Chile is happening.
Of all the places I have visited so far this year, Chile is my favorite. You are always only an hour away from snow capped mountains or stunning beach-scapes. The wine scene here is second to none and is easy to plug into, much different than in the USA or in Europe. The countryside is rustic, with teeny beach towns that remind me of the way Malibu must have looked 100 years ago. The people are friendly, the weather is perfect and the food is fantastic. I could live in Chile!
Santiago is an amazing city, great theater, great landmarks, superb restaurants, and a buzzing vibe is in the air, everyone here senses that Santiago is ready for it’s moment. Yet the rustic charms are still easy to find, check out the neighborhood Feast Day fest I participated in if you doubt it. Seafood is everywhere, and the meal I had at Ana Maria or the day I spent at Mercado Central stuffing my face with oceanic oddities is all the proof you need that is truly a seafood lovers paradise. I even found an edible invertebrate called a piure that I had never even heard of, let alone ever saw. The scene that made it into the show is extraordinary. Truly the most bizarre food we have ever encountered. But the parrillada restaurants that specialize in grilling and roasting all cuts of beef are everywhere, and believe me after a few days of eating barnacles, mussels, congrejo, oysters, seaweed and abalone I was ready for some red meat.
I ate my fill on the last day in town, even eating grilled cow udders, a very tasty treat, but the real meat eating lay a few hundred miles inland. So I took off for Fondo Collanco, a 10,000 acre spread a few hours outside of Temuco.
Fondo Colanco is a private ranch that I visited on the day of the Spring castration. We watched about 30 bulls get snipped and then retired to a barn for the day. We stripped the balls from the scrota, taking them to a giant plow set over an open wood fire for searing in oil, garlic, and chiles before parking them between two homemade rolls for hand sandwiches. The scrota were sautéed with onions, tomatoes and wine into a capullo, or sac-stew! After braising for 3 hours they melted into your mouth, heavenly. But the real treat was yet to come. The Mapuche Indians who work the ranch have been there for generations, working for the owners family for hundreds of years, a true feudal system. When they castrate the bulls, they make a sacrifice of 2 lambs. They string them up by their feet, put a knife behind their tracheas and bleed them into a pan. The blood is seasoned with onion, cilantro and lemon and it sets, into an instant pudding. You eat it before the blood even has a chance to cool. While we were eating this dish, called a niachi by the locals, the lambs were skinned and seasoned, put on a rotisserie and hand turned for 2 hours while we ate the ball sandwiches and the capullo cooked. Several salads of tomatoes and avocados were made and then we all sat down, lord and serf, guests and family friends to a feast that ranks as one of my all time faves. Moises and Christina, our hosts, were the kindest, most wonderful people I have met in years, and their willingness to invite me to share not only in the meal, but to see a ceremony that no one ever experiences outside of a handful of Mapuche, was the icing on the cake.
Anyone thinking of taking a break in a beautiful country, steeped in history, with vibrant cities and rolling country side, cool mountains and warm sea ports would be silly to ignore Chile, my new destination of choice in South America.
Comments
Dear Andrew, love your show. I am from the island of Trinidad, therefore I was extremely happy when you visited. You may have found out that Trinis will eat anything, just add some curry and spices and some roti. I have eaten, armadillo, iguana (which does taste like chicken) possum, snake, monkey, frog's legs,goat's brain, horse meat, fish egg sacks, souse (pickled pig) and i am easy to tolerate and willing to try, just follow with some white rum. I bet you didn't think that you would hit such a nerve with your show,there are a lot of people like you, who eat a lot of strange food. My family in Triniday loves your show. My daughter at college and her friends are a following, of your show also. The strange food phenomenon, I think it boils down (pardon the pun) back to basic survival, and need. Once people were hungry and they could prepare whatever they could catch to eat to fill a need, there goes, it becomes food. So keep on travelling my friend, I am definitely a fan, and will continue to join you on your exploits :)
Posted by: Noreen Freeman | April 8, 2008 9:55 PM
dear andrew:
well i have to say that watch and love your show, everytime i ask myself how do you do it, and how people can eat all kind of food!!!, and that is what i love the most in your show, but now seeing and reading of what you think about my country`s food (i´m chilean)and can now understand cause`i have eat piure and niachi and fish of all kinds, and now i see the cultural background of every country you have shown.
i´m very happy that you like my country. you and every one else are always welcome.
and keep up the good show.
