Our Capital city, a World Heritage site, is celebrating 485 years of Spaniard Foundation and we’ll like to invite you to discover Quito by its traditional flavors. Here are some sweet and savory bites to celebrate, to find the gastronomic line that unites us to the world. Some delights that you can not miss out
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Mishqui guts
This is a dish which scent and flavor you can’t skip out on a visit to Quito, a meal prepared and served in almost every street of Quito. The grills do their job by slowly roasting the beef guts, which are previously cleaned and soaked into some milenary seasoning. «Mishqui» is a Kichwa term and it means tasty. It is a popular specialty often served with boiled potatoes, hominy and a peanut chili sauce. La Floresta, located in the Vicentina neighborhood, is an ideal place to try them.
Potatoes with leather
Another particular and traditional dish from the Ecuadorian Andes is potatoes with leather. Start by cleaning up the pork skin and then chopping it into small bite size squares. Cook them in water until it gets tender and serve with potatoes and peanut sauce. Additionally, a slice of avocado will complete our dish.
Yahuarlocro
The kichwa term “yahuar” means blood and “locro” stands for potato soup. This thick broth is one of the most representative of the Ecuadorian Andes. The guts and blood of the sheep are used for its preparation. The visceras are cooked until they get softened, then they will be incorporated into the locro until they reach their ideal point to incorporate peanut sauce. The soup is then served with the sheep guts and a splash of the animal’s blood previously fried. To enjoy it on its fullest, don’t forget to add a sliced red onion and a good avocado bite. At last, sprinkle with some oregano to give it that special punch.
But this is not the only Ecuadorian locro. Here you’ll find another way to enjoy this potato based dish.
Pristiños
Our grand parents used to prepare them at home. It is a traditional yet easy to make recipe. A sweet snack that you can enjoy at any time of the year, despite being considered a dessert for Christmas Eve.
Pristiño is a fried and crunchy flour dough served with brown sugar honey, which results from melting the brown sugar in water along with some sweet spices like cinnamon. This traditional dessert shaped like a crown can be ordered in several restaurants in Quito throughout the year.
Canelazo
A soothing drink for the cold days of Quito, often drink at the festivities of the Ecuadorian capital as well as meetings and parties with friends. The Andean drink is believed to have originated in the Republican era and was very popular among mixed and indigenous people. The drink is the result of the mixture of cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar and liquor (brandy). Nowadays, naranjilla and other fruits have been incorporated into the preparation to give it a twist.
Follow up this link to learn more about the local gastronomy
