Where is All the Fruit in Ecuador?

Just sitting on my patio and looking out to my back yard gives me a gentle reminder of what I love about Ecuador: two coconut trees, three of banana, four papaya and two mangos offer their shade and their fruit to my wife and I. In fact Ecuador as a whole is the source to a long list of great fruits and vegetables. So why does the typical lunch include huge servings of white rice and pureed potatoes?

Even the international fast food chains have jumped on the rice and beans bandwagon. You can get these two staples as side dishes at such junk food giants as KFC though the infamous McDonald's has stuck with its standard North American options.

Though the specific delicacies of Ecuador vary from region to region, there are some things you're going to find in just about any restaurant across the country. That's assuming you stay away from the "American food" places in big hotels and start looking for some authentic and fantastic Ecuadorian food.

Most meals are going to revolve around a soup and a rice-based dish. Sounds plain? Well, you'll still find more variety than you can possibly sample. Soups are broth or cream based, and can be loaded with meat, fish or vegetables. Typical Ecuador vegetables tend to lean to the starchy side, like plantain, potatoes, cassava and yucca. But many meals are served with asparagus, broccoli, and other familiar greens.

The meats served with rice are usually chicken or pork, but you can't ignore the more exotic cuy (known more commonly as the guinea pig). And speaking of cuy, here are a few of the "must try" dishes in Ecuador cuisine:

Cuy (Guinea Pig)

Yes, you did read that right. One of the most traditional meats in Ecuador is the little guinea pig. It can be served up in many different ways, but roasted or grilled whole is the most common. Find some cuy from a street vendor, and you'll be tasting one of Ecuador's most famous signature dishes. Just be prepared to enjoy the entire beast. It's typical to eat the brains, feet and everything in between. Eating whole cuy is a bit of a challenge due to all the bones so you'll have your work cut out for you, and it's not the cheapest meal on the menu. Still, you can't go to Ecuador and not have cuy at least once. And in case you're curious, the meat kind of tastes like duck.

Ceviche

This is another dish that Ecuador is famous for, though it is more of a coastal thing. If you're staying in the highlands, it might not be on the menu as often. It's a cold soup made with a mix of fish, other seafood and zesty lime juice. Try it as a starter before your main meal.

Llapingachos

One last treat that you should have on your list of things to eat in Ecuador is the llapingacho. It's a pretty simple little snack of a fried potato and cheese patty. Sounds simple, but it's very tasty and available just about everywhere.

Back to my original question of "why?" so little fruit and vegetables, I'm not sure I can really pin down an answer to that. It's mainly due to the economy for the average Ecuadorian. When there isn't much money around, you choose the cheapest and most filling foods out that and that usually means starches (like rice, yucca, plantains), beans and a few local meats. And so, the cuisine of Ecuador has been built around these humble foundations.

Now, I really can't say that there is no fruit in a typical Ecuador menu. A whole mix of wonderful fruit juices and smoothies are available just about anywhere you go. You can sample a whole new range of sweet juices that are virtually unheard of in North America. Try a fresh glass of maracuya, guanaba or tomate de arbol (tree tomatoes). You won't be disappointed. If you prefer something more familiar, you'll find lots of  drinks with mango, papaya, coconut and pineapple juices, too.