Chile - At the Table: Food and Family around the World - Ken Albala

At the Table: Food and Family around the World - Ken Albala (2016)

Chile

Sally M. Baho

Dishes and dining customs tell the story of this unique, fertile nation that was once a Spanish colony. The cuisine and eating habits of Chile are a reflection of the society that, like much of the New World, is a melting pot of Old World immigrants and indigenous peoples. Corn is a staple along with beef, after cattle raising was introduced and popularized by the Spanish. Viticulture flourishes, thanks to the European influence; in fact, the vast majority of originally French Carménère grapes are grown in Chile.

The photo depicted in this entry is that of a midday weekend meal eaten in Santiago, Chile, and prepared by a young lady, Esmerelda, and her grandmother. It is common for children to live with their parents until they get married or move out of the area for work or school. Extended family, such as grandparents and siblings, live nearby and get together on the weekends for a long, slow, multicourse meal. In this particular household, the eldest daughter Esmerelda has an affinity for cooking and regularly makes meals for the family when she is not studying (she is a graduate student). However, on a daily basis the mother prepares meals, and due to her dislike of food preparation and self-proclaimed inability to cook, meals are often simple: pasta with store-bought sauce, canned soup, bakery-bought empanadas, etc. This is an accurate representation of Chilean families. Although in some households the husband cooks, it is still common to find the women doing the meal preparation.

Albala

A Chilean family sits in the dining room to eat their main meal, a late lunch, with a starter of pastel de choclo. (Courtesy of Sally M. Baho)

Every weekend Esmeralda makes lunch for her family, which she learned from her grandmother while living with her while Esmeralda was at university. Esma, as she is called, is the eldest of three children, and being a military family they were stationed outside of Santiago, so when she was ready to start university the logical thing to do was go live in the city at her grandmother’s house. Esmerelda loves to cook and bake and does so at every opportunity, on weekends and for holidays and birthdays—a common trend among young women, a resurgence of cooking and/or maintaining the culture of cooking after their mothers abandoned the kitchen for the workplace just a couple of decades ago.

Friday evening is generally shopping night. Shopping lists are made over onces (“elevensies” or high tea) on the balcony overlooking the garden. Onces, a staple in Chilean culture, is the coffee or tea taken in the early evening along with some crackers and cheese, cookies, pastries, ice cream, or any other small snack to get you through to dinner. The word once means “eleven” and stands for the 11 letters in the word “aguardiente” (distilled liquor) and is said to come from the time when Chile was a Spanish colony and the Chileans didn’t want the Spanish to know they were having a drink in the afternoon.

Athos, the family golden retriever, lies under the table calmed by the soft murmur of mother and daughter sharing stories of the workweek—the intolerable graduate school advisor and the unreasonable manager. Coffee and cookies rejuvenate the tired-from-the-workweek minds and bodies before the ladies drive down the street to the Lider, part of the multinational chain Walmart. Zigzagging in and out of the 20 food isles, Esma and mama do the shopping for the weekend and the week to come: butter, frozen corn, bread, various cuts of various meats, tomatoes, green onions, Coca-Cola, wine, milk, and cheese.

Esma and mama spend time in the kitchen with a bottle of chilled late-harvest Chilean wine as they prepare the pastel de choclo (see recipe) for lunch the following day with the family. Esmeralda diced the onions as Frank Sinatra sang from her laptop computer; because her mother detests cooking and never really learned how to do it, she watches as her daughter skillfully prepares the meals passed down from her grandmother, reading off handwritten recipes organized in a three-ring binder.

A good amount of time was spent in the kitchen but over phases. The main course was prepared the night prior and baked for consumption as the aperitivo (apertif) was being consumed. The salmon ceviche was made in the morning and allowed to sit and “cook” in the lemon juice until guests (family members) arrived. Ceviche is a raw fish dish that is allowed to sit in lemon juice; the citric acid is said to “cook” (or break down the protein of the fish like heat would). The dessert was made in the morning, grandmother serving as the chef’s right-hand helper and giving tips as necessary: “No, the syrup is not quite done yet. Put it back on the stove.” Electrical kitchen appliances were used to prepare this meal—a food processor to grind the corn and eggbeaters for the egg whites required in the dessert. A standard gas range was used in the meal preparation, with the accompaniment of an electric water boiler when hot water was needed for the soaking of the sultanas (raisins) or dried peaches.

