What to Eat: In Latin America

Here are some little tips on dishes, fruits, desserts, and more to try on this beautiful (and delicious!) continent known as South America... Enjoy your meal!

In South America, you must try empanadas, often sold right on the street.

An empanada is a small pastry (or turnover) whose filling varies according to the tastes and customs of each region: meat, fish, egg, potato...

Also try > or > (Cuban rice). A dish of the poor (and quite economical), it consists of rice, a fried (or poached) egg, and fried bananas (sometimes also with sausage).

I love fried bananas, and I never miss an opportunity to eat this dish!

Feeling a bit overheated? Try the numerous tropical fruit juices whose names and appearances are unknown to you! However, little tip: avoid papaya; many find it nauseating and compare it to... vomit! (Enjoy your meal!). One note about drinks: juices are diluted with water and served with ice cubes... Sensitive stomachs or > should abstain: it's better to take it slow (see the health tips).

Mate is a traditional infusion, coming from the Guarani culture.

We discovered it in Paraguay, but it can be found in many Latin American countries (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia) and interestingly - in Lebanon and Syria (imported by families who emigrated to Argentina in the 19th century).

The word > comes from the Quechua >, which refers to the traditional container used to drink mate. In some regions, locals carry their mate with them wherever they go!

The plant commonly used is >, sometimes called >, >, or >. The effects of mate are similar to those of coffee or tea.

But in Bolivia and Peru, you can find various plant infusions under the name >, such as coca, or > (a mixture of coca, chamomile, and anise).

Would you prefer something even cooler: a good ice cream, for example? Here too, enjoy unfamiliar flavors: whether it's fruit sorbets, passion fruit, or the famous > (or manjar, manjar blanco, arequipe, cajeta...).

And finally, bite into these fruits with pleasure without feeling guilty! Take the opportunity to stroll through the markets (be careful with haggling over the price; don't end up paying 15 times the price for your mango!), or in the small supermarkets (which tend to have clearly marked prices).

Don't hesitate to ask for advice on selecting a ripe fruit or one that suits your taste; the vendors will welcome you with open arms, and may even let you taste the fruit directly by opening it for you in the supermarket (I experienced it!).

When you are on the Andean plateau, the altitude can be hard to bear, especially if you come from a country where the highest point is at 694 meters above sea level, if we can even use that word for such a height (long live the >!).

The > will not give you any hallucinogenic effects, as many tourists often confuse it with cocaine (which is extracted from its leaves). Although they have the same origin, the effects are different! To learn more, I refer you to the article: Coca, Coca, and Cocaine.

Locals use it to combat altitude sickness (sorroche) and to give themselves strength. They always chew a few leaves, a wad under the cheek.

If its taste and smell seem too peculiar to you, you can also drink it as tea or mate, and especially for tourists, you'll find candies and other coca derivatives.

You will see many street vendors, and for some, you won't have any idea what they are offering.

If you're tempted: try it!

During our last trip to Peru, in Ica, we tried one of the > without really knowing what it was (having forgotten the name - the mystery remains unsolved!): a hot beverage made from several ingredients poured and mixed repeatedly with expert gestures: good, sweet, fruity, and hot, that's all I can say about it!

If you are by the coast, whether in Peru, Chile, Ecuador... Try the seafood products. Fresh and inexpensive, each region has its way of preparing them.

François particularly enjoyed the > in Chile, and I loved the seafood grill, with a magical Chinese lobster, delicious... A must-do!

A type of restaurant you will find in all (medium and large) cities in Peru are >. What is that?! Chifas are Chinese restaurants. They offer dishes and menus at very affordable prices, and it's often very filling (a great deal for a meal of the day), and very tasty. What more could you ask for?

During your travels in South America, if you go through Peru, you will probably discover Inca Kola, > (... or not!).

Bright yellow in color, Inca Kola is a Peruvian beverage, now owned by the Coca-Cola group, bubbly and very sweet! It has a very distinctive taste. To be honest, it vaguely resembles the taste of > gelatin candies, chewing gum, and cotton candy! Locals prefer this drink to Coca-Cola. A must-try

Cuy (pronounced >) are guinea pigs.

In the Bolivian countryside particularly, but in other Latin countries as well, cuy live in the house on the floor, running around and multiplying... only to end up on the spit! I haven't crossed the psychological barrier to try > (same with llama steak).

These cuy can measure up to 50 cm and weigh 4 kg (whereas a guinea pig > does not exceed 1.5 kg).