Easter Food

America brings us Peeps.

Jousting Peeps ready for the microwave.

Ecuador brings us fanesca.

Fanesca is a soup eaten during Semana Santa (Holy Week) and can vary depending on where in the country you get it.  Basically, it has a bunch of different beans and grains - I've heard it's supposed to have 12 different types to represent the twelve Apostles.  Another key ingredient is bacalao (salt cod) or, if you're in a bind, salted tuna.  Emphasis on the seafood due to the traditional Holy Week prohibition of red meat.  (We kindof forgot about the no-red-meat rule and were very surprised upon arriving at the market on Good Friday to find the red meat aisle completely vacant.  Alas, our braised goat stew would have to wait.)

Fanesca's easy to find in the days leading up to Easter.  But that's not the only reason Cristina is so blindingly happy in this picture: she's overjoyed because she got to try - and liked! - mondongo in peanut sauce. 

I guess cow stomach doesn't count as red meat.