Things I miss about Chile

This is going under some of my favorite things, but specific to Chile. The 3 years we lived in Chile were some of the best years we have had. We did lots of fun things, went places, had great friends, organizations, shopping, and the BEST seafood in the whole world. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a lying dog.

So, this is a list of things I miss about Chile:

1. Cafe' Helado - in other countries this translates into Iced Coffee, which is okay. But in Chile this is an espectacula'r concoction of cold coffee, vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup, whipped cream. Good Lord, I can feel the pounds just packing on my thighs thinking about it.

2. Te' con leche - kind of the same thing here. In other places just a plain old boring cup of tea with milk added. In Chile they heat and froth up a big mug of whole milk and dunk the tea bag directly into the milk, no water to dilute the frothy richness. That is just plain heaven in a mug!

3. Porotos Granados - wonderful summer peasant-y comfort food. Fresh shelled cranberry beans, big winter squash/pumpkin, corn right off the cob and basil. The South American equivalent of the Native American Three Sisters.

4. Basil - Speaking of basil, nowhere have I ever experienced basil like you get in the summer in Chile. The whole grocery store smells like it!

5. Picorocos - these are Chilean barnacles, and they taste like a cross between sweet crab meat and lobster meat. What could be better?

6. Ave Palta sandwiches - This is a chicken salad and avocado sandwich that is so much better than the sum of the parts.

7. Sushi - yes, I have had good sushi in other places, but the fact is the seafood is so good and so fresh in Chile, how could the sushi not be outstanding?

8. Wine!!!!!! Are you wondering why this isn't number 1 on the list? So am I! Wine, vineyards, wineries, it is all so much a part of life in the Santiago area that it can easily be a "given".

9. The Andes Mountains - Please! What could be more breath-taking than looking out your window and seeing the snow-capped mountains of the Andes?

10. Vina del Mar and the rest of the Chilean coastline - Well, if the mountains aren't working for you one day, you can always just drive an hour or two west to the coast and enjoy the complete change of scenery. I guarantee if you were to take pictures of the coast and show them to people from northern California they would all think the photos were local.

11. Public transportation - taxis anywhere, anytime. Buses all the time, subway that is easy to navigate and use all over downtown. Easy, peasy.

12. The Lake District - Just across the mountains from Bariloche in Argentina is the Lake District of Chile. Seemingly every tiny town has it's own German Club where you can get the best German food outside of Deutschland. From Mount Osorno to the lakes to the bright turquoise rushing rivers to the German architecture, this area is like its own little world. A tiny little Europe smack in the middle of Chile. I don't think I have ever seen anything as breath-takingly beautiful.

13. Asparagus - back to food. Sorry! But there is something about the asparagus in Chile that is almost addictive. Way more flavorful than the stuff I get here, or have had anywhere else.

14. Machas a la Parmesana - Machas are a razor clam and when baked with a bit of white wine and Parmesan cheese on them, they will truly make you want to sit right up and slap your mama.

15. Scallops with the coral attached - why can't we get these here in the US.? Beautiful and delicious, I love the scallops in Chile.

I know, it looks like all we did was eat our way through the country; but this is just a few things off the top of my head that I miss. Maybe next time I will list places to go, or things to do. Right now, this is what came to me. Maybe I shouldn't be posting when it is dinnertime?? Hmmm?

Next post will be things I miss about Argentina. I am already getting my mental list ready for that one!