My plane left Santiago just a couple hours prior to Saturday morning’s earthquake, learning about it only after landing at JFK while in the immigration line watching CNN on the overhead screens. I can’t get the stunned and horrified looks on the faces of fellow passengers out 
of my head.
I had been in Chile as a guest of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association to learn about their agricultural exports of fresh fruit, olive oil and wine. Last week, I visited Santiago, the surrounding valleys and coast – areas affected by the quake.
I’ll be posting lots more about the cuisine and food products of Chile, but thought this time I’d just share a small slice of life about one Chilean specialty — a mote con huesillos (bleached wheat kernels with dried peaches), an unusual, refreshing concoction that’s part beverage and part breakfast in a cup.
The Chileans reconstitute dried peaches in a sugar syrup then serve it in a glass with the peach nectar and chewy wheat kernels (although oddly the sign miss-IDs it as corn!).
You
sip the nectar through the straw and enjoy the peaches and wheat with a spoon. This time I tried the mote con huesillos at the mercado in Santiago as dessert, five years ago as a mid-morning snack purchased from a street vendor in a park overlooking the city.
My thoughts are with those who I met throughout this trip, their families and co-workers — with hopes they are safe.
– bonnie
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