The following post features student writing.

Hi, it´s Eve and Audrey! We chose the Ecuador and Galápagos program because we wanted to experience living somewhere much smaller than we are used to and to experience a different culture. Today we began construction on trenches to bring water from the tanks to the village. We dug and cleared a lot of plants. We also continued work on the main tank.

After lunch, the two of us began our independent project. We went with Francesca, Alfonso’s wife, to her garden and gathered peppers. We then learned how to make two types of ajillo (a type of hot sauce). We also learned how to make potato cakes and both plantain and cheese empanadas.

Mild ajillo is made by cooking two tree tomatoes in boiling water and blending it with two aji peppers, a spoon of salt, a cup or so of water, and some diced tomatoes and onions. Spicy ajillo is made by making five or so aji peppers into a paste and mixing it with some water, cilantro, salt, tomato, and sliced leeks.

Empanadas are made by mixing a kilo of flour, a spoon of salt, 3 spoons of butter, 3 spoons of sugar, and something called polva para hornear (which might be baking soda or baking powder). You then knead it together and add water until the dough is sticky. Once the dough is sticky, knead it together until it is no longer sticky. Then you roll out the dough and put it in empanada molds with the filling. After that you put vegetable oil in a pan and put the empanadas in until they are a light brown.

Potato cakes are made by boiling potatoes, mashing them, and adding a lot of butter (a cup or so) and a lot of something called achiote. You then roll them into balls and put them in a pan with oil until they are golden on both sides.

We had a blast cooking with our host family, and we can’t wait to show off our new cooking skills for our family and friends once we get back to the United States!

– Eve & Audrey