Our Ecuador Meal
Our Ecuadorian meal was Pescado Encocado (fish with coconut sauce), Salsa de Maní (Chunky Warm Peanut & Achiote Salsa) and Apple empanadas. The Pescado Encocnado was halibut, lime juice, orange juice, garlic, cumin, achiote powder, coriander, onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, coconut milk, cilantro and shredded coconut. So good! We loved the Salsa de Maní. It was a simple recipe of peanuts, Annatto seeds, cumin, onion, milk and cilantro. We put it on top of potatoes for the meal and ate the leftovers with tortilla chips. Yummy.
The apple empanadas were my favorite part of the meal. They were diced apples with raisins and sugar wrapped in empanada dough. We’ve made empanadas several times now so Rob is a master at repulgue, which means crimping and sealing the edges of empanadas. Our dough was not very flaky so maybe we kneaded it too much.
About Ecuador
Ecuador straddles the Equator, which is where it got its name. It is a small county on the west coast of South America, about the size of Colorado. A small part of the Amazon rainforest is in Ecuador.
Some American retirees are moving to Ecuador because of the lower cost of living, good healthcare, warm weather, friendly people and because Social Security income is not taxed. It is said that a couple can live comfortably in Ecuador for less than $23,000 per year. For US citizens to qualify for an Ecuadorian residence visa they need a monthly retirement income of at least $800, plus an extra $100 for each dependent. We watched this -> Retire in this Amazing City in Ecuador Cheap! YouTube video of a retiree who loves living in Cuenca, Ecuador. The downsides are lack of political stability and limited infrastructure causing issues such as rolling blackouts.
Ecuador Travels
We would like to visit the Amazon forest in Ecuador and the city of Cuenca to experience the city and get an idea of what it would be like to retire in this beautiful city. There are some beautiful lodges and hotels in Ecuador, including the Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge and the Mindo Terra Bambu Hotel.
What about you?
Please post your comments below. We love hearing other’s experiences and thoughts!
Do you have a favorite meal, recipe or drink from Ecuador?
Do you have a favorite place that serves food from Ecuador?
Are you from Ecuador or have you ever visited?
Egypt is Up Next!
Do you have a favorite meal, recipe or drink from Egypt?
Photos
- shutterstock – View of El Panecillo in the center of Quito with the Cotopaxi in the background
- Cuenca Park: Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cathedrail: Arabsalam, CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Piazza: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Geodome: Jdpecuador, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Terra Bambu Hotel: Arabsalam, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rainforest: Jay, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lodge View: Don Henise, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
References
Britannica, Country Reports, Geography Now, Global Table Adventures, The Travel Book, shutterstock and Wikipedia.
