Most Memorable Meals - Central and South America

Sorry I haven't been here for a while. I don't really have a good excuse other than I am lazy. I know you'll forgive me, right?

The travel continues. After six weeks in Chile (the longest we've spent anywhere except Canada so far) we are headed to Argentina, and Buenos Aires stole my heart. There's just something sexy about the city of tango. After Argentina, we crossed over to Brazil, skipped across the pond, and are now wandering around Europe.

When I talk to friends and family about our travel, the topic of food almost always comes around. I love food. I love eating. Due to our budget, Husband and I try to find the most reasonable ways to eat while travelling, which usually involves some combination of street food, self-catering from our hostel, or walking around and looking for whatever place currently has the most locals eating there. This method has led us to some pretty amazing meals and also some not so much. Here are some of the highlights of our eating adventures in Central and South America. Sadly, some of the photos were lost, but you have Google image search, so you'll be ok.

Mexico - Esquites (street food)

It's a cup filled with corn, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and topped with chile powder. I don't think I need to explain why that's delicious.

Colombia - Menu Ejecutivo at La Mana, San Gil

Strangely I can't find any pictures of the actual food, but here is a shot of La Mana.

This wasn't so much about the meal itself, though the food was delicious. This is a common sort of set menu including salad, soup, bread, a main course, dessert and a drink for a very reasonable price. I think Colombians are on to something here.

Peru - Papa Rellena (street food)

Let's take mashed potatoes and shape them into a ball. Wait, let's fill the mashed potato ball with seasoned ground beef, onions, and egg. Shouldn't we deep fry that and cover it with mayonnaise? Yes, let's do that.

Peru - 1/4 Roasted Chicken

You can eat roast chicken pretty much anywhere, but I have never had a chicken cooked as well as this with a choice of delicious sauces.

Chile - Lomito at Lomit's, Punta Arenas

For east coast Canadians out there, this tastes like a Halifax donair if you made it into a sandwich, but without the signature donair sauce.

Chile - Torremoto (street drink)

I need to say thanks to whoever came up with this one because it combines two of my most favorite things: wine and ice-cream. Homemade white wine topped off with a scoop of pineapple ice-cream, they call it an "earthquake."

Argentina - Asado (street food)

Simple. Elegant. Grilled meat.

Brazil - Churrascaria

Again with the meat. I can hear my colon crying.

I'll try to do another delicious recap at the end of our time in Europe.
And let me know if you've had any amazing eats that we should try while we're in Europe!
Ashu

Liebster: noun. a person who liebs?

The lovely and talented Jen from Jennipal recently sent me a shout out on her blog (which you should read by the way) letting me know she thinks I'm worthy of a Liebster! What is a Liebster, you ask? Well, as far as I can tell, it's like a high-five that bloggers give to each other to show some love, an excuse to tell someone how awesome they are and throw a few questions their way. I'm down.

I hope reading my blog gives you the same joy as this picture of Chilean penguins.

The Rules:

List 11 random facts about yourself.

Answer the 11 questions.

Nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers. (I don't think I actually read 11 blogs especially if you take out Jen's and livingontheflipside.blogspot.com which Jen has already tagged in her post).

Comment on their page to let them know.

Tag the person who nominated you in your post.

I know that a lot of people hate being tagged in these things, so if I do send it your way, and you don't feel like doing it, no pressure. I get it. Just delete the tag and carry on being your awesome self.

So, eleven random facts about me...

My dreams (or at least the ones I can remember) tend to follow the same few plot-lines with limited variations.

One of my front teeth is a fake.

My first dream-job was "polar bear."

My family is huge and complicated. I have to like someone a lot before I tell them all the details about my family.

I love the smell of marshmallows. I wish I had a pillow made of marshmallows.

I will watch absolutely ANY movie with Jackie Chan in it... and love it.

I fell in love with my husband because of his awesome sense of humour. He's still the funniest guy I know.

There are very few people who actually call me Ashley. I always go by Ash.

I hate when people spit on the street. It's gross!

I sometimes come off as cold when I first meet people. I'm actually just awkward.

I have a large collection of children's books.


And Jen's 11 questions:

1.  What is one thing that you want to do but haven't done yet for whatever reason? 
I'd like to have a garden. I haven't done that because I am lazy.

2.  What worries you?

I worry about a lot of stuff (all of it trivial), but the thing that causes me the most anxiety is being on time. In school, I was what some might call an "apple-polisher" (brown-noser). When I was in middle school, my father moved about 45 minutes out of the city, but I continued to attend school in the city where my mom was living. My father was notorious for oversleeping and being impossible to wake up, so whenever I'd stay at my his house for a few days, I'd always be late for school. Being the conscientious student I was, this caused me immense anxiety. Since then I've had big issues about being on time. Ask my husband. Anytime we're supposed to catch a bus, plane, whatever... I am not fit to talk to until we are at the bus station/airport at a crazy early hour. It's taken him a long time to accept that about me.

3.  What is one thing you would change about yourself/life?

I would take my own advice and relax more. 

4.  If you could travel anywhere where would you go and why?

I'm currently living my dream, travelling full-time. One place that's high on my list is India for it's cultural and historical importance. Also, I've never heard anyone smack-talk India.

5.  What is one thing you'd like to be remember for?

I would like people to remember me as a thoughtful person. That's one of the qualities I value most highly in other people, so I'd feel pretty awesome if people thought that about me.

6.  What was your original motivation for starting a blog?  Is it still the same now?
My original motivation was my relationship with Korean culture. That's still a journey I'm on today, but the motivation for writing about it comes and goes.

7.  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years I hope to be somewhere on this amazing planet, learning, teaching, and hopefully momming. And of course eating everything in sight.

8.  Who was the last person that made you cry? Why? (if you care to share)
I cry ALL THE TIME. I'm just an easy crier about anything, sadness, frustration, anger, laughter. Since my husband is the only person I have regular face to face contact with, he's probably the last one that made me cry, though I don't remember what about.

9.  Why are you happy?
I'm happy because I'm leading a blessed life traveling around the world with somebody I love.

10.  What is your favourite thing to do when you are alone?
When I'm alone (which is pretty much never these days), I enjoy reading, drawing, watching terrible movies, and eating junk food.

11.  What is one thing you'd like to learn?
I'd like to learn embroidery. And of course I'll continue learning about Korean language and culture.

Thanks to Jen for the push to update this blog again! Seriously, check out her blog. She's rad!

Ashu