Posted by: karin guentelican | April 8, 2008 10:44 PM
Hi Andrew,
Just want to let you know that we love your show. Have you visited my beloved Peru?
By the way, we peruvians are very proud of our Lucuma, which is actually from Peru :)
Posted by: Lily Leon | April 8, 2008 11:14 PM
Hi Andrew,
Just finished watching your show on Chile and I was truly amazed at how well you captured the magic of my country. I have seen many specials on all that Chile has to offer and your show was the most complete and interesting by far. Kudos to you and your staff, and I truly hope you enjoyed Chile the way you described.
Many thanks,
Jaime
Posted by: Jaime Zuniga | April 8, 2008 11:17 PM
My friend and I adored your show on Chile, although we found the subtle theme of genitalia was a bit giggly for our inner thirteen year olds. You've managed to make me miss my childhood staple of Brazilian and Spanish food- and you're not even in that country!
I'd also like to say if Marciano ever wants to come to the United States, he already has a fan club forming in Boston.
Posted by: Lucy | April 8, 2008 11:54 PM
Dear Andrew,
I follow your program from time to time but today you said that Lucuma is originally from Chile. Please be more carefully when researching for information; lucuma is a fruit from the inter-andean valleys of South America (Peru, Ecuador, and Chile). Please go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucuma to verify this. Don't always trust what the people from that country tells you since that could be false. By the way, Pisco Sour, is also peruvian (even if Chilean say the opposite), and the best Ceviche is from Peru. You should try it before commenting otherwise......
Posted by: HUGO GAMARRA | April 9, 2008 12:01 AM
Dear Andrew,
Your show about Chile was amazing. I am chilean married with an american and both had a blast watching your program, you really showed the most bizarre food from my country. You can't imagine how much I miss the "congrio frito" and the "locos". Of course both with a good chilean wine or with a "pisco sour".
Thank you! You made me feel so proud of my beautiful country.
Paola E.
Posted by: Paola Epstein | April 9, 2008 12:08 AM
Andrew,
All your shows are great specialy this one in Peru, it was very interesting. When will u be in Mexico filming and episode there?
Posted by: Tom | April 9, 2008 12:24 AM
Wow! Chile was fantastic. Amazing beef, seafood, and produce. Excellent.
Posted by: db | April 9, 2008 1:46 AM
Andrew,
Thank you for your visit to Chile, I was born there and you really captured the taste of my country; I enjoyed every minute of it and even saw my dad going into a taxi, can you belived that? Thank you again.
Posted by: Sandy | April 9, 2008 8:15 AM
Dear
I am Chilean and I moved to USA, Florida, four years ago (because my wife is American) My family and me really enjoyed your program about Chile. I think through your exploration of people, places and food your show was able to display the complexity and charm of Chilean culture. I know some people is already complaining that pisco and lucuma are Peruvian and the best parrillada is Argentinean, but what make Chile's food –and culture- special is the blending of Amerindian and diverse European elements in a homogeneous and almost geographically isolated society. Chile doesn’t taste or smell like the picturesque Lima neither like the cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, rather like something hard to define but we know is located between the Andes and the Pacific.
Posted by: Pablo Fuentes | April 9, 2008 10:16 AM
Ok....I only watched because I had to find out what that horrible creature on the preview was...the Sea Squirt. I want you to warn viewers when you cut apart living creatures. I couldn't switch the channel quickly enough. Really, please give ample warning. That made me want to throw up.
Posted by: mariblu | April 10, 2008 12:04 AM
Andrew - great show in Chile. I love your show and I was so excited to see that you were visiting my homeland. I am so glad you see the wonderful potential Chile has. To me, Chile is like a cornucopia, it has plenty to offer to anyone!
