
Southern Africa · Drink
Mowana (Sweet Baobab Pulp Juice)
A velvety, citrusy, and deeply restorative golden nectar pressed from nutrient-dense wild baobab fruit pulp and infused with fragrant ginger.
The story
In northern Botswana's Ngamiland and the Chobe River floodplains, the iconic mowana (baobab tree) provides a vital nutritional lifeline for Bayei and Basubiya families during the dry season. The drink is served thoroughly chilled to welcome long-distance travelers and at family breakfasts to provide immediate vitality. Baobab fruit pulp naturally dehydrates on the branch inside woody pods; soaking the chalky dry pulp in lukewarm water gently dissolves soluble pectin without extracting tannins from the seed casings.
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