An aperitivo is usually served before eating lunch or dinner with friends and family in the salon or in warmer seasons on the balcony or terrace. Common aperitivos include kir royals (champagne or sparkling wine with a splash of crème de cassis) or pisco sours (a drink whose origins are passionately disputed between Peru and Chile). Peanuts, crackers, ceviche, and jamón (dry-cured ham) are common accompaniments to the aperitivo. Alternatively, a popular first course is empanada, a savory stuffed pastry that can be purchased at any bakery or supermarket or made at home. Main courses, depending on the season, are meat dishes served with cooked vegetables or noodles with tomato sauce; fish is also commonly consumed, as Chile enjoys a vast Pacific coastline. Chile is a country with a diverse geography and climate. In the north is San Pedro de Atacama, the world’s most arid desert; consequently, food eaten in the north is complementary to the weather patterns and climate. A great deal of fruit is consumed—mangos, guava, and passion fruit. In fact, the best lemons in the world are said to come from Pica, an oasis town in the desert. The south of Chile is much colder and very windy; caldos (stews) are commonly consumed in the south and in the wintertime throughout the whole country.

The dining table is set in advance, typically by someone other than the cook; in this case, mama set the table, as daughter did the cooking, with grandma as her sous-chef. After a leisurely aperitivo, everyone is invited to the dining room where the table is set; the hand-embroidered table runner and crystal centerpieces have been removed and replaced with a plastic table covering and a gold-embossed tablecloth. The main course is preplated in the featured meal, the pastel de choclo, in its clay bowls and set on top of the weekend china. Standard steel flatware is used, and paper napkins are readily available on the table. Buen provecho (enjoy your meal) is announced by the first person who is ready to eat before he or she starts consuming the meal. A simple Chilean salad consisting of tomatoes, onion, olive oil, and salt can be found on most dining tables accompanying lunch, along with a breadbasket of white rolls, generally flat unleavened bread. Depending on the meal, pebre is also found on the dining table. Pebre is a condiment made of cilantro, onions, olive oil, garlic, and aji peppers. It is usually eaten with bread, but many people add it to their soups for flavor and spice.

Old Spanish love songs played softly in the background as stories were shared of last summer’s vacation when mama was intolerable or the time grandma was able to do the whole hike. And then there was that one time when cousin Juan fell while trying to cross the bridge. Chilean culture is casual; everyone sits down to the meal at the same time and eats together. In most families there is no order for who eats first, although in more traditional families the father might be served first. Conversation is fun and light, reminiscing of times past, sharing stories about the week, and planning for the future. Although the meals are taken at home, everyone is dressed. The younger generations will typically wear modern attire (jeans and T-shirts), while the middle-aged and older-generation family members are dressed more formally, the women in dresses or matching tweed suits, their hair done and faces made up. The same trend is found with men. The younger men, in their teens and twenties, typically wear jeans and T-shirts, while the men in their thirties and older can be found wearing khaki-type pants, button-up shirts, polo shirts, and sweaters. Cell phones are not typically brought to the table, as that would be impolite. Wine is the most common beverage consumed with lunch; Chile produces a great deal of wines—from their unique Carménère to cabernet sauvignons, red blends, whites, and espumantes (sparkling wine). Coca-Cola is consumed by children or those who do not wish to drink wine. Chile has a zero-tolerance drinking and driving law, and people generally respect it. Furthermore, many government jobs have policies that include job termination if a person is found driving under the influence of alcohol. When children wish to leave the table, they excuse themselves and return to their television watching, video game playing, book reading, etc., while the adults remain at the table for the sobremesa, the time spent leisurely after a meal sitting around the table and talking. Oftentimes bajativos (digestive drinks) are served, such as herb liquors or, during the Christmas season, cola de mono, a sweet, spiced coffee-and-milk liquor.

Dining habits in Chile vary by season to accommodate weather patterns and preference, not because of food availability. Chile is engaged in huge international trade. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, its winter crops are exported to the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa—strawberries are found year-round, as are berries and lemons. In the summer a common snack is mote con huesillo, which can be made at home and is sold at supermarkets and from refrigerated carts by street vendors. The dish is a dehydrated peach, cooked in sugar, water, and cinnamon and allowed to cool; a peach in its cooled sauce is then served over cooked wheat in a cup or bowl with a spoon and is a very cooling snack in the hot summer months. Year-round, people sell sopaipillas on the street, an unleavened fried dough made of a mixture of wheat and corn flours.

Leaving the Table

Once it was considered very impolite to leave the table before everyone was finished or even to clear away a plate until everyone was done. Today it seems that children cannot be expected to hang around while their elders continue their conversation or linger over coffee or drinks. For adults the rules are different, especially if there’s company; it would be rude for one person to walk away. Within families on an ordinary weekday, this is becoming less of a rule, especially as everyone tends to be distracted by texting, social media, and portable games anyway.

