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The national food in Bolivia is both tasty and interesting.
Of course for those who would rather stick to the familiar,
there is an abundance of Chinese and deep fried chicken restaurants,
but it is well worth sampling and enjoying the diversity of
Bolivian food.
You will find that at higher altitude the food is spicier
and lunch is the main meal; in the lowlands however, the food
is drier, less spicy and is filled out with plantain and boiled
maize
A popular drink is 'chicha' , made from fermented maize.
Although this can be non-alcoholic it is usually drunk in
the form of a strongly brewed beer. Chicha is common in Bolivia;
sometimes , in more rural areas, its presence is established
by the white flags which hang outside chicha- selling outlets.
Street Food
In the markets it is not unusual to see large pails of escabeche
and quails' eggs being sold as snacks and accompaniments
very cheaply. Escabeche is typical of a certain style
of Latino cooking where the vegetables are pickled in vinegar,
and eaten as a side dish.
There is an abundance of fresh and dried vegetables and fruit,
noteably the unusually large avocados, perfect for
those wanting to stay healthy. The meat comes in such dishes
as Lomo Montado, a fried tenderloin steak with 2 fried
eggs, rice and fried banana; however more often than not it
comes concealed within a stew or thick sauce - taking away
any sense of what you are eating. For those who are not serious
meat eaters at the best of times, you may find yourself becoming
vegetarian whilst here!
The street food here is a cultural as well as food experience.
There are no guarantees on hygiene, so this may not appeal
to the more cautious but many travellers do eat this food
and find it highly enjoyable. On street corner stalls you
will find tucanos and saltenas being sold at
an incredible rate; both of these are extremely popular Bolivian
variations on the empenada and consist of a mixture
of diced meats, chives, raisins, potatoes, hot sauce and pepper
baked in dough.
To really get involved in the Bolivian culture and to eat
a hearty and comforting meal visit the makeshift street
cafes found in many town squares. Amidst their mass of
petticoats, the Bolivian women sit and cook macaroni stews
with potatoes and rich juices or even a sample of fried guinea
pig! Surrounded by steaming pots, ladling the stew into
tin bowls, the women invite you to sit on wobbly dining benches
and eat your lunch whilst conversing with the locals as they
take their well earned lunchbreak.
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