Empanadas de locos(abolone) is probably one of my favorite things from there.
Thanks for a wonderful write up! Glad you enjoyed and def come back as many times as you want, you will always be welcomed with open arms :)
Posted by: Alejandra Valdes | April 10, 2008 2:15 AM
Andrew,
I just discovered your show a few weeks back and I absolutely love it! Your show on Chile was both wonderful and humorous. I hope you consider doing a show on Peru one day. When I visited Peru I ate the most delicious food that you could imagine. Muy Rico!
Posted by: Jeanette Pacora | April 10, 2008 11:49 AM
Dear Andrew:
What can I tell you...As a chilean living in the USA, it just made me so happy to see that people have the opportunity to know about a country that is located at the end of the world.Thank for showing some of my ancestor's traditions (mapuches)
Great food, great people and great country.
Posted by: Evelyn Curaqueo | April 10, 2008 7:16 PM
Andrew - love your show, never miss one, usually watch them over and over. I especially loved the Chile episode so much I've almost got my wife talked into moving! Got a great idea for your show - take an ordinary midwesterner from the U.S. with you. I'd love to see if the "ordinary" eater like myself would enjoy some of those foods like you do. I'd love to try! Keep up the great work.
Posted by: Nick Hegarty | April 10, 2008 10:33 PM
Dear Andrew:
I just finished watching your show about my beatiful Chile for the 4th time!!!, I actually recorded it and this time my parents got to watch it. Your production crew did an awesome job creating this show about Chile. I've been in USA for ten years and even though sometimes I can get my hands on some of our chilean food, most of the ones that you showed on this episode, I missed a lot. My whole family is from the port of Valparaiso and when you showed that scene of the bay, I felt like I was there. Thank you for this great episode, and Thank you for trying all the food and liking it. We are having "completos" for our tea time(once). Thanks again, Daniela
Posted by: Daniela Miranda | April 12, 2008 9:54 PM
Dear Andrew we have seen your show about Chile, our beautiful country and we really enjoyed it. I was born in Vina del Mar and i used to go to Horcon all the time so for me was a delightful trip to my past.
thank you so much for this episode and i must tell you that we love your show.
Mahalo!
Posted by: icha balmaceda | April 13, 2008 11:55 PM
Dear Andrew,
I could not even finish watching the episode on Chile as if the horse meat wasn't bad enough the castration of the young bull did me in. Do these poor animals even get any sedation for this horrendous procedure? Your show is really making me think I should become a vegetarian.
Posted by: Deborah Hughson | April 14, 2008 9:52 PM
Look, you needn't travel all that far to eat unusual foods and drink good wine. Come to the Finger Lakes region of New York State in the summer or early fall, and enjoy fantastically fresh produce and world-class wines. And if you absolutely must eat something weird, my mother would be happy to marinate a venison heart for you.
Now, what's the recipe for the seviche you ate at that Sunday dinner in the Chile episode? I must have it!
Posted by: Claudia | April 14, 2008 10:12 PM
congratulations on sneakinga (live) donkey penis past the censors @ the 18 minute mark (includes commercials). as donkey#1 is being milked in the foreground, donkey #2 is dangling in the background
Posted by: geoff | April 14, 2008 10:14 PM
Hi Andrew...If you wanted the best seafood why did you skip Peru???????.....I think you would have enjoy the best seafood and wonderful ceviche....the weird food of the jungle and the delicious beef, anticuchos(heart) and guinea pig....from the high land...besides the imazing geography and scenary!!.....Love the show..and i love eating interesting food like you!
Posted by: Paola Zuniga | April 14, 2008 10:38 PM
Hi Andrew...If you wanted the best seafood why did you passed over Peru???????.....I think you would have enjoy the best seafood and wonderful ceviche....the weird food of the jungle and the delicious beef, anticuchos(grilled heart) and guinea pig....from the high land of Peru....besides the imazing geography and scenary are unique!!.....Love the show..and i love eating interesting food like you!!...I hope next time you stop in Peru!
