Expat Life: Food for Thought

Cynthia:  When you told me you’d read about an expat opening an artisanal food market on Saturday I knew to start making plans for that day.

Edd:  You bet. The ad promised fresh breads and pastries, cheeses, organic produce, wines, aged meats, and a bunch of other stuff like coffee, honey, homemade chocolates. How could we miss it?!

C:  Gosh, hearing you rattle off that list makes me think about our early days as expats here in Cuenca. Were we looking for things like aged meat and organic produce back then? Heck, no—we were sometimes just trying to figure out how to get home!

E:  The expanded selection of food choices over the years has been amazing. I remember how excited we were when the supermarket first started carrying rotisserie chickens! Now we can buy Heinz ketchup and Grey Poupon mustard, exotic mushrooms, European wines. And places like this new artisanal market can open and make a go of it.

C:  So off we strolled on a glorious sunny afternoon with blue skies and perfect temps. You remarked that at an event like this we’d probably run into folks we haven’t seen in a long time. Sure enough, the first person we see when we walk through the door is Lina, our Cuencana friend who pretty much “adopted” us when we arrived.

E:  For sure a special angel sent to guide us on this crazy journey. She helped us find our apartment, introduced us to so many people, even hosted a surprise Hello Kitty birthday party for you. How great it was to see her again!

C:  Such fond memories! Then we immediately bump into a couple we met last year after they’d contacted us prior to their scouting trip to Cuenca. Now here they were again after recently relocating, excitedly telling us about the house they rented and how they had been “adopted” by a local family.

E:  I said, “Ha. Let me introduce you to the lady who adopted us 9 years ago!” It was past time for lunch so we headed to a popular nearby restaurant right beside the Tomebamba River. Of course, we find people there who had also just been at the market. Expats tend to cluster.

C:  The fish and chips at this place are to die for and the shrimp is the best I’ve had anywhere in the city. Always so fresh and plentiful. And that panko crust...yum!

E:  Plus a mountain of fresh cut curly fries. Maybe not the healthiest meal on the planet but once in awhile what the heck.

C:  Well, I did substitute salad for the fries. You know, I was surprised you didn’t order the burger. I tease you about being on a never-ending quest for the best burger in Cuenca. So far, the one here is at the top of the list.

E:  Sure is. I’m noticing this chat is turning out to be mostly about food.

C:  Well, you think and talk about food a lot!

E:  And not to disappoint, I’m about to mention how we stopped by the ice cream shop on the way home. I could hear the call of that liter of vanilla and coffee goodness beckoning from afar.

C:  Oh, brother. I guess the two fancy pastries you bought were also calling your name.

E:  Absolutely! After all that walking, socializing, and eating, there was only one thing to do when we got home. My favorite part of Latin American culture—a siesta.

C:  You’re such a knucklehead. But I was ready for a nap too. What a fun day, right? Wandering around in our beautiful neighborhood, visiting with friends old and new, enjoying fab food. Expat life has been good to us, hasn’t it?

E:  Indeed it has, my love.