4 Mouthwatering Colombian Drinks

First: hot chocolate. Why did nobody tell me grownups are allowed to have it everyday, maybe even multiple times? And that putting cheese in it is not only permitted but encouraged? Cheese that is all soft and mild and melty, and waits patiently to be scooped up in all its gooey glory when you reach the bottom of the cup. Chocolate con queso– brilliant.

Second: red wine. It should come hot, and with cloves and cinnamon floating around in it, and sugar on the rim of the glass. Especially when you have been walking around in the rain for several hours (as you will be required to do at least once a week in Bogota). And not just warm, but really steaming hot so you get to hold an elegant glass as though it is a comforting mug of tea, and then you are no longer as cold and annoyed as you were; instead you are warm and kind of sleepy.

Third: mint tea should have real mint in it. And maybe some lemongrass or chamomile. It should definitely contain fresh fruit. Raspberries (or the Colombian equivalent, moras), and apple slices, and mango, and strawberries and maybe pineapple, and the whole thing should come with a spoon, for playing with and trapping unsuspecting fruit. Ask for aromaticas con fruitas.

Fourth: really strong coffee with sugar, cinnamon, and lime. Tinto de campo. This is not actually very easy to find in Bogota, but in some of the surrounding regions it’s apparently popular. Have yet to decide whether this invention is safe in the hands of non-campesinos, but research is being undertaken.