Añapa

Añapa is a non-alcoholic drink made with white carob, or algarrobo blanco, a legume of the species Prosopis alba. The drink has traditionally been made by the native people of the Andes Mountains, and products made from carob have long been of important nutritional value in the area. To preapare añapa, fifty whole carob pods are crushed into a paste and mixed by hand with five liters of water. Once mixed, the resulting liquid is strained. No sugar or any other additional ingredients are added.   Añapa is made without fermentation and is also served to children. It provides refreshment during the hot summers that occur in the area. The drink is made in the provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja, Santiago del Estero, Chaco, Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy. It is only in the home for family consumption, not commercially sold. Today, it is being replaced by ready-made, imported drinks like sodas and industrially processed juices. Because families are losing the habit of making añapa, it is only consumed regularly in a few towns during the summertime, and may soon disappear for good.