Bajicopo (sweetened wheatberry agua)

I came across this beverage while flipping through old books. It's a Sonoran wheat-based drink, made in the same way as horchata. Combined with cinnamon, cloves, and piloncillo, it tastes like the understated sibling of a rice and almond horchata. 

Larousse says it's the traditional drink of the ancient families of Sonora, but it's very difficult to find today. Which is probably why very little has been written about it. 

What's been most fun since I posted about this drink is learning what other grain-based aguas. One friend on Instagram mentioned horchata de cebada, a barley based drink. Another said in CDMX she'd seen horchata de amaranto, a drink made from puffed amaranth. More horchata experiments to come!

 
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Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups wheat berry

  • 10 cloves

  • 1 4" cinnamon stick

  • 1/2 cup piloncillo, grated

Instructions

  • Put wheat berries, cloves, and cinnamon in heat proof container. Cover with 4 cups of hot water and soak overnight.

  • Add all soaked ingredients to blender and blend on high for a few minutes.

  • Strain through fine-mesh sieve into pitcher. Sweeten with grated piloncillo to taste.

  • Serve!

 
Gino GarciaRecipe, Drinks, Horchata, MexicanComment