358871 Wed Jan 10 14:37:16 -0800 2007 19 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 2172716 My husband will be traveling to Ecuador next week. Are there any edibles I should ask him to bring back? Wed Jan 10 14:37:16 -0800 2007 49600 CindyJ 1 2172728 Not everyone loves it but ask him to bring you a few bars of melcocha, a type of molasses toffee. It's very cheap and VERY available and not sweet. I love it. Wed Jan 10 14:41:29 -0800 2007 2172716 49959 thegolferbitch 1 2172744 If you like wine, I'm sure they have some excellent choices from Chile and Argentina there. Wed Jan 10 14:48:25 -0800 2007 2172716 11222 Infomaniac 2 2172893 I'm wondering how easy/difficult it is to bring wine aboard an airplane these days. Wed Jan 10 15:22:53 -0800 2007 2172744 49600 CindyJ 3 2173105 You can not bring wine bottles on board. I have wrapped and packed them well in my luggage and never had a problem. I've also used styrofoam shippers and sent them before I leave. Wed Jan 10 16:09:32 -0800 2007 2172893 11222 Infomaniac 1 2173331 How about a can of Si Cafe ground coffee. I think it's made by the Nescafe people. Wed Jan 10 17:00:30 -0800 2007 2172716 18155 sandrina 1 2174474 Ask him for Galletas Amor, they have strawberry, dulce de leche, vanilla, coconut, etc. they are like thin wafer cookies and are great. Also Tango, it is a cookie covered in chocolate with a vanilla filling, it is really good. They have milk chocolate and white chocolate Tango. What else... the canned tuna in Ecuador is really good, I personally like it very much. Pan de yuca is great but I don't think he can bring that, it is a small cheese bread made with yuca flour. Wed Jan 10 20:48:00 -0800 2007 2172716 14379 sf0518 2 2174563 Where is he flying from and what's his schedule? They sell pan de yuca in the Guayaquil airport, though it's not the best, it's at one of the chains in the food court near the check-in counters. As far as I know, they don't have that chain at the Quito airport....more 'homemade' pan de yuca might also be good re-heated the next day, so that would be awesome. Ecuador has really great lollipops, especially mora (blackberry) flavored, filled with gum. Dulce de guayaba is great, this is often sold in the same places that sell melcochas (mentioned above). Depending on where he can shop, one can find great vanilla extract and cinnamon. There's a type of cookie (made in Argentina or Brazil I think) called 'donuts' but they are really cookies in the shape of donuts. They sell this in any grocery store in the cookie aisle. I loved these when I lived in Chile, and also had them in Ecuador. I also like the Amor cookies mentioned above, although some flavors are gross IMO. I'd stick w/ chocolate or vanilla. I will keep thinking about this...I spent five months in Ecuador last year and I think I'm forgetting things. Dave MP Wed Jan 10 21:05:50 -0800 2007 2174474 21930 Dave MP 3 2175750 He'll be flying in and out of Quito, spending a couple of days there, and six days who-knows-where, whitewater kayaking. I think his only shopping opportunities will be in Quito. Thu Jan 11 02:14:45 -0800 2007 2174563 49600 CindyJ 4 2175949 Handcrafts, especially textiles, are probably a better purchase than food items. Most of the interesting foods are perishable, while many manufactured foods are poor quality imitations of foreign products. Things like tostados (corn nuts), garampinadas (chocolate coated peanuts), plaintain chips, or dried bananas would travel ok, but I wouldn't use up my baggage allowance for them. I wouldn't try to bring back anything liquid in a glass container, even in checked baggage. paulj Thu Jan 11 03:25:02 -0800 2007 2175750 12139 paulj 5 2176977 I've heard that articles made of alpaca are particularly good -- blankets, scarves, hats, etc. Those are already on my shopping list. Thu Jan 11 15:03:25 -0800 2007 2175949 49600 CindyJ 6 2177536 I bought two hammocks in Quito that are