eG Foodblog: Panaderia Canadiense - Salt Cod, Squash, and Sweets: Semana Santa in the Sierra

[Anna N]

   Can you tell us more about the empanadas, please.  I thought they were fat sausages. They are certainly unlike any empanadas I am  familiar with.  Your breads look amazing.  

[Panaderia Canadiense]

45 minutes ago, Anna N said:

   Can you tell us more about the empanadas, please.  I thought they were fat sausages. They are certainly unlike any empanadas I am  familiar with.  Your breads look amazing.  

 

They're bread pockets stuffed with meat and veggies in sauces - we fold them basically like big tortellini; they're about a quarter pound each.  This size, the range of gourmet fillings, and the fact that they're baked rather than fried, sets them apart from standard Latino empanadas.  Our product is closer in size to what's called an Empanada Chileña, and closest in character to a calzone.

 

Here's the basket packed for delivery, and the totes that carry the extra stock.  I've got about $150 worth of food to deliver today.

[Shelby]

When do you sleep????  I'm SO impressed!  

[Panaderia Canadiense]

6 minutes ago, Shelby said:

When do you sleep????  I'm SO impressed!  

 

If you don't do anything other than shop, eat, and post to eGullet, you too can produce this volume of goodies and still get a solid 6 hours a night!

 

Seriously though, Stepdad takes the night shift and is responsible for bagels and empanadas, and for baking the spirals; Mom works alongside me during the day.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Panaderia Canadiense (log)

[kayb]

Again,wonderful blog. I'm all amazed at the huge range of food choices, and your daily routine serves as a fine example of how much work it takes to succeed in one's small business, particularly if that business is food related. I often have friends for whom I cook ask me why I don't open a restaurant; my answer, consistently, is "I don't want to work that hard." My utmost admiration to you for making a success of your business through, obviously, a LOT of hard work!

 

[Anna N]

@Panaderia Canadiense

 

 Thank you very much for your explanation of the empanadas. I wish you could drone a couple over to me

 

 

[Deryn]

I don't care how you describe that swordfish dinner (though I much prefer your down to earth rendition to those of the pretentious) - I would be eating what you made with 'gusto' were I lucky enough to be invited. Swordfish is my very favorite fish and I get it so very rarely that it is a special treat. It has been some time since I tasted it but, through your pictures and words, I feel as though I have just had my fill for the next while.

 

Silly question, but, is it easy and relatively inexpensive in Ambato to obtain all those packaging materials you use for your baked goods? I also noticed that a lot of the prepared foods in the market/on the street, even those which may have a warm or hot component, seem to be served out of plastic bags - which I think is a great idea (and one I never see up here). Is that the norm there or is styrofoam ubiquitous too and we just didn't see that where you were?

[Panaderia Canadiense]

1 hour ago, Deryn said:

Silly question, but, is it easy and relatively inexpensive in Ambato to obtain all those packaging materials you use for your baked goods? I also noticed that a lot of the prepared foods in the market/on the street, even those which may have a warm or hot component, seem to be served out of plastic bags - which I think is a great idea (and one I never see up here). Is that the norm there or is styrofoam ubiquitous too and we just didn't see that where you were?

 

There are a number of shops that carry the kind of packaging I use, all of which is oxy-biodegradable plastic based on either corn or plantain polymers.  The bags add about 1/4 cent to the cost of the item; the hard-shell boxes I use for cake are $0.13 each, and the aluminum cups I use for crisps and custards are about $0.05 each.  Styrofoam is frowned upon heavily here - foam plates show up at some events, but the bags, which are cheaper and far more environmentally friendly, are much more the norm.  Foam cups aren't even all that common - for hot drinks on the go you'll either be handed waxed cardboard with a little sleeve or a doubled-up plastic cup wrapped in a napkin.

 

Ecuador is tremendously eco-conscious.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Well, you learn something new every year…. This year, I learned that more than 3/4 of my clients take this entire week off without telling anyone (except, I hope, their employers….)  It's all good, though, because if I hadn't gone out to deliver, I never would have gotten my favourite breakfast ever: Empanadas de Morocho!

 

 

They're normally 25 cents each, but Don Hernan gave me an extra for yapa.  Empanadas de Morocho are smallish pockets of flint-corn dough wrapped around a filling of shredded chicken, cabbage, and peppers, and then fried until they're nice and crispy.  I habitually eat them for breakfast on delivery days, because my route takes me right past here.

 

Don Hernan, the friendly proprietor and cook, also makes fried maduros, fritada, chulpi (a crunchy toasted corn, onion, and bacon-bit snack mix), and sometimes also Empanada Chileña (which he didn't have today).