Posted by: Paola Zuniga | April 14, 2008 10:40 PM
Hi Andrew,
Although I've reduced my TV time to only 2 hours a week, I never, ever miss your show. Tuesday 10pm sharp baby, back to back with another rerun!! I enjoy it to the fullest and hopefully will travel to the same places.
The twist is, I stopped eating meat since watching some PETA videos about 3 years ago. So I occasionally have to cover my eyes during your show (recall: fluffy, the guinea pig in Peru!). But nevertheless, I respect everyone's life style and embrace your moto: "if it looks good, then eat it!"
Do continue to make awesome shows and do continue to be the down to earth awesome guy!
Posted by: jaycie | April 14, 2008 10:53 PM
thanks for the info
Posted by: guest | April 16, 2008 11:56 AM
Why is this the only episode not available on iTunes? I bought a season pass but can't get this episode! Help!
Posted by: Marie | April 16, 2008 1:19 PM
Hi Andrew:
I couldn't stop watching the repeats on Chile. I was at most of the places you were back in March of this year. I loved chile and I agree with you, I could live there too. Fantastic country, fantastic food and awesome wine. Thanks for going there and making me relive my unforgettable trip.
Posted by: Carolyn | April 17, 2008 7:42 PM
Dear Andrew: First thanks for visiting my country you bring me a lots of memories of my heritage and cuisine. Im glad you enjoy the visit and I cannot wait to go soon too. Pisco, seafood and lucuma is good in Peru as well in Chile, so Hugo G. stop hating. Thanks Andrew for bringing me joy. Take care Man you ROCK. Rodrigo P.
Posted by: Rodrigo Picon | April 18, 2008 3:11 AM
Hi Andrew,
Your show from Chile was outstanding! I felt you did a marvelous job at showing variety from a country which has much to offer. Hopefully someday you will travel to the extreme south of Chile to try some Curanto or Chapalele, or to the extreme northern desert, driest in the world, and experience alfajores from Matilla, pejerreyes al dedo, and of course, Acha, which is only found in the northern Humboldt current. Buen provecho, y muchas gracias!
Posted by: Lucas Johnson | April 18, 2008 4:50 PM
Why is the Chile episode not on itunes? What gives?
Posted by: malmond | April 19, 2008 9:10 PM
We love your show. We are always captivated by you. Your show combines food, world cultures, international & domestic travel, humor, good nature, along with that bizzare twist. We watch you instead of the other guy that smokes cigarettes. Nothing against cigarettes. We love your good nature.
Posted by: Michael | April 23, 2008 12:47 AM
Andrew:
Thank you for your great comments about Chile. I am a chilean teacher living in Colorado and married to a great peruvian guy (we can love each other instead of hating all the time... just a thought!). I haven't yet watched your show about my country, but I read your blog and it really melted my heart. Thank you for all the wonderful things you said about the people and the places in my homeland. I sure miss all of them so much than it hurts, but it is a great feeling when somebody like you says something like... "I could live there". You can move there anytime, my mom is the best "empanada" and "pastel de choclo" cook in the country (at least to me). She will be happy to feed you.
Marisol
Posted by: Marisol Henriquez | April 26, 2008 1:31 PM
Hi Andrew! I haven't watched your show on Chile yet but I am dying to see it! I have been living in the U.S. for 10 years but am originally from Santiago. I can't wait to see all of the foods I've missed so much on your show. Thanks for doing a show on Chile! I'm glad you enjoyed the food, culture and natural beauty of our country! :)
Posted by: Daniela Arce | May 6, 2008 6:21 PM
Hi Andrew,
With the 102 reality-crap tv shows & the 75 Law & Order franchises...your show is one of the most original, fascinating, interesting, exciting and culturally educating programs on TV! I love it! I admire your bravery. The Chili episode kept me riveted. The Sea Squirt part alone was enough to make me want to watch. Ooh that thing was horrific!
Just wanted to say I think this show is awesome!
Tammy - NYC
Posted by: Tammy Bailey | June 4, 2008 1:40 PM