About Chile  |
A country of unique beauty that offers the widest variety of attractive areas such us the Patagonia, Cruises to the end of the world and to millennial glaciers, abundant rivers and lakes for Fly fishing. Chile has a highly varied geography as numerous climates. In the North, between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean lies the Atacama Desert, the most arid desert in the world, with very hot and dry temperatures and no rain. The Central area has a very agreeable climate with very hot months - December to February - and cold months in winter, June to August. In the Lakes´ Region and Patagonia temperatures are cold and rainy during winter and cool weather during summer. The capital city, Santiago, is also the heart of the economic and political activities of the country. The impressive and strong economical growing, makes Chile to be one of the most attractive countries for new investments. Chile counts with more than 16 ski stations and is considered one of the best places in the world to practice snow sports, mostly from June to October. The most complete ski station is Vale Nevado, only one hour from the capital, Santiago. About Chilean Foods  Chile's rich history has translated into a variety of food styles. Traditional favorites, such as sumitas, pastel de choclo and porotos granados continue to please locals and visitors to the area. U.S. consumers' interest in Latin foods has put this country into the spotlight. Chileans probably eat more seafood than any other Latin American country. The country is located on the western side of Latin America; its coastline measures approximately 4,000 miles. Many Chilean prepared meals include some type of seafood ingredient. Salmon, king crab, scallops, abalone, eel, mussels, large barnacle, turbot king clip and sea urchin are used to make some of the country's most popular signature dishes. Chile is one of the world's largest producers of salmon. It is said to second only Norway. Salmon usually is prepared as part of a baked dish, or it can be marinated in any number of ways. One recipe calls for the marinade to be made up of green peppers, mayonnaise, tabasco sauce, salt and pepper, mashed avocados and heavy cream. Many times, lime juice, garlic, red peppers and onions also are used. Another popular Chilean presentation of seafood is a platter of fresh items containing large prawns (jumbo shrimp), mussels, scallops, oysters and clams, served with salsa. The salsa may consist of freshly chopped cilantro, parsley, green chili pepper, lime juice, olive oil and salt. Chilean cuisine is the result of a combination of influences, including native Indian, Spanish, French, German, English and Italian ingredients and cooking techniques. Centuries ago, when Chile was colonized, the Spanish and Creoles (known as criollos, a class of American-born Spaniards) produced local versions of their homeland recipes. One famous Creole offering that is still popular on the menus of upscale Chilean restaurants is the humita. Similar to the tamale, the bulk of it is made up of boiled corn paste, wrapped in cornhusks, which is then steamed. The contents can include fresh corn kernels, milk, eggs, butter, green bell peppers, paprika, salt, black pepper and grated Parmesan cheese. Humitas also can be made in a newer, trendy way like a souffle. Both preparation methods can easily be made into a retail product for the grocery markets. Empanadas are one of the most popular foods cooked and sold by vendors on the streets in Chile. In fact, empanadas can be found throughout Latin America, but the dough-making processes, variety of fillings and cooking methods distinguish one country's fare from another. The main flavors include beef, chicken, pork, seafood, and sweet fruit preserves such as apples, in Chile, a beef empanada might contain lean ground beef, chopped onions, garlic, cumin, adobo seasonings, chopped hard-boiled eggs, raisins and olives. All the ingredients are cooked together, and then usually refrigerated for one day in order to let the flavors blend together. The empanada dough ingredients are unbleached flour, vegetable shortening and chicken broth. The dough is shaped into pastry circles (approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter) and filled with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling, which is placed in the center of the circles. The circles then are folded over to form a half-moon, pressed around the edges to seal the contents in and then deep fried for about five minutes. Chilean hot sauce also is popular, and this is made with a combination of oil, white wine vinegar, water, freshly chopped coriander, chopped onions, chili paste, chopped garlic and salt. Some Chilean fruits and vegetables have variations, when compared to produce in other Latin American countries. For example, zapallo is a squash similar to pumpkin. Mote is a special type of whole kernel corn, similar to hominy. Pepino dulce is a sweet, fruit-like cucumber that tastes like melon. Chile's varied heritage and abundance of foods gives the country's cooks a plethora of ingredients to turn into tasty, exciting dishes. Americans' interest in Latin foods gives U.S. manufacturers a good excuse to explore Chilean cuisine, and to offer adventuresome Americans foods inspired by this country. |
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