3 Things you didn’t know about Ecuador’s foodie scene
South America’s second smallest country is home to the Galapagos Islands, and – in the words of UNESCO – the best-preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America.
So, it’s not as though Ecuador needs to worry about cooking up bait to attract visitors. Yet, it has a foodie scene that is both unique and unusual. Here are a few things you may not have known about eating in Ecuador…
Diverse Geography, Diverse Products
Split into four regions – the Coast, Andean Highlands, Amazon and Galapagos – Ecuador covers a wide range of landscapes and climates. The majority of crops are found in the warm coastal areas where you can find bananas, sugar cane, rice, cacao and coffee. Meanwhile, the cooler Highlands produce potatoes, corn, beans, barley, wheat and tea. When in the Amazon, it’s all about tucking into exotic fruits; and in the Galapagos, the local produce mainly comes out of the sea.
Enormous Empanadas
Now to the capital, Quito, and the cobbled street La Ronda with its bars, cafes and boutique shops and galleries which come to life after dark. Here you can find empanadas bigger than your head – perhaps not something you knew you wanted, but good to know where to find one all the same! Empanadas are often served as part of an Ecuadorian breakfast, but on La Ronda these enormous cheese-filled pasties are of a different league and well, let’s just say, they’re good for sharing…
And lastly, the Guinea Pig
What trip to Ecuador would be complete without nibbling on Nibbles? Most of us had a pet guinea pig as a child, but when in Ecuador they’re mainly found in the roasted variety, and are disguised under the pseudonym “cuy”. Most popular in the Highlands, cuy usually comes served with corn or potatoes.
¡Buen provecho!