El Salvador

We visited the wonderful country of El Salvador this weekend--well, in our dinning room. Culture Night is super fun for us. I love trying new things and learning a bit about a new country. A well educated person never stops learning. I like to think I am well educated and learning is a continuous thing throughout our life. This weekend our learning took us to El Salvador.

What's on the menu?

Everything we ate was delicious. I have never made or had any of these dishes (except for fried plantains). The Pupusas was a bit of a challenge. I first made the dough a little too dry and Glenn then made it a bit too wet, but they turned out in the end and were delicious. 

The Curtido is like a coleslaw, but vinegar base. It was yummy served on top of the Pupusas. I love fried plantains. I first had them in Germany when some Africans made them for us. They are really good served as a desert with cream and/or ice cream. We just served them as a side here. Tres Leches cake turned out great. I did end up baking it longer than said. And of course I love Horchata. We jsut bought a mix from the store. Maybe one day we will try making it ourselves. 

Bean and Cheese Pupusas (see and print recipe) 

Curtido (see and print recipe)

Fried Sweet Plantain Slices (Platanos Maduros Fritos) (see and print recipe)

Tres Leches Cake (see and print recipe)

Horchata--bought mix at Walmart

We learned a lot of great things about El Salvador. We learned their dining etiquette, which we applied while eating. Before eating the host will say "Buen provecho" (Enjoy your food). You are expected to clean your plate and try every dish at least once. Your host will respect you for trying the food, but if you end up not liking it--just leave it. Take is slow when eating--do not rush. If asked if you would like seconds, accept 'sheepishly' with a smile. To read more of El Salvador dinning etiquette click here.

Other fun things we learned about El Salvador:

•  El Salvador means "the Savior." It was named by Spanish conquistadors. 
• The area was inhabited by the Pipil Indians 
• Spain's first attempt to conquer the area failed as the Pipil forced Spanish troops to retreat. 
• The economy is still controlled by a wealthy landowning caste (1% of the population still owns 40% of the arable land. 
• Rural houses are typically made of adobe, with a large front porch where people spend most of their time at home. 
• Tamales are often eaten on special occasions. 
• Major commercial activities include shoe and textile production. 
• Traditional exports include coffee, sugarcane, and shrimp. 
• 47% of the population does not have access to clean water. 
• The poorest 20% receive only 2% of the national income, whereas the richest 20% receive 66 percent. 
• A marriage performed in a church is considered irreversible. 
• Couples must be 18 years old to marry unless the woman is pregnant or already has children. 
• Parents loudly complain about a misbehaving child to another adult or child, within earshot of the offending child. 
• Shaming most often occurs in regard to completing assigned tasks, school performances, and propriety in matters such as dress. 
• Women must show respect to men, should not raise their voices to them, and must serve them food on demand. 
• Greetings are necessary upon entering a store or, in small towns and communities, passing someone on the street. Failure to greet a person is considered offensive. 
• El Salvador is 75% Roman Catholic but has a growing Protestant movement. 
• Independence is celebrated on September 15th with parades. It is the only secular holiday, although many religious holidays have become secularized. 

We had fun "visiting" El Salvador for an evening. Can't wait until our next Culture Night!