13.05.2011

Among our thoughts before going on the sabbatical was how we, but mostly our picky kids, will eat during our journey. After three months of travelling in a rather exotic environment the devil turns out not to be as bad. On the contrary, despite a tight budget our eating has been sumptuous and diverse. Just have a look ..

Sellection of our favorite food of Central America

Gallo pinto
Location:	Costa Rica,  Nicaragua. It is also know as Moros y Cristianos (Spain), casamiento (El Salvador) or tacu tacu (Peru).
Description:	Traditional dish usually served for breakfast. It is made up of pre-cooked rice and red beans (frijoles) and is sometimes accompanied by fried egg, cheese etc. After mixing rice and beans the dish, as the name suggests, has the appearance of a “painted rooster”. Another origin of its name  is derived from pretending the dish contains meat, which its basic form does not have.
Baho (or Vaho)
Location:	Nicaragua
Description:	Served in banana leaves it includes beef, yucca, plantain plus salad. The stew in which the meat is prepared is made up of various vegetables and fruits (see picture above). It takes two days to prepare including meat marination and steaming. Though it is served as comida rapida (fast food) it is very healthy, cheap and savory.
Frito
Location:	Nicaragua
Description:	It is somewhat similar to Baho containing a mixture of meat, toasted banana and plantain.
Baleada
Location:	Honduras
Description:	Ania’s favorite dish. It is very simple to make. Just have a look …Ania makes Baleada – video
Ceviche
Location:	It originates in Peru but is common across Latin America.
Description:	My favorite food. It is a kind of sea food salad made of chopped, raw sea food marinated in lime juice with vegetables such as tomato, onions, pepper and salt.
Pupusa
Location:	It comes from El Salvador yet can be seen also in the rest of Central America. Also known as  gordita (Mexico) lub arepa (South America)
Description:	Our kids’ favorite food. It is a hand-patted, thick tortilla filled with cheese , sometimes with meat and frijoles.
Tortilla
Location:	Latin America
Description:	It is the basic ingredient of many other dishes such as taco, quesadilla, flauta, enchilada etc. Sold mostly in the street by women and children it is typically made of corn and is small in size (14 cm in diameter).
Cassava bread
Location:	Honduras
Description:	It is a kind of thin, crispy bread made of yucca (manioc) in the shape of a huge crescent. With chili flavor it tastes like chips. Maybe that’s why Wojtus loves it so much. Interestingly, yucca while it is raw is very toxic for people. Special way of preparing it through soaking, cooking and fermentation removes the toxic elements from it.
Tostada
Location:	Latin America
Description:	It is a toasted, crispy tortilla served with all kinds of additions such as curtido (beetroot), guacamole, meat, egg, onion etc. It is fast to prepare and a great snack
Licuado
Location:	Latin America
Description:	Made manually or with a blender, those refreshing drinks are made of milk (or water), fruit and ice. Licuado is ideal for hot weather had fewer calories that a smoothie and more vitamines.
Freshly squeezed fruit juices
Location:	Latin America. We particularly recommend the ones made at the main street in San Pedro de Laguna.  Just have a look – fresh juice making – video
Description:	Natural, delicious, inexpensive and mixed as you like it … pure health and zero preservatives. And look at that eco packging!
Tres Leches
Location:	Central America
Description:	It is a kind of cake soaked in three kinds of milk (thus the name), i.e. whole milk, condensed and evaporated milk making it taste like very sweet cheesecake. Yummym yummy.
Local beers
Description:	Though I am not a big fan of beer, I find the ones produced in Central America quite tasty. Each country has its own local brands such as Imperial (Costa Rica), Tońa (Nicaragua), Salva Vida i Port Royal (Honduras) or Gallo i Brahva (Guatemala).

Apart from enjoying the flavors of local cuisine, wherever possible, we cook on our own as well. In Poland, cooking is Ania’s domain. During our sabbatical we have been more balanced in this area. Even our kids get more involved in food preparation and dishwashing.

Our cooking – video

Ania making cookies

Wojtek cooking

Ania cooking

Breakfast with Fabrizio

Wojtus making sorbet

Ania making kluski

Kluski with Fabrizio

Kids making cookies

Ania at the fruit stand

Kids dishwashing