Champús

Champús is a popular drink in South America, particularly Ecuador, Peru and southwest Colombia. It is made with corn, fruits (such as lulo, also known as naranjilla), pineapple, quince or guanábana, sweetened with panela and seasoned with cinnamon, cloves and orange tree leaves. It is believed to have originated in southwestern Colombia. In Peru, it is typically served warm, using apple, guanábana and quince instead of lulo. It is sold in the streets by a champusera, a typical figure of Lima's landscape, who passes down the recipe to younger generations. In Ecuador, the drink is prepared with maize flour, panela and lemon tree leaves. It is common in funeral rites as many indigenous traditions consider the beverage a favorite of the dead. In Colombia, crushed maize is used, in addition to panela, lulo, pineapple, cinnamon, cloves and orange tree leaves. In the regions of the south, such as the Departments of Nariño and Cauca, it is considered mainly a drink for Christmas. In Nariño it is also prepared with leaves of cedrón and congona. In the Department of Valle del Cauca it is served very cold, being popular at any time of the year. In some regions of Peru and southern Colombia, the drink is made with mote, cooked maize that makes the champús thicker; in these regions, it is consumed as a dessert.