Inspiration: Ecuador

My family and I have been traveling a lot, but our trip to Ecuador this winter break was our first-ever foray to South America. The trip lasted only eleven days (not including travel), but felt a lot longer, being packed as it was with an array of experiences. I find it impossible to summarize everything into one post, so today I will share only my impressions of Quito, the capital, which we visited on our first day, and to which we kept returning.

We landed in Quito in the wee hours of the night. I was surprised (and maybe just a little bit disappointed) to find a brand-new, top-notch modern airport, that looked just like any other airport anywhere else in the world. We took a cab to the old part of town, driving through dark, deserted and foggy roads. When we arrived at our hotel, utterly exhausted, we barely noticed our surroundings and went straight to bed.

At 9,350 feet above sea level, Quito is the highest capital in the world. Aware of my sensitivity to altitude, I wasn’t surprised to wake up in the morning with a searing headache (luckily ibuprofen worked!). In daylight, we were able to see just how glorious our hotel was, and fully appreciate the little details. A beautifully-restored sixteenth-century Spanish colonial house, it was seeped with atmosphere. Eating breakfast at the dining hall (see below) was such a pleasant experience that I wished it could last forever...

The kids were full of energy, however, and eager to explore. And so, I tore myself away from the Ecuadorian coffee and delicious croissants and ventured out.

The old city of Quito was one of the first cities chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also the best preserved colonial city in the Americas. My expectations, therefore, were sky high. Yet, my first impression was somewhat disappointing. The buildings on both sides of the narrow streets were old and pretty, true, but they consisted of mostly high walls interrupted by small doors and windows. Even early in the morning they were already packed with cars and people.

Only once we started visiting some of the numerous churches and museums did I finally understand the city’s secret: the non-distinct, high walls and small doors hide spectacular inner-courtyards and former palaces. Much of the beauty of this city, it turned out, like so much else in life, lies within.

We visited “La Compañia” Church, heavily decorated with  lavish gold-leaf-covered motifs. We then went to a few museums, like the Museo de la Ciudad, housed in a former hospital, which chronicled the city’s daily life throughout the centuries:

There, we first learned about the complex relations local people have historically had with textiles. The indigenous people, it turned out, were good weavers before the Inca and Spanish conquests, but were forced into harsh, cruel weaving-servitude by their conquerors. Thus, the art of weaving was tinted by the bitterness and brutality of slavery.

Still, in one of the display cabinets I was excited to find a 500-year-old sling that looked incredibly modern:

In another museum I was happy to encounter an old sewing/crafts table:

And in the house of Maria Augusta Urrutia--a 19th-century home of a noblewoman now turned museum--I was even more thrilled (and a bit jealous) to find an entire sewing room, fitted with several sewing machines and lavishly decorated (alas, picture-taking was forbidden).

Further wandering brought us to some beautiful streets, impressive architecture, and nice vistas. Not all of the city’s beauty was hidden after all. This, for example, is the Church of St. Francis:

And a street close to it:

This is a nice view of the monument of the Madonna on El Panecillo hill:

Old Quito was packed-full of fabric and yarn stores (that put the humble offering of such stores in my hometown to shame), although most of their inventory seemed to have been imported from China. I took their presence to be an indication to the craftiness of the local population.

When we drove around, I was struck by the abundance of graffiti. It seemed that every flat surface was an irresistible blank canvas for graffiti artists, calligraphers … or maybe just plain vandals?

Another surprise were the hundreds of eucalyptus trees, which I did not expect in this part of the world. I later learned these were brought to Ecuador to dry swamps, but adjusted so well that they soon spread like wildfire, competing for resources with local flora. Apparently they are now a pest.

A fun Quito discovery was the Pacari chocolate store, where we enjoyed a decadent afternoon cup of hot chocolate, and loaded up on a variety of amazing Ecuadorian bars.

An additional gastronomical revelation was that of Locro de Papa, the tasty Ecuadorian potato soup. We later realized it tastes slightly different in every restaurant, but somehow always hits the spot. This is definitely a dish I plan to adopt and add to my family’s winter-soup rotation.

For those of you curious to try it, here is the recipe, one of many I found online:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoons aji amarillo paste (optional)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 pounds yellow potatoes
• 2 cups chicken stock (I will replace this with vegetable stock)
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 5 ounces monterey jack cheese, grated
• Diced avocado for garnish (optional but highly recommended)
• Crumbled queso fresco cheese, for garnish (optional)
• Aji sauce (optional)

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a heavy soup pot. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and optional aji amarillo paste. Sauté onions over low heat until soft.
2. While the onions are cooking, peel the potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes. Set aside.
3. When the onions are soft and golden, add 1 cup of stock. Remove mixture to a blender and process until you have a smooth puree. Set aside.
4. Add the potatoes to the soup pot along with 1 tablespoon butter. Sauté until potatoes are fragrant and just start to turn golden.
5. Add onion liquid back to the pot with the potatoes, along with another cup of stock and 2 cups of water. Bring liquid to a simmer, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook potatoes until they are very tender, about 20-25 minutes.
6. Mash the potatoes thoroughly in the pot with a potato masher.
7. In a small bowl, whisk the egg together with the cream and milk. Whisk a cup of the hot soup mixture into the milk and cream, then add it all to the soup, whisking to blend.
8. Whisk in the grated cheese until melted. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve soup hot, garnished with chopped avocado and crumbled queso fresco cheese.

Enjoy!