 

Las Fritadas de la Hada is one of Ambato's best-kept secrets.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Also on today's rounds, a real food court.  If you ask an Ambateño where the patio de comidas is, you won't ever get directions to the mall.  They'll send you to the top story of one of the downtown markets.  I was here to drop off a bucket of soup for my friend Carmita, who sells pernil.  She didn't want her photo taken, but her neighbours, Michele and Matty, did!  That's a whole leg of pernil on Matty's counter.

 

This food court, at the Mercado Central, has a bit of everything and even though it's just the beginning of the lunch rush it's fairly busy (much busier than the mall, yesterday!)  It's the only one amongst the mercados that has big, well-patronized seafood places.  Brisa Marina is actually an established restaurant elsewhere in the city; this is its market outlet.

 

A main feature of the patio de comidas are the juice bars.  Anything you want, juiced fresh to order, with or without added fresh yogurt.

 

Calditos de 31 are beef tripe soups - the 31 refers to the number of different textures you can experience while eating it.  This place also specializes in Caldo de Tronco, which is not what it sounds like (spoiler alert: it's bull penis soup).  This is really hearty, really popular fare typical of the central highlands.  You can also buy tripes by the pound from them, and make your own 31.

 

And no mercado in Ambato could have a food court without Llapingachos!  Doña Olympia, in the blue smock, has occupied this stall in the market along with her mother (who didn't come in today) for more than 50 years.

 

I also discovered that you can't wander around the patio de comidas taking photos without strangers wanting to be immortalized for this very foodblog.  These gentlemen were finishing up their lunch of Encebollado (a strong red onion and tomato soup with tuna belly) and Mote con Chicharrones (exploded corn with the Ecuadorian equivalent of salty, spicy, sweet bacon bits.)  As you can see by their table, it's possible to order juice by the pony jug to share; they're drinking Batido de Mora (blackberry and yoghurt shake).

 

Honestly, I was really here to drop off the soup and for chicken, which comes from a shop just across from the mercado.  I didn't have time to go in to the butcher's today, so that will have to wait for Thursday.

[rotuts]

WoW  !

 

B.P.S.

 

a bit different down there than the BPS here !

 

Im thinking of liquidating my various 'positions'  

 

packing up the 'cash' in a very small suitcase

 

and moving to your general area

 

..

[blue_dolphin]

@Panaderia Canadiense, thank you for another wonderful blog!  You are doing marvelous job!

Could you elaborate a bit on the logistics of moving all that food about and selling it to your clients?  

How do you transport your wares on your regular delivery rounds?  I can see you carrying that basket prettily over your arm, but how about all those totes?  Car, truck, handcart, public transport?  Same question for your market trips.  You mentioned buying a hefty amount of flour and then catching a "truck-taxi."  Are you hauling the flour around the market in some sort of cart and then flagging down this truck-taxi?  Or maybe its an Uber-like service?  

When you are out and about on your delivery rounds, are you actually selling items and making change for people or do you just invoice your accounts on some regular basis?  

 

If these questions stray too far from the world of food for eG blog standards, feel free to ignore them but do accept my thanks for sharing so much!

[Deryn]

Panaderia, have you tried the Caldo de Tronco? My dog loves the dried version of the main ingredient you mentioned, but, I am not sure my tastes would extend that far unless I didn't know what it was. I would bet that, properly prepared, it is delicious but sometimes I would just prefer not to know the recipe first.

 

Sorry that you are not able to sell all your wonderful baked goods this week after all. Can you freeze them?

 

p.s. Thanks for all your answers so far, especially for the insight into packaging, etc. in response to my last crazy question.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Deryn (log)

[rotuts]

@Deryn  

 

lots of things we don't want to know about before hand are delicious.

 

Im wondering why  ' BPS'  was singled out for its one Rendition ?

 

Caldo Viagra ?  tastier Im sure  cheaper to boot.

 

what do the do with the  ""  bolas """

Edited March 22, 2016 by rotuts (log)

[Panaderia Canadiense]

26 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

@Panaderia Canadiense, thank you for another wonderful blog!  You are doing marvelous job!

Could you elaborate a bit on the logistics of moving all that food about and selling it to your clients?  

How do you transport your wares on your regular delivery rounds?  I can see you carrying that basket prettily over your arm, but how about all those totes?  Car, truck, handcart, public transport?  Same question for your market trips.  You mentioned buying a hefty amount of flour and then catching a "truck-taxi."  Are you hauling the flour around the market in some sort of cart and then flagging down this truck-taxi?  Or maybe its an Uber-like service?  

When you are out and about on your delivery rounds, are you actually selling items and making change for people or do you just invoice your accounts on some regular basis?  

