Octubre 20, 2004
Trancapechos
Silpancho has been one of the most recognized Bolivian dish and the easiest to make. My mother served us silpancho (we used to snicker at its funny name) in the middle of Western Kansas. If you can serve it there, you can serve it anywhere.
My favorite part wasn´t the breaded meat, rather the jumbled mix of rice, potatoes, tomate and runny egg that, with the right amount of salt, would be very filling.
Humans always try to improve on something, and that is where the "trancapecho" was born. Literally translated to "stuck in the chest" or "lodged in the chest", those words make it sound like the meal would be painful to swallow. But, essentially, it is silpancho served in a piece of bread, sandwich-style.
The full meal that fits nicely inside a sliced piece of bread is all the rage after 9 p.m. on street corners and in little kiosks along the Rio Rocha.
I invited five of my friends to a round of trancapechos last night after basketball practice. The bill came to 30 Bs. (or around $3.50), not bad for a full meal for six.
The kiosks located near the bridge leading to Quillacollo is a famous gathering place for these sandwiches. Yet, it is not exactly the cleanest of places to eat. But, you try not to think about how many times the oil used to fry the potatoes and meat have been used over and over again. This last visit showed a little improvement in cleanliness.
Salt is pretty important in eating silpancho, and is also with consuming a trancapecho. In the past, the caseras would lay out a flat plate with a pile of salt, and her patrons would grab a finger-full and sprinkle it on their sandwich. Obviously multiply the number of customers by the cleanliness of their hands, would make you lose your lunch. I would always try to move the pile of salt and try to scrap the bottom, but I am glad now they have evolved to using salt-shakers.
Obviously there are better places to eat, but this ritual is more about the fact that I can invite my friends without seeming too fancy. Soon it was 11:30 p.m. and it started to rain. On the way home, I was hoping that the hygiene gods would be merciful on me.
Posted by eduardo at Octubre 20, 2004 03:03 PM
Comments
Is there anybody out there also looking for bolivian food in Hamburg?.. I wonder how you ask for an Asado Boracho in German...tough question, would you boil me a drunk please? is that stew of yours a little drunk, or is it totally pissed out?
Let me know before Sanitary authorities also shut that place down...
Salud y disfruten el carnaval...
Posted by: Luigi Catacora at Febrero 6, 2005 08:12 AM
I visited Cochabamba in 92' and had my 11th birthday there in 93'. Its been about 13 years I pride myself on having a picture perfect memory, but I must admit I wouldn't know my way around today. I attended La Espana collegio(elementary) I think? If I recall theres two schools with similar names but the one I attended was accross a park. The airport northwest and downtown Cochabamba as well as the Crist statue west and the Stadium south of us. From my perspective off course. I stayed on the opposite side of the park and school. Can you tell me exactly were I was?
Posted by: Oreste at Mayo 5, 2006 04:03 AM