Pisco is the national liquor of Chile, however if you ask a Peruvian they might say otherwise. Chile and Peru have been battling out who is the original producer of Pisco. The debate has made the courts, but as far as I know...neither country has won.
Pisco is a liquor made from fermented Grapes. It is used to make a drink, the national drink, Pisco Sour. As I have said before it is to Chile as the Margarita is to Mexico. The drink consists of Pisco (3 parts), Limon de Pico (1 part, which is like a key lime?), ice, and sugar. Put it in a blender, mix it up, and you have a pisco sour. There are variations of course, but I really can´t tell the difference. I haven´t tasted a bad one yet! ha!
Other Pisco drinks include Mango Sour and Chirimoya Sour. These are known to be aparativos...before dinner drinks. Also, people mix Pisco with Coca-cola.
Another popular drink is Vaina. It is very nice for a cold day because it warms up your insides. This isn´t to say that any alcohol won´t do that...but it is just a warmer beverage, kind of like drinking a dark beer on a winter day...more appropriate than a light Corona.
The Vaina is....
60 ml Sherry
30 ml chocolate liqueur
30 ml cognac
2 -3 tbsp powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
When they told me there was an egg yolk in the drink I was a little taken aback...but, because it is so tastey, you just don´t think about it. You might srinkle a little cinnamin on top for extra flavor.
Punche (punch) is another tasty beverage...champaign, vino blanco, and pineapplie juice for the one I tried....but, they also have peach, mango, strawberry (which is made with vino tinto...red wine)...so, you can play around with that one.
Chicha is another tasty beverage (gosh, I am starting to feel like a lush). This is something Chileans drink during the September 18 holiday. I had a small glass. It is very sweet. I tried to look up the recipe but it doesn´t appear to be what I was told...so...you will have to wait on that one.
Of course, Chileans drink alot of wine. Beer is available of course. The brew Kuntsman is very popular with a nice selection. Their brewery is in Valdivia. Crystal and Escudo are two others I have tried. They are alright. I haven´t seen or noticed Budweiser, Coors, or any of the top brands from the US. But, the guy who works at the casino at school (casino being the place to buy snacks...it was the Canteen in Ireland) wears a Coors Light hat. His Amigo sent it to him.
Some other odd things Chileans do with beverages of the alcoholic sort...Fanshop (sp?). It is orange fanta with beer. I still haven´t tried it, but I will before I leave. I have to. Also, they mix red wine and coca-cola. Again, another something I need to break down and try before I leave...there is just something very unappealing with the two combinations that I can´t get past right now. But, it could be something like the peanut butter cheeseburger at T-bocks in Decorah, Iowa...it doesn´t sound appealing but, by golly, it is delicious!
On a special occassion you might have a shot of amaretto, hazelnut, whiskey, or another liqueur for an after dinner drink...a sipping sort of shot.
So, there you have kind of an idea of the beverages I have been tasting in Chile....beverages of the alcohol sort. Of the non-alcohol sort it is coffee, tea, juice, and flavored milk. Yes, flavored. Papaya, Mango, Chirimoya, Strawberries, vanilla, and more. It is really like watered down yogurt. They have normal milk in the box. It is ok. It isn´t the same as milk at home, but it will do. Just don´t buy the skim milk. It tends to be chunky. I was drinking a class of it one day and felt all these chunks in my mouth and I spit them right back into the glass. My host mom looked at me and said, yep, ok, we won´t buy skim milk anymore. We have juice too, orange, peach, nectorine, apple (the apple is delicious here...like watered down apple sauce), and other flavors. Nothing too out of the ordinary. I buy regular juice for myself, but the family buys light. Everything is light here. People are crazy about light products. I don´t trust light, so I buy the normal one. We drink a flavored tea after dinner...like mint. It is better for digestion they tell me. I don´t always drink it though.
Cappaccino here isn´t cappaccino at Starbucks. It is coffee with a ton of whipped cream on top. There is a tasty Cafe helado...which is coffee and icecream with whipped cream on top. It is super good. I am certain it is instant coffee in chocolate milk, poured over icecream...but I need to try it. Tasty!
Alright, next I will have to give a food rundown...BUT, for now...I am going to bed. Buenas noches....
jami
jami
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