2 hours ago, LindaK said:What an amazing market. I'm really curious about your learning curve with all the new fruits, vegetables, and grains when you first moved to Ecuador. Did you just start buying and tasting? Did you buy local cookbooks? Have the farmers/vendors been helpful?
I love the World of Bacalao!! Those displays are beautiful. I'm salivating at the smoked and salted grouper--omg, I've never seen it before, it seems like such a luxury. How is it used, esp. the smoked? I'm imagining chowder, salads...
I want grilled quail and fresh orange-coconut juice at my farmers' market!
I went to the markets and with my fractured Españglais, and much to the amusement of the ladies selling the fruit, started asking "what's this? How do I eat it? How many for $1?" I'd then buy however many that was, and eat/cook/process as instructed. Vendors and farmers are extremely good-humoured and helpful when you're obviously curious and eager to learn.
Local cookbooks are something of a mystery - recipes seem to be handed down within families rather than published, for the most part.
Smoked Mero is used the same way that any regular salt fish is, but it imparts a world more flavour. For those who really enjoy the salt-fishiness of Fanesca, smoked Mero amps it up to a new level. It also makes delicious croquettes. You might be amused to learn that Mero is considered the "poor man's bacalao" here - it's quite a bit cheaper than the "real deal." The whole hanging cod I showed is about $120 worth of fish; a Mero of similar size is only $50.