Mocochinchi
Mocochinchi is a delicious dehydrated peach cider drink, and is one of the most popular summertime beverages in Bolivia. I used to love to buy sweet, cold glasses of mocochinchi from street vendors when I was young, and every summer I crave it. It’s easy to make, and if you give it a chance, I'm sure you'll love it.
Mocochinchi is a delicious dehydrated peach cider drink, and is one of the most popular summertime beverages in Bolivia. I used to love to buy sweet, cold glasses of mocochinchi from street vendors when I was young, and every summer I crave it. It’s easy to make, and if you give it a chance, I'm sure you'll love it.
- Carbohydrate 4.49141666666667 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.0802 g
- Fiber 1.36999998648961 g
- Protein 0.421233333333333 g
- Saturated Fat 0.010295 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (215g)
- Sodium 5.28000000400696 mg
- Sugar 3.12141668017705 g
- Trans Fat 0.041425 g
- Calories 14 calories
Step-by-step
- Boil 3 cups of water.
- Remove from heat, and soak peaches 1 hour.
- Return peaches/water to heat.
- Add sugar, cinnamon, orange juice, and lemon zest.
- Cook until peaches are soft and water has taken on a dark rusty color.
- Add raisins and cook another ½ hour.
- If the water ever steams off too low, add some more.
- You don’t want this to thicken, it should stay nice and liquid.
- Remove from heat and pop it in the fridge.
- While you can use regular sugar instead, I recommend caramelizing brown sugar and adding that to taste for sweetness.
Deep amber in color and heavily spiced with cinnamon, chilled mocochinchi delivers a concentrated stone fruit flavor balanced by citrus brightness. Dried peaches require an initial one-hour hot water soak to begin softening their dehydrated cell walls before simmering. Caramelizing brown sugar separately introduces deep toffee undertones that standard white sugar cannot replicate. Monitor fluid levels closely during the 30-minute simmer, replenishing evaporated liquid to maintain a thin, drinkable consistency rather than a thick syrup. Direct heat extraction draws maximum sugars from both the peaches and the black raisins, creating a dark, rusty infusion that must be thoroughly chilled in the refrigerator before serving.
High-sugar fruit infusions demand savory, salt-forward counterweights to cleanse the palate between sips. Rich empanadas filled with spiced beef, hard-boiled eggs, and olives provide a heavy protein contrast to the sweet beverage. Salteñas, featuring a gelatinous, savory broth inside a slightly sweet pastry shell, match the regional origins of the drink. Keep the beverage at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit in a glass pitcher alongside small plates of roasted and salted corn nuts. The fat and salt cut through the dense fruit extract, preventing palate fatigue during a long meal.
Stored in a sealed glass container, the liquid keeps safely for up to five days under refrigeration. Straining the spent peaches and raisins yields a concentrated fruit pulp suitable for blending into oatmeal or incorporating into morning yogurt bowls. Adding fresh club soda at a one-to-one ratio transforms the still beverage into a sparkling summer cooler.
Optimal Pairings and Accompaniments
High-sugar fruit infusions demand savory, salt-forward counterweights to cleanse the palate between sips. Rich empanadas filled with spiced beef, hard-boiled eggs, and olives provide a heavy protein contrast to the sweet beverage. Salteñas, featuring a gelatinous, savory broth inside a slightly sweet pastry shell, match the regional origins of the drink. Keep the beverage at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit in a glass pitcher alongside small plates of roasted and salted corn nuts. The fat and salt cut through the dense fruit extract, preventing palate fatigue during a long meal.
Storage and Subsequent Uses
Stored in a sealed glass container, the liquid keeps safely for up to five days under refrigeration. Straining the spent peaches and raisins yields a concentrated fruit pulp suitable for blending into oatmeal or incorporating into morning yogurt bowls. Adding fresh club soda at a one-to-one ratio transforms the still beverage into a sparkling summer cooler.
