Higos con Queso (Figs with Cheese) Recipe: Ecuadorian Dessert
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Higos con Queso (Figs with Cheese) Recipe: Ecuadorian Dessert

A few months ago I discovered a new dessert in Cuenca: Higos con queso. Despite having lived here for four years, I tried this sweet dessert for the first time just a few months ago. Since then, I’ve had it many times. The recipe is pretty simple. In this post, you’ll learn about higos in Ecuador –…

Great Ecuador Treat: Salchipapas (Fries with Hotdogs, Mayo and Ketchup)
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Great Ecuador Treat: Salchipapas (Fries with Hotdogs, Mayo and Ketchup)

If you’re in the center of town, it’s a quick snack. If you’re at a restaurant, it’s an appetizer. May I present: salchipapas. You can get them anytime you want. You can even order them in from the pizza shop! Salchipapas are French fries, with a few little sausages. They also have a side of…

Yuca Bread: A Delicious Treat in Cuenca Ecuador
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Yuca Bread: A Delicious Treat in Cuenca Ecuador

One of the yummy treats we like to pick up when we are on the go is called yuca bread. We hadn’t heard of yuca bread until we moved to Cuenca and we were hooked from the first time we tried it. We usually stop into our favorite yogurt/yuca bread shop and get a dozen of the soft (and warm) little…

Have You Tried Dragon Fruit? Pitahaya: Bat Pollinated Cactus Fruit

Have You Tried Dragon Fruit? Pitahaya: Bat Pollinated Cactus Fruit

This is a delicious, sweet and refreshing fruit. I’m a fan of fruit that’s easy and doesn’t need juicing or sweetening, like apples, mangoes and bananas. The Pitahaya fruit is new to me, and my list of “easy fruit.”  It’s a little funny looking, the skin is yellow (or red, depending on variety) and bumpy. …

10 Tips for Shopping at an Open Market in Ecuador (11 Spanish Phrases)
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10 Tips for Shopping at an Open Market in Ecuador (11 Spanish Phrases)

The attraction for many gringos, of traveling and living in a foreign country, is the thrill of traditional open markets. When we first arrived here, we heard everything from: “everything is so cheap” and “its such nice / fresh / beautiful / unique products here” to “don’t go there – you’ll get robbed or mugged”…