Foods must be tasted while traveling the world! In Chile I did my best to try some food, once I figured out what the menu was advertising!
And the meal was … steak and mushrooms in cream sauce and fries …
Fish and chicken are on many menus. I had fish: hake, ceviche, shrimp in curry, salmon, and shrimp, queso and pineapple empanada. The most traditional Chilean choice was the “pastel de jaiba”, a delicious crab pie with a couple of shrimp on top!
Chile is second largest salmon producer in the world.
At our home-hosted meal in Puerto Varas, we made empanadas and enjoyed a Pisco sour while the corn stew finished cooking. The corn stew was delicious and even with some sausage slices on top. Of course, the carménère wine was delicious too!
Sometimes my fellow travelers and I shared platters of food. Here are two examples:
Washing down the food was with a choice of either a juice, water, beer and/or wine. My first choice was always wine, especially the Carménère … a red wine grape from Bordeaux France and rediscovered in Chile. Of course, a good beer is perfect for some meals also, such as a local beer while on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). A Pisco sour was often offered upon arrival to a home or as a “welcoming drink” at a hotel. Lovely!:)
Dessert anyone? I remember flan, the custard-like dessert with caramel sauce, often served in South American countries. I am a lover of crème brûlée so it would be easy for me to eat flan often here; however, I discovered some healthy options. One was a sweet cucumber and mango dish and the other a Pohe dessert: squash and banana dish served on Rapa Nui (Easter Island).
So many other foods to try, but living in the Southwest USA I have had many corn products already. The bottomline though, food and drink were delicious! But let’s not forget the delicious “curanto” – stew cooked in one pot while we were visiting a couple on Chiloé Island. If you missed it, click here. That’s a meal not to be missed! And you cannot miss the size of this garlic we saw at the local market!
