Almuerzo

Almuerzo today in Cuenca at our favorite place

The Spanish word almuerzo, directly translated into English, means lunch. But most Ecuadorians do not do lunch like Americans do lunch. Ecuador is not a world of scarf-it-down, in-transit PB&J, grilled cheese, or pre-made salads, and it is definitely not something to be crammed into a quick break between work or school.  

Almuerzo is the largest and most important meal of the day in Ecuador.  Most school schedules are based on getting students and teachers home for almuerzo -- school runs 7:30am -12:30pm --  and work schedules and business hours ensure that workers get adequate time to consume almuerzo, ideally followed by a siesta. While, sadly, the two hour lunch break and accompanying siesta seems to be fading for many Ecuadorian workers, almuerzos remain the standard.  Certainly my family and friends in La Josefina eat almuerzo at home with their families most days. My friend, Karen, who works twelve hour shifts in a farm goods store, is supplied with hot almuerzo by her employer as part of her pay. 

Almuerzos out (aka menús del día) are widely available in small towns and big cities all over Ecuador and range between $2.00 to $3.50. They are definitely the way to eat between 12-3 pm in Ecuador if you want to be guaranteed a tasty home-cooked meal. Being on the road in Cuenca for the last week has granted us more opportunities to eat almuerzos out (at home in La Josefina, I was cooking, and almuerzos are not my specialty). I admit that I do really enjoy a good Ecuadorian almuerzo, especially if I don't have to make it.

Any good almuerzo starts with a big bowl of sopa (soup). Ecuadorians are master soup-makers, almost always featuring delicious broths -- chicken soup, bean soup, quinoa soup, corn and spinach soups. You name it, it will be yummy.  Brynna, in particular, consistently slurps up the chicken soup with abandon. I was taught that creamed soups in Ecuador (e.g. creamed spinach, potato, or carrot soups) should be accompanied by a little bowl of popcorn that gets tossed in right before you take a scoop. Think oyster crackers in chowder. But here in Cuenca, it seems a bowl of popcorn, mote or choclo accompanies any soup. This is convenient because both Dillon and Brynna are digging soup for lunch, so they start in, while the rest of us munch on the popcorn until the segundo arrives. Paul and I get to be clean-up on soup. There is always plenty for us.

The segundo, as I have mentioned in previous posts, is not complete without a hefty serving of rice (Jonah's favorite Ecuadorian food), accompanied by some sort of meat (usually chicken or beef, sometimes fish), a menestra of some sorts (this is a puree of lentils or beans, sometimes potatoes) and an ensalada. Here, I will stop to warn you that Ecuadorian ensaladas are nothing like US salads. They generally are a few tablespoons of a veggie doused in lemon and salt (yum), e.g. chopped tomatoes with onions, tomatoes and avocado, sometimes even macaroni or potatoes with peas and carrots. Sometimes the ensaladas are surprisingly good -- this week we had one with lettuce, strawberries and sesame seeds -- but not dependably so. 

Brynna seems to be on a rice boycott these days (unfortunate considering it's the staple), but usually she's full enough with soup and popcorn, that Jonah gets first dibs at the segundo. Dillon usually enjoys this part too.

In addition to the sopa and segundo, there is always fresh fruit juice. And in Cuenca, we don't have to stress about water safety because the water here is potable (hallelujah!). The juice of the day can be anything from pineapple to passion fruit to naranjilla to lemonade to horchata (different than Mexican horchata, Ecuadorian horchata is a pink mix of herbs and rose essence). Regardless, it is always delicious and often a hefty glass. I was telling a friend back home this week that we hardly ever drink juices in the US, but juices are definitely a daily (if not twice daily) indulgence in Ecuador. 

As it goes, the five of us are perfectly content with two almuerzos, despite Paul's Spanish tutor being appalled that we eat "so little" and my friend Lucia accusing me of not giving my children enough food on a daily basis. But seriously two big bowls of soup, two plates of rice plus meat plus salad, and two glasses of fruit juice. ¡Basta! Sometimes, there's even a dessert to boot. 

If Dillon is deciding on our almuerzo of the day, he bases his judgement almost completely on the homemade ají, the spicy salsa that sits on the table to add to the meal. I base my choice almost entirely on the vibe of the place and the soup choice. Jonah is happy as long as there is rice (the whiter and bigger the portion, the better). Brynna's main concern is the juice. And Paul's best measure of a good almuerzo is an interesting menestra and good meat. 

Taking all those into account, we have officially found our favorite almuerzo place in Cuenca: a little hole in the wall that Paul found close to his Spanish school with just a few mesas, quaint woven tablecloths, a single cook and server, and a cute little old man daily customer in a suit and tie who shared his ají with us.  This was the woman who managed strawberries and sesame seeds on lettuce and a delicious bean soup. 

Two thumbs up from us! 

Cafetería Zaidita, Cuenca

Bienvenidos/Welcome

Dillon and Brynna enjoying a shared soup

Spicy Ají (Dillon's favorite)

Lentil soup with accompanying popcorn

Jonah and his rice plate

Papaya juice (not our favorite)