During the workweek (Monday-Friday) these typical dishes are commonly consumed, but meals are taken at a restaurant or in one’s place of work, which is normal in the city. It is common to find restaurants, pubs, and bars advertising the menu of the day, with a salad, main course, and dessert for a fixed price. In the suburbs and in small towns and villages, it is more common for people to go home for lunch, or if they live far from their place of work, meals are provided by employers or taken at restaurants.

Leftovers are saved in the refrigerator and eaten later in the day for onces or for dinner. If what is left over can be used as part of a meal, it is exploited that way. For example, a common soup is made from leftover barbeque meat and is said to be great to cure hangovers. Although Chile is a predominately Catholic nation, Catholic practices are not reflected in the dining habits. Most Chileans claim to be observers of Catholicism rather than active practitioners of the religion, and the religion does not affect their dining customs.

The melting pot of Chilean culture can be seen in various dining customs of society. A big wave of German immigrants came to Chile in the early 20th century, and the German influence is apparent in the beer culture; for example, one of the most common Chilean national beers is Kunstmann. Also, merkén is a popular spice; it is a smoked chili pepper used to season meats, fish dishes, stews, etc. It is a traditional condiment used by the Mapuches, one of the indigenous groups of South America, particularly from central Chile. Onces is a tradition that was introduced by the Spanish colonizers and has been adapted to fit contemporary Chilean society, with deals on coffee and pastries or small sandwiches found in cafés and malls throughout the country.

In recent years due to globalization and immigration, sushi has become quite popular in Chile. Because ceviche is already a popular part of Chilean cuisine, the idea of consuming raw fish was readily accepted by Chileans. Similarly, pizza is very common, both authentic and Chilean-adapted varieties. Traditional Italian margherita pizzas can be found, as can pizzas with Chilean ingredients, such as choclo (maize). Fast-food chains are found all over Santiago serving typical fast-food fare, pancakes at Denny’s, frapes at McDonald’s, donuts at Dunkin’ Donuts, etc.

Chilean dining habits are moving in the direction of the modern world; with most adults working outside of the home, there is little time to make multiple meals a day and eat together as a family. Increasingly, fast food and prepared foods are consumed for time-saving purposes; however, there is a movement in the younger generation to preserve their culture and learn the recipes and customs of their forefathers.

Pastel de Choclo (Corn Pie)

Makes 12 individual pies

Pino (ground beef filling)

22/5 pounds ground beef

6 white onions

1 tablespoon butter

½ teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoon paprika

Oregano

Black pepper

Salt

Chicken breast (or any part of the chicken)

Leaves of a celery stalk

Choclo (corn crust)

8.8 pounds of corn kernels (i.e., 8 bags of 1.1-pound frozen corn kernels or about 40 ears of corn). If using frozen corn, you will want to take the corn out of the freezer ahead of time and allow to reach room temperature or defrost in the microwave. If using full ears of corn, you will want to use a sharp knife to saw off the corn kernels from their stalk.

Sugar

Salt

Basil, optional

Other ingredients

Black olives (can be pitted or unpitted)

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

Sultanas, soaked in water

Turbinado sugar for topping

Equipment

12 shallow clay bowls

1.To make pino, the filling for the pie, finely dice the white onions.

2.Place in a medium-sized pot, pour hot water over the onions, and let boil for 1 to 2 minutes.

3.Dump out hot water and run cold water over the onions. Squeeze the excess water out of the onions, taking fistfuls of onion and squeezing well with both hands.

4.In the same pot, melt the butter and add onions. Stir well for 1 or 2 minutes, then add ground beef, spices, salt, and pepper and cook over low heat until the beef is cooked well all the way through and the onions are translucent, about 10-15 minutes.

5.In a separate pot, cover chicken with water and add celery leaves. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer until chicken is cooked all the way through. Both pino and chicken can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the corn pie.

6.In a food processor, blend corn well. (If using basil, add in with the corn when blending.)

7.Put the corn in a double boiler (baño maria) with the sugar and salt. Cook the corn slowly, stirring constantly in the double boiler for about 20 minutes.

8.To assemble pastel de choclo, evenly distribute pino in the clay bowls and add chicken, sultanas, half a hard-boiled egg, and a black olive. Ladle the corn mixture into each bowl. Top with turbinado sugar and bake until pie starts to bubble. Carefully remove from the oven and serve; contents will be extremely hot. Serve with sugar alongside, as some people like to add additional sugar on top.

FURTHER READING

Joelson, Daniel. Tasting Chile: A Celebration of Authentic Chilean Foods and Wines. New York: Hippocrene Books, 2005.

Waerebeek-Gonzalez, Ruth Van. The Chilean Kitchen: Authentic, Homestyle Foods, Regional Wines and Culinary Traditions of Chile. New York: HP Trade, 1999.