FOOD

This has to be one of the best topics. I know you all are wondering what I am eating here in Ecuador. Well I am eating worms, roaches, and frogs. No, no, no only a joke. They do eat worms in the oriental part of Ecuador, but that is not my thing. Ecuador is divided into three major parts; the Coast (where I live), the Sierra, and the Andes. I have been to all these areas and within each area there is different food. Let me start in the Coast. Seafood!! Could you guess otherwise. Well on all the beaches seafood is popular and cheap. They catch it right from the water you are eating in front of. One typical dish is Ceviche. It is like a seafood soup. It is made with fish, shrimp, octapus, squid all together or just one of these ingredients. I do not prefer this dish but is is very popular. Platacones with cheese is a green platano that is fried and some chesse is put on top. It sound very simple, in fact it is but it is so good. Also menestra(a type of bean), rice and meat is a typical plate here. So good and fills you up. For one dollar fifty cents (some places) I think it is a great deal. If we go to the Sierra they are big on potatoes. Potatoes come with everything, and guess what I love it. Corn also is a big deal there. In the Andes they eat guinea pigs!! Yep it is true. It was kind of sad for me at first because in the United States we usually keep them as animals not food, but remember to keep in mind every culture is different. I was going to try some but decided it did not have enough meat on it. Like seriously those things have no meat. Out of all the three parts I think I love the Coast better just because seafood is cheap and so good. Oh one thing I forgot to mention, rice comes with EVERY meal. You will always have a half of plate of rice with anything you eat in all of ecuador. Rice for them is a daily part of their diet. After a while you get use to the rice, and eventually feel weird if you get something and it does not come with rice. Anyhow, I love this country food. Its better than the food in the states, in my opinion, because it does not contain chemicals it is all fresh. No matter if it comes from the sea or the ground it goes straight to the kitchen. That is something I love here. The food is something everyone shold be open-minded about because in every country, even state in the United States, food varies.