Living in a city with thousands of different cultures pouring in from all different directions, it’s quite easy to forget about your own. My favorite way of reminding me of my culture is by drinking a tall, ice-cold glass of Chicha Morada! What is Chicha Morada? It’s a traditional purple corn drink that originated from the Andean regions in Peru! It’s a perfect pick me up, packed with delicious and sweet flavors of fruit, spices, and hints of nuts!

What you’ll need:

• 1 Lb of Purple corn
• Apple (to taste)
• Pineapple (to taste)
• Cinnamon stick (to taste)
• Cloves (to taste)
• Lime (to taste)
• Sugar (to your liking)
• 1 cup of chopped apples
• 5 liters of water

Directions:

In a large pot, pour in your water, purple corn, apple, pineapple, cinnamon and cloves! Allow to boil over high heat, for about 10 minutes then bring to a simmer for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat and strain to remove corn, fruits, and spices into a jar. Stir in your limes, sugar, and chopped apples! Allow to cool in refrigerator. Serve over ice!

While Chicha does bring me back to my roots, it also reminds me of the wonderful memories I had with it! Memories of warm cinnamon apples filling my nose on early Sunday mornings, the sound of cultural music playing in the background, and the sound of my mothers soft voice singing along. I would walk to the kitchen eagerly waiting for my mom to allow me to taste test, in case we were missing more limes or sugar. I remember visiting different Peruvian restaurants and always comparing each glass to its previous with my father. Silly little laughs at our purple-stained lips and Chicha mustaches always brought a smile to my face. So while Chicha might be a traditional beverage originating from Peru, to me it’s so much more. Each sip reminds me of the highlights of my childhood.