Because the palate must also be spoilt...
One of the experiences that you absolutely cannot miss out on whilst in Valencia is trying natural Valencian tiger nut water (which is both lactose and gluten free), preferably from Món Orxata, which can be found being handed out from little carts in different points of the city. I found their famous trolley near the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences). In fact, they are distributed like this because it is actually a lost tradition in Valencia; it was very popular to distribute and sell tiger nut water in this way between 1500 and 1960.
At first, I didn't want to try the water because we also have tiger nut water in my country (Mexico), which is usually made with rice and milk. My friend who lives in Valencia told me that they make the water with different ingredients here to those used in Mexico: for starters, they don't use any milk in their recipe, and instead use just tiger nuts and water. I had never ever tried tiger nuts before, nor did I even know what they were, so I didn't even think twice about daring to try them.
Chufa? (Ah, and what is this exactly? Better question, how do you eat it?
Tiger nut is a tuber (a herbaceous rhizome) that has been cultivated solely in Valencia for a thousand years (there is not even another tuber similar to this one in the whole of Europe, you will only be able to find it here). Tiger nut is so important for the Valencian Community that it has even been protected since 1995, and it has, in fact, been attributed to many properties, especially healing ones.
Why must I buy it specifically in Món Orxata?
Buying tiger nut water from Món Orxata means that you are buying a fresh product, as it is prepared by hand every morning. And, the most important thing about it is that your purchase will also be helping more than 550 small-scale farmers from the village of Alboraya (which is the birthplace of the production of this drink).
(Special containers to keep the product fresh)
The tiger nut water that they make is not just any old thing: its taste and reputation has helped it to win national awards in Spain like "Alimentos de España" [Spanish Food award], "Empresa sostenible" [Sustainable business], and "Promoción del Valenciano" [Promotion of Valencian products], to name just a few.
How much does it cost?
If you fall in love with the drink (which I am sure you will), I recommend that you buy the utensil that they sell for making the water from the comfort of your own home; it is called ChufaMix and it costs 39. 95€.
If you want alternative products made from tiger nuts, I recommend that you do a bit of internet browsing so that you can order them to your home.
In terms of buying a glass of the water, I remember that one litre cost us around 2. 50€. Like always, the best option is to share the tiger nut water with your loved ones.
Recommendations
- The tiger nuts are displayed in a basket on the cart. Ask the attendant if they will let you try them (I am sure that they will, they are usually very friendly and approachable), so you know what they taste like before they are made into tiger nut water (horchata).
- Tiger nuts are not used solely to make horchata. I recommend that you try turron, chocolate, jam, soaps and many other products that are made from tiger nuts.
