Chivito, the food episode

When I moved to China, I was surprised by the level of, well, obsession, with food among my fellow teachers. Anytime you found yourself in a conversation, it inevitably became a discussion about food- where was the cheapest place to shop, where was the best western food in the area, where can one find American necessities like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (orange, preferably), corn chips that were familiar, or regular- in a jar- spagetti sauce. The conversations would quickly veer to restaurants people loved to visit on trips- "I love that Mexican restaurant in Shenzen- it has the best pork tacos!" or "I think we should go to Beijing for hamburgers/Mexican/pizza." or "What did you eat on your trip to Hong Kong/Bali/Thailand?" While I don't know that people actually travelled specifically for western food...wait, yes, I know they did! And they returned to regale us with stories of foods eaten. I remained set in my "I don't miss American-overprocessed-chemical laden food" and "I shall live on stir fry, dumplings and noodles." For a few months.

So, while these food conversations surprised me at first, I began to understand the draw of food scheming. Early on, I was of the mindset "I am in China. I am going to eat Chinese food." A few months in, I found myself joining the crowd and sharing tips about shopping for Western delights, rating the french fries at various local restaurants and sending pins to friends about great food in other cities. Without a doubt, I missed Mexican food the most, so when the cafe at school started mass producing their AMAZING salsa, I was smothering it on everything I could find, even the kinda sad but ultimately satisfying homemade corn chips I made in my oven. When a local woman (who had lived in Canada for a short time) opened up a burrito place just 10 minutes away from school, it was FRONT PAGE NEWS in our apartment building!

Fast forward to Uruguay.  Even though the food at the grocery story is much more familiar to my family's taste buuds, the concern and worry about having enough familiar food in the fridge, of making sure you have the ingredients to make what you want to make is still present. Our fridge is smaller, there isn't a Costco, so planning (or flexibility) is needed more than in the US. The food here is good, but wow- it is carb heavy, especially if you don't want to eat meat for, well, every dang meal. And I hope you want fries with that because they are the preferred side dish. And try not to go out to dinner before 7 if you can because they will probably be closed. We are lucky to have a decent grocery story a block away, and a great outdoor market on Saturday just 4 blocks away, where fruits and vegetables are usually much cheaper. I much prefer shopping at outdoor markets- it is faster, it has less packaging, and I am less tempted by processed food. 

I also have met a friend "Paul" who runs a small local organic food store in my neighborhood and has a stall at the weekly market. He likes to practice his English (which is already REALLY good) while I stumble along in Spanish, embarassed and sheepishly trying to get my ideas across. I did try to buy some chimchurri spices from him a couple of weeks ago. The conversation went something like this:

• Sarah: "Paul- can I put this chimichurri blend on vegetables?"
• Paul: "No. It's for meat."
• Sarah: "What about this blend- could I add it to rice?
• Paul: "No. It's for meat and maybe fish."
• Sarah: "What about this one?"
• Paul: "Sarah, I know you like saying the name chimichurri, but it is really just for meat."

Paul used to be a vegetarian, so he understands what I am trying to do. Apparently he was a vegetarian for 15 years here in Uruguay. Then, he had a McDonalds Filet o' Fish. Then a Big Mac. He never went back. We laughed and laughed when he told me this story. How did he know that I love the word "chimichurri" so much anyway?

Eating out can be much pricier here than I expected- a couple of weeks ago we ate out and a Chivito plate (national sandwich a UY including beef, ham, prociutto, egg and mozzella (on a bed of fries of course), a salad and onion rings for Marieka and 3 drinks came to $55 USD. Gulp. We don't eat out much (not to mention we are asleep when restaurants really get humming!) but we are trying to vary the styles so that pizza, fries and beef aren't always on the menu when we go out. The problem of "lack of Mexican food" is present here (who knew?!). Beans are not a common food here and I have yet to find a corn tortilla, soft or hard. We are on to our third brand of refried beans, and Marieka has finally found one that isn't "disgusting." Progress!

Foods I didn't know existed before coming to UY:

• yogurt and milk in a bag
• cheese on a stick for grilling
• egg flavored potato chips
• french fries in a small ball shape (papas fritas come in all shapes and sizes)
• dulce de leche (caramel in a small bucket)
• Chimichurri sauce
• Chivito
• Salt with herbs
• Yerba Mate (well, I knew about it but I didn't know how vital it was to life here!)

Foods I didn't know I couldn't live without before coming to UY:

• Chimichurri Sauce- dump on anything and everything as often as possible
• Dulce de leche in every form possible (bucket, cookie, bread, candy, etc) Highly Addictive and must be avoided!
• Salt with herbs
• Las Delicios (2 for 1 double scoops all day, everyday thanks to our bankcard!) Luckily there are 2 locations in a 5 minute drive...

Dulce de Leche- to be avoided at all costs. That smiling cow belies the addicting sweetness inside.

A chivito on fries. With a side of potato salad. Because...carbs.

The Chivito. A national pastime

Grilling  Cheese

2 for 1 ice cream with like 1 million flavors. 

Next job...griller on a parillero!

Fries, fries and more fries

Grilled veggies

My number one favorite thing in UY

Almost ready to take the plunge to the mate aisle. I think I know what brand I will buy! And seriously- a KILO of Yerba is $2.25??

I love this salt now

Let me just be clear- there is NO WAY TO NOT SPILL THIS EVERYWHERE. If you know how, please share.

I won't lie, I liked the Chivito plate (without ham but with prosciutto- don't judge). I will definitely have that again. I am pro french fry, but I have to watch my intake. I am not a fan of milk in a bag but it is probably easier to transport. I am not really into the grilled cheese but to each their own!

We have been eating dinner later than in the US, but even then my students giggle when I tell them I eat dinner at 7pm. They ask "What do you do until bed since you eat so early?" which is actually a valid question. I tell them we watch tv or maybe play a card game. I hadn't thought that one benefit of eating later is that you go straight to bed- maybe less family hassling?

On the yerba mate front, we are almost ready. It is has been almost 6 weeks. It is time. We will get the mate, the yerba and the bombillo and a thermos to awkwardly carry around under our arm everywhere. I even heard someone saw a police officer in a car with the thermos under their armpit, filling the mate WHILE DRIVING! #goals

Pepe- the former guerilla leader turned President models the proper thermos/mate holding method. I think that having both hands occupied is a pain, but this is how it is to be done.