food...

there's a lot of info going up on the guatemalan site...the big week is quickly approaching. for those of you going...i thought i would share some personal favorites as far as food is concerned. don't get me wrong...guatemala has all kinds of cuisine that shouldn't be missed but i figure i would highlight some...

chuchitos...



this is basically a miniature tamale. nice and bite size but packs a lot of flavor. im sure it wont be expensive and makes for a great snack.

hilachas...



this is a cant miss in my opinion. shredded beef in a tomato sauce of sorts with chunks of potato. usually served with rice and make sure to roll up some tortillas with it. you'll be full for days after eating this sh*t...delicious!

chiles rellenos



damn! my aunt still makes these bad boys here in chicago. when she does...i make it a point to not miss out. stuffed chiles with pork and random herbs, spices, vegetables. i love this too much! put some rice on it with a tomato sauce and you're in heaven. trust me...much like the chuchito, it's also small in size but packs a sh*t ton of flavor.

paches



these are the same as tamales but instead of being made with corn they use potato. in my opinion...much more flavor and more delicious than a tamal. don't get me wrong...i'll get down on guatemalan tamales any day but if i have to choose im going with the pache, period!

mixtas...



oh-boy! the guatemalan version of a hot dog. instead of a bun they use a tortilla...any self respecting guatemalan knows you use corn...ha! then you grab a salchicha and put it with some repollo and guacamole...boom! my mouth is getting watery just thinking about it.

candy...




if you see boxes like these for sale...don't skip them. they're filled with delicious sweet guatemalan candy. especially the canillitas de leche...be ready for sweetness like you've never tasted. if you're diabetic or hyperglycemic...you might want to proceed with caution but, well...take a chance? candy in guatemala is like nothing else.

pollo campero...



yes. yes...it's a chain but it's delicious. here in chicago we are very fortunate, in my opinion, to have two in the city. seriously, i don't know if they'll have them in panajachel but if you happen to come across one...don't hesitate to stop by and have some chicken. don't skip on the sauces either. man-o-man...now i sorta want to go and get some.

anywhoo...i'll try and post some other random guatemalan stuff i can remember. i love my parents homeland. unfortunately, i won't be able to attend...i guess thats just the way the canillita crumbles? see what i did there? instead of cookie i said...ah, forget it. i reserve my silly jokes for the kid.

remember...keep your eyes on the guatemalan site. they're constantly updating it. they have just added a translator to it. good luck to any and all headed out there for the good times. thank you to all who have a hand in organizing, especially nadir...peace.