So we arrived in Suchitoto on a chicken bus from San Salvador. This country is HOT, it's also very clearly in the early stages of getting used to tourists. The first few hotels we looked at we very very basic. But we found a place, and took off to look around the town. It's described as the gem in El Salvadors tourism crown. I have to say this made me a little nervous. The place is cute -but it's no Antigua.
Today dawns though - and it's as if the town is a different place. Lovely, friendly locals greet me with Buenos Dias, a cowboy tips his hat to me. Morning Suchitoto. We go to have a chat with some tour guides - and end up with a great plan for our time here. The fun really starts after visiting a local hostel ( El Gringo, #27 calle Francisco Morazana) to get some advice from an expect called Robert Moran. I'd heard you can do a cookery class with his wife. It was brilliant - we learned to make the El Salvadorian dish : Pupusa's. These are essentially filled tortilla's. The rough recipe is as follows -details a little hazy due to erm translation issues :
Firstly choose your ingredients we had:
Avocado & jalapeño peppers
Ham, tomato and green pepper
Spinach
You finely chop the base ingredients and mix in a soft cheese ( ricotta might be the best Uk equivalent)
Then take either corn or rice flour and add water - the consistency should be similar to bread dough.
Take a large ball of the mixture to hands greased in veg oil - and make a nice ball
Then using the palm of your hand kind of slap the mixture in between both hands. You are essentially flattening and increasing the size into a circle circa 4 inch diameter.
Now fill this with a desert spoon full of mixture. Seal dough up so that it's a complete circle again - just fatter. Repeat the slapping.
Add the Pupusa to a saucepan/ griddle/ grillpan for circa 5 mins. Flip like a pancake.
Enjoy with an ice cold beer - and some salsa. Delicious!
We had such fun making them - smiling and laughing need no translating. Our $6 included the class, 3 Pupusa's to eat, and a freshly made smoothie.
So far it's the only thing in El Salvador which has seemed a bargain.
But to use my Dad's philosophy - I'm only here once.
Dad's I might need to borrow a bit more cash - well I was only following your advice right.......
If you look in the bottom of this pic - you can see one of the little beauties. You also see the view from our hotel. Managed to negotiate a $90 room down to $45. Pat on back for me. It also means these Pupusa's are gonna have to last me. The budget's spent.
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Tips so far:
Stay at Las Puertas in the main square. Balcony views to die for, negotiate on prices - with a smile
Drink coffee in the courtyard of Los Almendros de San Lorenzo - a mere $1
Eat and cook at El Gringo - warm and lovely family, home cooking
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