great....made of colorful fabric, really comfortable. You can lie in them and enjoy the treats you bring back. Another place I thought of: in the Mariscal in Quito there's a place that I forget the name of, but I know it's at the corner of Reina Victoria and Foch in the little plaza there. They specialize in chocolate, and have hot chocolate and cold chocolate drinks. They also had good ice cream, and i think good desserts and coffee. Dave MP Thu Jan 11 17:10:52 -0800 2007 2176977 21930 Dave MP 6 2178407 A day trip to the Otavalo Market is definitely worthwhile. Lots of beautiful textiles in addition to local chow. I believe it's approximately a 2 hour ride from Quito. Thu Jan 11 20:00:15 -0800 2007 2176977 18155 sandrina 1 2174827 Chocolates by Chocolateca, a small Ecuadoran boutique chocolatier, started by some American expat women. www.chocolateca.com.ec They are located at Orellana 1349 y Amazonas Ecuador produces consistently high quality raw chocolate for export but what's sold locally is generally very sweet. Chocolateca produces dark chocolate specialties that appeal to American and European tastes and caters to the diplomatic and expat communities. When we lived there, we bought kilos of the stuff for parties and gifts. My favorite was the orange peel dipped in dark chocolate. Wed Jan 10 21:55:02 -0800 2007 2172716 32444 MakingSense 2 2175176 Another place for chocolate is Kallari, an organization that has a store in Quito. Here's a link to their website: http://www.kallari.com/ I bought some nice bars of good dark chocolate there, I definitely recommend these. I also drank the hot chocolate that they sell, and while this is good, I didn't think it was anything super special. But the bars and the organization itself are pretty cool. Dave MP Wed Jan 10 23:19:19 -0800 2007 2174827 21930 Dave MP 3 2175325 Is there still a semi sweet chocolate brand Superior? Pound bars in a yellow wrapper? That was good hiking food many years ago. I thought Si Cafe was Ecuador's alternative to the Columbian Nescafe. paulj Wed Jan 10 23:56:26 -0800 2007 2175176 12139 paulj 1 2175753 Thanks! I'm putting together quite a shopping list. Hubby will be thrilled, I'm sure. :) Thu Jan 11 02:15:44 -0800 2007 2172716 49600 CindyJ 1 2175771 the best things in Ecuador are ones you can't take out... but if he gets a chance: 1 - street hot dogs in gringolandia in quito (near all the bars) - these hot dogs are incredible, get them "con todo" including the crushed potato chips 2 - Shrimp ceviche. Ceviche in Quito is different because they use a little ketchup. On the coast it's pretty amazing. 3- If he's going rafting he'll prolly go to Atacames area, where they have fantastic llapingachos and smashed plaintains fried with hot sauce.... 4- Any fresh fruit, even oranges, will be an experience out of this world. I never saw fruit or tasted so many different fresh things in my life. I'm jealous To bring back? His wife on the next trip! Last time I left Ecuador I brought back 2 bottles of the local moonshine aka Zhumir (con limon adds a little nice taste). $2 a bottle and will leave you remembering your trip for a long time. - Stan http://www.sandiegofoodblog.com san diego food blog Thu Jan 11 02:20:44 -0800 2007 2172716 19116 stangoldsmith 1 2182743 For galletas Amor chocolate, vanilla and strawberry are good. Mani Cris is also really good, it is peanuts with a shell which is crunchy, don't ask me what the shell is made of but is really good. Fri Jan 12 20:18:53 -0800 2007 2172716 14379 sf0518 2 2183467 I am not familiar with the Mani Cris brand, but I suspect these are garrapinadas. Peanuts (mani) are cooked in a cocoa flavored sugar syrup until the syrup dries up and starts to melt. Then they are cooled, leaving a crisp shell around the peanuts. While particularly popular in Ecuador, I believe it is based on a traditional Spanish almond confection. paulj Fri Jan 12 23:18:47 -0800 2007 2182743 12139 paulj