response 262 of 494:

Sep 7 04:05 UTC 2006

Basic Cashew Milk

1/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews
1 quart or liter hot water, not quite boiling

Optional:
honey or maple syrup or other sweetener (I usually add ~1 tbsp honey)
a dash of vanilla
cheesecloth

Pulverize the cashews using your favorite method.  Be careful not to
make cashew butter.  Aim for somewhere close to the consistency of
coarse cornmeal.  

Put the cashew meal in a blender.  Add the hot water and any sweetener
or flavoring.  Blend for 2-5 minutes depending on how powerful your
blender is.  Pour into a container with a lid.  The milk keeps in the
refrigerator for five to seven days.  Shake before using.

Other notes:

If you don't want cashew meal particles in the end product, let the milk
steep a while longer, then strain through cheesecloth before
refrigerating.

If you want to use any other variety of nuts, use a half cup instead of
a quarter because they are not as rich as cashews.  Raw almonds and
hazelnuts can be skinned before making milk, or the skins can be left on
for darker color and more intense flavor. If you want thicker milk, use
more nuts.  For thinner milk, use fewer.