Of course we must do a food posting on some of the delectable delights we had in Ecuador. Now most people probably think they know South American food from visiting Taco Bell or the former Chi Chi’s, (tacos, burritos, enchiladas etc…) Well, there were some other neat delights that we must share!
First of all, hot chocolate is a fabulous dessert in Ecuador. To make the delicious drink a small unsweetened bar of chocolate is melted into hot milk along with sugar and cinnamon. Then it is mixed together with a large wooden stir stick for quite some time to blend all the flavours. The interesting part is they give you a dish of freshly grated cheese to add to it. You can put none, or all into the mug. Either way, the taste is fantastic! We will have to try this at home…not sure this will be a trend that catches on – but it is delicious!
Another yummy treat the girls adored was Espumillia. For a mere 30 cents, one can get a scoop of fruit flavoured fresh meringue in an ice cream cone. The kids quickly said “delicio-so!”
We tried a variety of fresh empanadas; some with cheese, meat with rice, meat and tomatoes, green banana, (plantain) and cheese. Of course all health benefits were off as everything was deep fried. But since we were sharing amongst the group – it wasn’t as bad as it could have been!
Corn of course is a big part of the culture. There are a variety of ways it is prepared. In one recipe, the corn is soaked in water for 2-3 hours which causes it to expand and turn white in colour. This “mote” is a popular dish that can be found throughout the country. Another variation is to mix the mote with eggs and seasoning…very tasty indeed!
While staying with the Gonzalez family, they prepared a lovely bbq including chicken, sausages and a special cut of beef that is very popular throughout South America. It was a very tasty cut that is usually salted and smoked called picaña, and one that we will try to see if we can get at Brunos’ (our local butcher).
Finally, right in between Quito and Otavalo, there is a small town that makes the most delicious cookies called Biscochos. They are a shortbread type of cookie baked in a woodburning stove. To finish off the tasty treat dulche de leche is spread on top….simple and decadent! This is now a family favourite and we will try to make the recipe and add it to our international cookbook! We will keep you posted!
Now after all of this delicious eating….we are making our way to our last stop on our global fieldtrip – Peru!
Leave a Reply