Glorious Fruits and Vegetables of Ecuador!

Jack and I are foodies who are on vacation in foodie heaven.  We are in the Ambato, Ecuador home of an incredible chef.  This vacation is a real culinary learning adventure.  Master Chef is introducing me to fruits and vegetables that I have never tasted before and am anxious to continue eating.  Since the temperature in Ecuador stays the same year round - spring in the mountains and summer near the sea - fresh produce grows constantly.  It is abundant, delicious and cheap.  At the bottom of this blog is a link to a video I shot of what you can buy in the organic market for twelve bucks!

Meet Babaco - it reminded me of  a yellow football.  This picture is just 2/3 of one. 

I first tasted this luscious fruit as a "jugo" during "desayuna" (breakfast) in a great local joint in Quito.  My $3.99 breakfast included a "not quite French" but better than most croissant, a great vegetable omelet, café con leche, jugo de babaco and LIVE MUSIC!!!!  There we were in a Burger King style dining room experiencing anything but McBarf style fast food.  We were eating a freshly made and fabulous $3.99 breakfast and listening to a super pianist playing for tips!   It doesn't get much better than that.  We all ordered different  juices and I sampled all of them - Jugo de piña (pineapple), guanabana - silky white and lusciously thick and naranjilla - tastes kind of citrusy and is unique.  Back to my favorite - Babaco - which was like a cross between kiwi and a pineapple!

The inside of the Babaco looks like cotton.  

You simply cut off any  of the unripened green or brown spots, then cut it up and toss the whole thing - skin and all in the blender with a bit  of water and if you like it sweeter - a hint of sugar.   I could sip these everyday - of course I did wonder what Babaco jugo would taste like with a tad of rum.

Some folks make Babaco marmalade or eat it  candied. Restaurants put it on their restaurant cart. 

This next fruit looked a little scary to me.  The Pitaya is a cactus fruit that grows in Ecuador's coastal region.

It was served to me chilled, cut in half and placed in a cup.  We ate it by scooping it out - seeds and all - with a spoon. Think sorbet in it's own cup.  If I can find these in New Jersey they will be dessert at my next dinner party.  Simple, light and tasty!

Click on the link and watch Buy Local!  Eat Organic!  Shop Ambato!  After the film, why not go back to the upper right hand corner of the blog, enter your e-mail address and subscribe! Where ever you are in the world - be happy!