A Cultural Journey!

One of the best things about travelling is after a while you start to relax. You take it easy, have a beverage, smile and look around you. A local brew always tastes better in its hometown. South America has always been known for its friendly people. One of the best ways to get to know anyone in a new country is to share an authentic local drink or two and you’ll feel like you are getting a taste of their culture.

The main reason to go out in any South American country is to socialise. The residents you will find are fiercely loyal and take pride in anything that belongs to their country. At the same time they will tell you how their beverages are the best in the world! Here’s a snapshot of what to expect when you get there.

Coffee

Who hasn’t bought coffee beans that originate from Brazil or Colombia? Brazil has a reputation as one of the highest per capital consumption of coffee but that aside, coffee plantations are spread throughout the South Americas. Even if you don’t drink coffee, you really should try it – this is the continent of coffee production. Obviously each country has their own way of brewing and serving coffee, best you can do is try it because each country will say their way is the best!

When you set foot in Argentina, Paraguay or Uruguay you may wonder why the residents walk around with a thermos and gourd cups with a metal straw (bombilla). What may seem foreign to you is absolutely normal for these cultures. A combination of dried Yerba Mate leaves and hot water is sipped through the specially designed bombilla regardless of the time of day or night. The Yerba Mate does contain caffeine and thought to contain health benefits that the Argentinians swear by. The non-alcoholic drink is most frequently seen in social settings where the mate gourd is shared by passing from person to person to have a sip. So don’t be surprised if you are offered a sip of mate from a mate gourd already in use.

“There is only one Inca Kola and it’s like no other”. The rise and success of the soft drink Inca Kola against Coca Cola and Pepsi has been written about by many marketing researchers worldwide. Why? Simply, the people of Peru stayed loyal to their brand and refused to give in. Attempts to overthrow Inca Kola by Pepsi and Coca Cola were to no avail that in the end Coca Cola bought out Inca Kola in 1997. While now foreign owned, it still dominates the soft drink market ahead of the Coca Cola brand. If a whole country was behind it, it’s worthy of respect and a taste!

With the local brands like Cusqueña, Cristal, Pilsen and Arequipeña (Peru), Club Roja (Ecuador), Quilmes (Argentina) and countless others, there is no short supply of craft and local beers to select from. In fact, many countries in South America cater for this market extremely well. So well that travelers have been known to start collections of labels and bottle tops as souvenirs as they sample their way around the continent.

This is by far the best way to spend an afternoon in the sun, sipping a local beer and people watching!

Wine

International success has been bestowed upon the wines of Chile and Argentina. It’s hard to travel through either of these countries without coming across a fine wine. Through word association, when you hear “Malbec” you think Argentina. Chile and Argentina both have a unique combination of geography and climate that make it ideal for grape growing and wine production. Head to Mendoza, Argentina or southern Chile where there is no shortage of wineries to visit. As a bonus, the scenery in both the Chilean and Argentinian wine regions is stunning, what better way to soak it all up than with an aromatic and delightful glass of wine.

Pisco Sour

Pisco is a grape brandy that Peru and Chile both claim to be theirs. It is commonly made into the famous cocktail “Pisco Sour”. Chile and Peru both enthusiastically claim the Pisco Sour as their national drink. Peru takes it very seriously and is known to celebrate in honor of the cocktail in February each year. The debate aside, the production of the Chilean and Peruvian Pisco are different, the preparation of the Pisco Sour cocktail is different and therefore they do taste different. Good bars should offer both – travelers have been known to have the two prepared and compare them. Needless to say, it’s a good conversation starter in either of these two countries!

Caipirinha

If a country can have a national drink, the Caipirinha is Brazil’s. This internationally popular and refreshing Caipirinha cocktail includes sugar cane rum, sugar and lime. There is a saying about the Caipirinha cocktail. It is fun to make, easy to drink but hard to pronounce. If you are unsure have a go at this “Kai-Pee-Reen-Ya”.

ENJOY!

by Nicola Wong