Sugar cane juice

Traditionally, it was a cart with a manual press to squeeze the sugar cane. The frothy pale green juice would then be poured into tall glasses and drunk on the spot, with no sugar or preservatives added. It acquires a bitter taste if left a while. Sugar cane is lauded ofr its health benefits, especially its effect on a lazy liver, which it jolts into action due to the sugar cane’s high glycemic index. There were also carts that sold the actual canes, unsqueezed, for the men to break on their knees, peel with their teeth (or with a knife if more refined) and chew on the fiber to suck the sap out. Children clamored for these small pieces of cane, called “knuckles”. Today, the carts have disappeared, but there are many shops which offer the electrically squeezed sweet drink.