Rice Milk

Long before cartons appeared on supermarket shelves, Asia was drinking rice. Japan's amazake, a sweet fermented rice drink, dates back over a thousand years, and Korea's sikhye still graces celebrations. The modern, ready-to-pour version came out of the Californian health-food scene of the 1980s, when Rice Dream introduced shelf-stable rice milk to a mainstream audience. It's the featherweight of the category: thin, clean and delicately sweet, with no dominant flavour of its own. Because rice is free of the major allergens (no nuts, soya or gluten), it's a dependable choice for sensitive diets and for children. Pour it over cereal, blend it into smoothies, or use it in desserts where a light touch and natural sweetness are the whole point.