caffeine-free alternatives to our beloved iced matchas.
Read on for her recipe, and enjoy!
Coconut Pearl Horchata
Gather Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of long rice, rinsed (Maya recommends basmati)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 4 cups filtered water
- 2 spoonfuls of Maris Pearl Powder
- 4 cups of coconut milk (preferably with no added fillers)
- 1 can of coconut condensed milk
- 1 can of evaporated coconut milk
Prepare and Enjoy
- Begin by rinsing rice well*
- Add rice, cinnamon stick, sugar and water to a bowl or jar
- Soak overnight
- Add to blender with pearl powder and blend
- Strain into a bowl using a cheesecloth
- Add coconut milk, condensed milk and evaporated milk
- Mix thoroughly, adding more water to dilute as needed according to your taste
- Pour into your serving vessel of choice & enjoy
