Chile is not only wineries, nature or beach but also a typical kitchen. Here, I present all the typical specialties I have tried.

From corn

Chile is a huge producer of corn and hence the traditional kitchen uses it a lot.

Pastel de Choclo

A gratin made mostly with corn. It also contains chicken meat, basil, onions and sometimes olives and eggs. A good place for trying one is Galindo restaurant in Santiago. The cover picture is the one I tried in this restaurant.

Humita

The meal Humita is a dish composed with mushed corn and onion wrapped in a leave. The whole is cooked in hot water. The salad alongside is called Ensalada Chilena. It is only onions with tomatoes and spices.

Porotos Granados con mazamorra

This meal is a mix of corn, beans and pumpkin.

Seafood

Most of this specialties can be found along the coast. Else if you are in Santiago, you can taste them in the Mercado Central de Santiago.

La Piojera is a typical and popular bar close to the Mercado Central de Santiago. The place is good for taking a drink, like a Terremoto, after a good lunch in the market.

Ceviche

Ceviche is famous in Chile, it is a seafood marinade served cold. I got the chance to try a home made one, amazing. It was the starter before the Humita.

Sopa de Mariscos

A mix of seafood served in a soup.

Machas a la Parmesana

Macha is a saltwater clam native in Chile. On top of them, you have browned Parmesan.

Fast Food

Chorrillana

Chorrillana is composed of french fries covered with meat, fried onions and eggs. It is usually shared in the same plate between everybody on the table.

Empanadas de Pino

Empanadas is a famous filled turnover in all South America. The Chilean one is easy to recognize as it is bigger than the Argentinian one. The special Chilean flavor is called Pino. It contains meat, eggs, onions and olives.

Beverages

Terremoto

Terremoto is a drink made of Pipeño (a type of sweet fermented wine) with pineapple ice-cream and grenadine syrup. An alternative version includes Fernet instead of grenadine syrup. I prefer the second version as it is less sweet. As it is not the original one, you have to ask especially the waiter if they do it.

Mote con Huesillo

A cold beverage composed of cook wheat and dry peaches. The dry peaches are rehydrated in water. The juice obtained is also added. You can buy it in many itinerant salesmen in the street.

PiscoLa / Pisco Sour

Pisco is an alcohol widely drunk in Chile. However, never alone. The 3 main mixes are:

• Piscola: Pisco with Coca-Cola
• Pisco with Sprite
• Pisco Sour: Pisco with lemon juice, sugar and sometimes egg white (see the cover picture)

Cola de mono

A typical beverage during Christmas and New Year time. Literally, it means tail monk. The composition is milk, sugar, coffee, cloves, cinnamon and brandy. The texture reminds me the Baileys.

I want to thank my local friend’s mother as she cooked many of those specialties in an incredible way.