Snacks

You might think that with the huge lunches and the constant efforts of Mami to engordar me (fatten me up), that I would have no room for snacks.
You would be wrong. I love snacks.

This will be a running and updated list of the choisest snackage to be had here in Ecuador.

First up, my favorites: Fritos (fried plantains)! These come in both salty Verdes (green plantains) y dulces Maduros (ripe plantains)

These are two others of my favorites here. Roasted and salted Lima Beans, called Avejas, and also Tostada which is roasted and salted mature corn kernels that I can only describe as inside-out popcorn. Tostada can also come coated with sugar, and is called Kaka de Perro, no translation needed. The TANGO is a plain old chocolate covered sandwhich-cream cookie.

These were good. Imagine cheetos, but flavored like fruitloops and coated with sugar. Doubles as a cereal.

They like roasted beans/peas/anything here. Here are some roasted chickpeas, Picante flavor.

Cookies are also a big deal. They have caramel-filled oreos, but also sanwich-creams filled with Galak - the white chocolate of ecuador. They also really like Amor wafer-creams. Here is a version filled with peach yogurt. Oh, and yes, that's a red banana. It's sweeter than the yellow ones and only one of many varieties here.

Here is another Ecuadorian favorite, though not a favorite of mine. Balls of popcorn, stuck together with Panela- unrefined sugarcane sugar. The flavor of molasses with none of the crispiness of caramel corn...

People in this country are also crazy for ice cream, and while I'm here, I've decided to go with it. The local place is called Tutto Freddo, just along the central Plaza. They have probably around 60 flavors ranging from tropical fruits to chocolate made with real cocoa. Here's a picture of their brownie sundae - a warm brownie topped with banana split ice cream (my choice) and caramel sauce. More ice cream porn will follow.