The Essence of.....Paraguay An exploration of the world through food and drink

Essence -ial Information UK Tourist Office 344 Kensington High St London W148NS Currency Guarani Capital Asuncion Language  Spanish Main Airlines No direct flights from UK - Tam Linhas Areas Flying Time from UK Visa No

PROFILE Paraguay, a country situated in the very heart of South America, has no coasts, and has a large native population, mostly Guaranies. For that reason, the Guarani language is spoken by a 95% of the population. Spanish is also spoken and both are the official languages of the country. Paraguayan food is slightly similar to that of the River Plate countries (Argentina and Uruguay), mostly due to the influence from the early colonizers from Spain. But in the case of Paraguay, with its very populous native Guarani inhabitants, the food of this country has received their influence too. The Guarani influence can be noticed in all the tropical ingredients used in the Paraguayan dishes. Grains are used in the preparation of most recipes, mostly corn, with which they make many delicious dishes. Stews are also a very popular part of the Paraguayan food, usually with rice or mandioc, or both. They also love lots of peppers, be they green or red, and onions. So their stews are very tasty! They also use to add different meats, such as chicken, or pork both of which they grow in their farms. Paraguayans also love beef meat cooked at the barbecue (parrilla) and this food is usually made on the weekends or special occasions. Pork is mostly done on birthdays or holidays. And they serve their meat dishes with the mandioc (cassava or yucca) which is a root and should be always eaten after being properly cooked. Cassava is a very popular root, used in the homes of most Paraguayans, at many meals. Paraguayan chefs are passionate about their traditional dishes and they enjoy presenting them to foreigners who have never tasted them before. Whether they are cooking dishes that go back in time for centuries or brand new, modern dishes, Paraguayan chefs take pride in what they do, and this is readily noticeable in the unforgettable taste of their cooking. National specialties: • Chipas (maize bread flavored with egg and cheese). • Sopa paraguaya (soup of mashed corn, cheese, milk and onions). • Soo-yosopy (a soup of cornmeal and ground beef). • Palmitos (palm hearts). • Surubí (a fish found in the Paraná). National drinks: • Mosto (sugar cane juice). • Caña (alcoholic version of mosto, distilled from sugar cane and honey). • Yerba maté (tea-like drink brewed from dried leaves and stemlets for the Yerba maté tree, can be taken hot or cold).