Api con pastel

Without a doubt, api is my favorite Bolivian beverage. Indeed, if you ask me, Api with Pastel is the best Bolivian dish.

Most of the time, Api Morado (purple Api) is available, which is made of purple corn, cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel.

Because api comes from the Andes, where it gets very cold, the drink is served hot. When you order it, it usually comes with pastel, which is a fried cheese-filled pastry.

Aside from Api Morado, there is also Api Blanco (white api), which is made with white corn. Locals enjoy Api con Pastel for breakfast when it is still cold outside because the drink warms them up. Api is delicious at any time of day. It reminded me of German Glühwein, but without the alcohol, and I couldn't get enough of it.

Api con Pastel can be found near the juice vendors in most markets. You should also keep an eye out at bus stations, where vendors sell it to the unfortunate souls who arrive on one of the overnight buses with no heating. Furthermore, Api is a common Carnival drink, so you'll see it everywhere around that time.

Purple corn, by the way, is a popular base for other South American drinks. Chicha Morada is a must-try in Peru. And you must drink Colada Morada in Ecuador.