National Treasures
The countries that make-up what we call Latin America are rich and diverse with unique cultures and traditions. They pride themselves on their solid family values, joie de vive, delicious food, multi-layered history and breathtaking sites. By and large they are Spanish speaking, but each nation has incorporated its own sayings and slang that give their country’s Spanish recognizable attributes. If you ever get the chance to visit any of these countries, be sure to partake of the local cuisine. You won’t regret it. Below are a few “must-haves” if you find yourself in any of these wonderful locales.
Argentina
Along with amazing meats, wines and the tango, Argentina also has a sweet tooth. Who could forget the first time they tasted dulce de leche? Made by cooking milk and sugar, this sweet spread has been popular in Argentina for hundreds of years, and they know how to make it like no one else. Companies such as Cachafaz work hard to make sure they reach the perfect level of creaminess and flavor – so good, you can eat it by the spoonful.
The classic Argentine cookie, the Alfajor, is also the perfect dulce de leche vehicle delivery system. Generously spread between two cookies and then dipped in chocolate, this treat should be given as a gift to everyone you love and care about in the world! It can be dipped in white chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate. All of them are superb.
If you want to feel less sinful, you can drizzle your dulce de leche over fruit. But who wants to feel less sinful? Life is too short!
Ecuador, Mexico, Peru
For the chocolate connoisseur, finding new types of chocolates to sample is cause for celebration. Ecuador, Mexico and Peru might not be the first places people think of when they think of exquisite chocolates, but they should be.
The gourmet chocolates produced by these three Latin American countries are as pure as they get. They are organic and infused flavors such as coffee and berries. For the purist, 70% cacao chocolate from Ecuador is difficult to beat as far as flavor profile and overall quality. In fact, Ecuador has a long tradition of cacao production.
Chocolate from Ecuador is aromatic and unlike any other chocolate in the world. Its history goes back hundreds of years. The cacao harvested “upriver” became so famous the chocolate was given a name that stuck. “Arriba” chocolate from Ecuador comes from the Spanish word for up. What Ecuador has known for centuries, the rest of the world is finally appreciating.
Uruguay
Like its neighbor Argentina, Uruguay also produces high quality beef and wine, but it also produces an even fancier export. Even though it’s a small country, with half of its national population living in the capital city of Montevideo, Uruguay proves with its caviar, that amazing things come in small packages.
Caviar farmed in the Black River in Uruguay has taken the world by storm. Caviar purveyors such as Polanco are winning awards on an international stage and getting fans of this most luxurious food very excited.
Because the world has opened up so much and technology has allowed curious citizens to explore new things like never before, it is now possible to discover Latin America and all its wonders. If you can’t travel to every Latin American country, you can still sample its very best by ordering products online that were previously unknown. This really comes in handy when searching for the perfect gift. Don’t wait a moment longer to find out what you’ve been missing!