When I spent three months studying abroad in Argentina, I became addicted to alfajores, which I would best describe as an Argentine cookie. The traditional version is two shortbread-esque buttery cookies with creamy dulce de leche sandwiched in the middle, rolled in coconut flakes. There are other varieties as well, especially those that are dipped…
Tag: Paraguay
The Dulce de Leche Cook-off: Part 2 (What Happened?!)
Sometimes great success and great failure come hand in hand. Last week I wrote about Dulce de Leche and tried two methods to make it. This week, we’re going to put all that dulce de leche to use and make alfajores! But first – My Instant Pot arrived this week, so I decided to try…
The Dulce de Leche Cook-off: Part 1
Dulce de leche was one of the first foreign foods that I fell in love with. It is ubiquitous in Argentina, the first foreign country I lived in. Translated to “milk’s candy” in English, it’s used in cookies and candies, as a spread for toast, as a filling for desserts, an accompaniment to fruit, an…
How to Make Tereré
Last week I wrote about the importance of tereré in Paraguayan culture. This week, I want to share how you can make tereré at home! And, if you’re not curious enough about it from last week or you just want to learn more about Paraguay, check out this super fun music parody video which is…
Tereré: Not Just a Beverage, a Philosophy
There’s nothing more Paraguayan than tereré, where drinking this ice-cold caffeinated beverage is a daily ritual. It involves dried leaves from the yerba mate plant, packaged in 1/2 kilo quantities (or more), poured into a cup called a guampa, infused with ice-cold water, and drunk through a filtered straw called a bombilla. The result is…
Paraguayan Hot Chocolate (Mate Dulce)
When I left home for Peace Corps Paraguay, I packed one sweatshirt. Paraguay, I reasoned, was hot and my research showed that even in the coldest times of year it was in the 50s-60s. With limited space and the daunting task of packing for two years of my life, I opted for one and only…
Savory Paraguayan Pancake (Mbejú)
Fall is officially here. Does the cooler weather have you craving comfort food? Perhaps something cheesy and carby, or a break from all that pumpkin? If you’re in the mood for a new favorite comfort food, mbejú will surely hit the spot. When I packed for two years of Peace Corps Paraguay, I didn’t think…
Chipa (Paraguayan Cheese Bread)
If there’s one food that defines my two years in Paraguay, it’s chipa. A bagel-shaped bread, chipa is a savory, dense snack food that tastes unique to the American palette. That’s probably because its main ingredients, which include the local staples of cassava flour and Paraguayan cheese, aren’t part of the American diet. The word…
A Paraguayan Christmas
How do you celebrate the holidays? There are so many different ways that we celebrate at the end of a calendar year, whether it’s unwrapping presents under a tree, eating delicious food, making resolutions, or simply spending time with our loved ones. And every family has its own traditions that represent an intersection between the…
Marissa Makes Food 