How to Make Horchata

This creamy Mexican rice drink is surprisingly dairy-free and makes a great hangover cure.

Whether or not you're planning to imbibe during this Cinco de Mayo, you won't regret making a big pitcher of horchata, an old school Mexican beverage made with rice, almonds and cinnamon. You can spike it with rum for the evening, then chug leftovers (sans booze) in the morning to cure what ails you.

This recipe will make six or seven glasses, so you can double or halve it depending on the size of your guest list.

Begin by pulverizing 4 tablespoons of dry rice in a blender, basically for as long as you can stand the noise. Then, transfer it to a large bowl and add 6 ounces of blanched almonds (cashews will also work), a cinnamon stick and a couple of strips of lime zest, then cover it with 2 1/4 cups of hot water. Let this mixture sit in your fridge overnight.

After the mixture has soaked, pour it all back into the blender and let it roll until it's super smooth. Then, pour the liquid through a colander lined with cheesecloth to remove any hard bits of rice. Boom, done: you have horchata.