Ecuador is a small country, but it is incredibly diverse. In mainland Ecuador, there are three main regions: Las Sierras (Andes mountains), el Oriente (the jungle!), and la Costa (the coast). For a country that is smaller than the state of Colorado, it is almost unbelievable how much the climate changes from region to region. It is the same with the culture and the local food. For example, at the coast, they take advantage of verde, or green plantain. This fruit is served smashed and fried as patacones, or mashed into a scramble in tigrillo, or in huge balls called bolones.
Anywhere in Ecuador, you can expect to find an almuerzo, which is the lunch meal and the main meal of the day. A typical almuerzo includes a glass of juice, soup, and a segundo of rice, salad, and meat. The typical almuerzo costs $2.50!
As with the tradition of having turkey for Thanksgiving in the USA, certain foods mark specific occasions here, too. One example is especially relevant right now: Guaguas de pan y colada morada (Guaguas of bread and purple colada).
