While the East Coast is being blanketed by winter storms, here in Chile the summer sun is in full force. And when the mercury rises, how better to escape the heat than with refreshing treats? One of Chile's favorite thirst quenchers is mote con huesillos, a sweet, syrupy snack made of whole dried peaches and husked wheat. This drink may not look too appetizing and the peach pits can be a bit tricky to handle politely, but when you're running errands downtown and need a little pick-me-up, nothing hits the spot quite like one of these purchased ice cold from a street cart.
Picture
Another summer specialty are humitas, a mix of freshly ground corn, onions, basil, and lard, wrapped in corn husks and boiled. They can be served either sweetened with sugar or savory as shown here, accompanied by ensalada chilena, a tomato and onion salad.
Picture
In the US, many people associate barbecues with summer. Here, barbecue season starts at the end of winter, but really picks up in the summer months as people try to escape the heat of their kitchens. A typical barbecue consists of a big hunk of beef seasoned only with a generous amount of salt, but can also include chorizo, pork or prietas (blood sausages), as shown in the picture, or chicken. You won't catch any hamburgers or hot dogs on these grills!
Picture
If you really miss the buns that hamburgers and hot dogs come on, you might be happy to know that there's an alternative: choripan. Chorizo slipped inside a crunchy bread called marraqueta, this sandwich is a plate-free finger food best for staving off hunger pangs as you wait for the star of the show, the beef, to finish cooking.
Picture
And what's for dessert? Watermelon straight form the refrigerator sprinkled with harina tostada. Harina tostada is a flour ground from freshly roasted wheat, and it adds a warm, rounded flavor to the melon. ¡Provecho!
Picture