Across Borders and Divides, One ‘Heavenly’ Refresher Cools Summer Heat
The New York Times
India, Pakistan and Bangladesh alike enjoy the sweet and herbal taste of Rooh Afza, a beverage that has endured the region’s turbulent history. Now it is aiming for the palates of a new generation.
NEW DELHI — Its original recipe, more than a century old, is tucked away in a highly secure, temperature-controlled family archive in India’s capital. But the sugary summer cooler Rooh Afza, with a poetic name that means “soul refresher” and evokes the narrow alleys of its birthplace of Old Delhi, has long reached across the heated borders of South Asia to quench the thirst of generations. In Pakistan, the thick, rose-colored syrup — called a sharbat or sherbet and poured from a distinctive long-neck bottle — is mixed with milk and crushed almonds as an offering in religious processions.More Related News