Wrigglely Jelly Stuff Drink

¿Que tal? What´s the dish? ¿Que passe? Well, lots and little. I´ve discovered that the fantastic heart of Peruvians beats loudly in Arequipa. I really had a fantastic time there and I made some discoveries outside of the regular tourist circuit.

Among these, I´ve found that one of the nicest things about Peru is that you can eat, all the time, anywhere. The locals make it easy as there is an infinite amount of street food, most of which I cannot identify, nor do I try to. I see people crowding around a hot cart on the sidewalk, so I mossie up, and order whatever the person in front of me ordered, and I ask questions later. This is how I got addicted to the weirdest drink in the world, for seriously. Despite it being my cultural favorite, I do not know the name of, so I will dub it Wrigglely Jelly Stuff Drink, and I shall also say that it is a surprise for the tongue.

The efforts that it takes to make this drink is astonishing, and I´d like to ask the glove clad server if she has a degree in mixology. First, a short glass is dunked into a hot water basin which "cleans" it. Then a series of syrups are added, I only know the color order, not the substance: murky yellow, current red, cloudy white. The last one pours a little slower and makes a bit of a gloop bloop sound as it churns it way out of the bottle and into my glass. Next, the cover is lifted from a steaming pot boiling a mixture of good smelling herbs. The clearish brown tea (?) is ladeled into my syrupy concoction, and the passed from shaker to glass, shaker to glass to mix it up. The swill of liquids is handed to me and I tip it down my throat. AH! It´s like hot gelitan, WEIRD! Think of trying to drink melted jello, that tastes like Celestral Seasons, and try not to barf. Then, it gets good, cuz you get used to it, and ya kinda like it, a lot.

Now, unlike most sidewalk food and drink stands, this one is a bit different because you´re obliged to stay because you have the property of the propriotor in your hand. That glass, remember! But I really dig just standing around the cart, listening to pretty words, people teasing little kids, and probably making fun of me for being a non-articulate gringo. After handing back my glass my insides are coated with some gelatinous gloop that was delicious and I have a hot and happy tummy for the rest of the night!