Canelazo, spiced warm aguardiente

Mountain liquors warm the soul to the bones. With summer months around the corner, I find myself reflecting on my time last summer (2017), when I traveled a lot. But one place has found a strange place in my heart. I spent ten days in Bogota, the capital city of Colombia. I discovered a whole different world of tropical high mountains, afternoon downpours, sky-kissing greenery, deep beliefs, colorful fruits, enthusiastic people, real coffee and 100% chocolate.

And I discovered Aguardiente or fiery water. When had with warmed water or even better agua de panela (a sugar cane drink), cinnamon, a hint of sugar and lemon embedded with cloves, in rainy afternoons, I cannot say about you, but I am transported to that land of green mountains, high plateaus, open squares, soulful music, exquisite graffiti, original cocoa, fried empanadas, and a only just a hint of a past that reminds of misplaced ambitions and egos.

Canelazo, spiced warm aguardiente

Ingredients

Caution: Ingredients not easily found outside spanish speaking countries

2 cups of aqua de panela (a sugar cane drink). You can substitute with water. 

1 cup of aguardiente

2 sticks of cinnamon (ceylone)

1/2 tsp of fresh lime juice

line slices with cloves embedded in each

Sugar for serving

Steps

Warm agua de panela, aguardiente, cinnamon, lime juice. Dont let boil.

Serve: Moisten small cocktail glasses or espresso cups with damp towel and dip cup rims in sugar. Pour the warmed liquid in the cups. Garnish with lime slices with the cloves embedded.

Enjoy over music and over time. Leave the schedule open to loose over old sound tracks and albums :) 

All images copy righted.