A Taste of Santiago

Pop quiz! Which condiment is in which bottle?  (Scroll to the end of the post to see answer.)

Over the past two weeks, we've had the pleasure of attending two "asados" or BBQs through Matt's job.  The first was held on the 17th story rooftop of his office, which had great views of Santiago.
The second was held in Parque O'Higgins, a sprawling public park filled with many other celebratory groups.  Lollapalooza Chile will actually be held in Parque O'Higgins next week!

The View from Matt's Office

Asasdo #1!

Asado #2- included everything from grilled pineapple, cheese, and meats to Korean BBQ with a homegrown/homemade sauce from one coworker's mother in Korea

Choripan- Chorizo and Pan (bread)

"Tocinitos" Bacon Inspired Potato Chips

When we're not at asados, we've been pretty good at picking up produce to cook at home.  While grocery stores are widely accessible,  it's a fun excursion to head to larger markets, such as La Vega in Santiago, or the Mercado Central of Valparaíso.  The 2nd story of the Valparaíso market was filled with restaurants, where we got "Chupe de Mariscos", a seafood stew, and "Pastel de Choclo", a Chilean take on Shepard's pie where the mashed potatoes are replaced with a sweet corn puree.

Mercado Central de Valparaíso

Restaurants on the 2nd Story of the Mercado (at 10am... so empty)

One of our favorite meals yet has been at Karen's 2011 host-mom's apartment for a home cooked meal of Porotos Granados, a bean-based vegetable stew. 

With Karen's 2011 Host Family

Out for drinks with our Start-Up Chile cohort

Answer: In Chile the red bottle is traditionally reserved for "Ají" or a pepper sauce, leaving green for ketchup.