When it starts to heat up, we grab a refreshing drink to cool ourselves down. Nowadays, there is a dizzying variety of options, but what about the past? Well, there were definitely a lot, but many of them wouldn’t be recognizable today. Case in point is this recipe for Victorian Rice Tea. Slightly sweet, slightly vanilla-y, and a hundred percent satisfying on a hot day. 

Sweetened rice, or more correctly, sweetened rice tea, was a part of the pantheon of Victorian cure-all “teas.” Essentially the essence of the food, it was theorized that these drinks harbored all of the nutrition of the boiled food, but in an easier-to-digest form for those suffering from illness or weakness. Since Roman times, a sweetened rice pottage was used to cure upset stomachs, so the notion of rice broth having the stomach-easing benefit was seen as salient. While broths and teas probably didn’t have all of the nutrition people would have hoped for, it didn’t stop people from making and drinking these concoctions. The essence and flavor of the boiled ingredients were enjoyed by many, especially during the turn of the century. 

Here this recipe from an Australian cookbook shows how drinks were seen as slightly medicinal, being grouped with other drinks like beef tea and raw beef tea.  

After rinsing the rice, it is transferred to a pot alongside water and sugar. It’s all brought to a boil and then reduced to a simmer, cooking for a minimum of forty-five minutes. 

Strain the mixture, separating the rice from the tea broth. You can use the rice to make a breakfast porridge later on, but simply use the liquid for the recipe. Off of the heat, add in the vanilla. You can flavor the drink with a variety of extracts as well. Here, vanilla extract was used, giving the drink a floral and sweet note.

Chilled and cooled, the drink is perfect on a hot afternoon! The Victoria Rice Tea is creamy to a degree without being heavy. The sweetness is mild, without you feeling more thirsty.