South American Journal

Rebeca Roa Alva at her 107th birthday. Photo courtesy of Trome.

I've told some of you that my dear old abuelita credited her old age (she lived to 95-ish) to onions and strong drink ("cebolla y trago"). But here's a woman who's considerably older, and whose recipe for long life is very Andean. The 107-year-old, quechua-speaking Rebeca Roa Alva eats lima beans, quinoa, kiwicha and amaranth and chews coca on a daily basis.

• Read the original article en castellano.
• Read the english translation by Alejandro at LAX-LIM.

BTW, Alejandro, who runs two blogs, Peru Food and LAX-LIM, has become my favorite blogger of late. If I can pin him down for an interview and get him to reveal his true identity, I'll be sure to do a write up on his growing enterprise.

Tags: Peru, Rebeca Roa Alva, quechua, 107, onions, lima beans, quinoa, kiwicha, amaranth, coca