 

If these questions stray too far from the world of food for eG blog standards, feel free to ignore them but do accept my thanks for sharing so much!

 

I'm not sure it's visible in the photos, @blue_dolphin, but the totes are bungee'd on to a pair of small hand-carts, the right size to fit easily and comfortably into a standard yellow taxi.  Stepdad accompanies me on delivery rounds, and he drags the carts.

 

Market trips involve similar hand-carts with cloth bags that strap onto them; the flour is bought at the last stop - I actually leave it in Klever's charge if I have things to buy further down the market, then return for it.  The truck-taxi (this is a formal taxi service, registered just like yellows, for small cargo - they're half-ton pickups in white with a green stripe, so they're very obvious and easy to spot) is found within the Mayorista and hired to move all the goodies.  Nothing like Uber here, unless you have a lot of friends with cars and free time on their hands.  Truck-taxis can be hired to move everything from your groceries to your house to that cow you just bought at auction.

 

I am actually selling items and making change for most of the delivery rounds; some clients run a tab which they settle up after payday.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Panaderia Canadiense (log)

[Deryn]

@rotuts: Tapas.

 

Sometimes ignorance can be bliss.

[blue_dolphin]

@Panaderia Canadiense, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions when you have so much to do.  I'm looking forward to the rest of the week!

[Panaderia Canadiense]

27 minutes ago, Deryn said:

Panaderia, have you tried the Caldo de Tronco? My dog loves the dried version of the main ingredient you mentioned, but, I am not sure my tastes would extend that far unless I didn't know what it was. I would bet that, properly prepared, it is delicious but sometimes I would just prefer not to know the recipe first.

 

Sorry that you are not able to sell all your wonderful baked goods this week after all. Can you freeze them?

 

p.s. Thanks for all your answers so far, especially for the insight into packaging, etc. in response to my last crazy question.

 

I have, and I knew what it was before I tried it.  The flavour of the broth is quite nice, the meat somewhat rubbery - it's not left whole, but sliced into chunks.  It's not something I'll go out of my way to eat, but if it was the only thing on the menu I wouldn't have a problem eating it.

 

The remainder of the goodies from today will sell tomorrow in Baños at a slightly reduced price; I'm not worried.  If the bus is not too full, I can usually sell quite a bit to my fellow passengers by standing up once we're underway, telling some jokes, and then offering a taste of Canada.

 

25 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@Deryn  

 

lots of things we don't want to know about before hand are delicious.

 

Im wondering why  ' BPS'  was singled out for its one Rendition ?

 

Caldo Viagra ?  tastier Im sure  cheaper to boot.

 

what do the do with the  ""  bolas """

 

You're more on-point than you might think.  Caldo de Tronco is very popular amongst young men....  The huevos del toro are a different preparation, usually fried.

[IowaDee]

In other words, they are the Andes version of Rocky Mountain Oysters! I too am loving your blog.  How great that you Mom and Step Dad pitch in as well.  Did they ever envision a retirement like they have?  It all sounds wonderful and put me down for a spot in that egullet colony.  

[rotuts]

no other reason than what's been mentioned to take the time and trouble to separate out the ' you know what '

 

[ed.: he was going to say 'bone' but didn't]

 

[kbjesq]

Oh my my my 

You truly are making your adopted homeland irresistible! 

 

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Oh no, we derailed!  Anyone with questions about non-food related aspects of living here should send me a PM - here is not the place for digressions into economic questions. 

 

To re-rail us, here was lunch.  Borscht re-heats, but with real sour cream this time (instead of sour yoghurt), and black bread bagels with cream-cheese.  Yes, that's the chocolate sub-zero porter I'm drinking as an accompaniment.  It's lovely.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

If you're curious to know what I've been doing all day, the answer is The Breadlympics.  Tomorrow's Baños trip is based on orders there, and that in turn means 5 different types of yeast bread, and an additional two soda bread types besides.  Overall, it will be 480 oz, give or take, of yeasted breads and another 160 oz or so of soda breads.  Breadlympics is an endurance marathon sort of event.

 

[Deryn]

You deserve a Gold medal for more than just the Breadlympic category, Panaderia!

[Wayne]

Very evocative blog and again great photos.

Brings back a lot of memories which trigger some questions. Apologies beforehand if they've already been covered.

Is Cuy popular in Ecuador? I remember eating a lot of it prepared many ways.

Coca leaves were almost always available in the Peruvian markets to be chewed as a mild stimulant with about the same effect as a double expresso or two. Always in the high altitude villages. Does/did the practice extend to Ecuador?

Other things are the sheer variety of potatoes available, ceviche, great tasting chicken and the variety of soup/stew combinations.

Sorry for rambling down memory lane 

Cheers.