Eating Locally Never Tasted So Good!

One of my favorite things about Central America is its plethora of open air, fresh food markets. Here vendors sell everything from fruits and vegetables, to homemade breads and cheeses, to cuts of steak or chickens, freshly slaughtered, and nearly everything is grown or made locally. Eating locally has quickly become a trending green alternative to purchasing carbon ladden products, imported thousands of miles or processed beyond recognition in the states, but what is trendy in the states is second nature in Honduras.

There are many reasons why eating and buying locally is easier in Honduras than the US:

1. Agriculture is one of the primary forms of income generation= there is always variety and fresh products
2. The growing season for many crops is nearly year round, meaning you don`t need to go far for basic staples like onions, tomatoes, green peppers, oranges, bananas, and papaya
3. There are also rotating harvests including melons, mangoes, lychee, guayaba, cashew fruit, passion fruit and others to keep things interesting!
4. Here, there is less temptation to buy imports. Since most Hondurans cannot afford the high prices that accompany chocolate or Guiness, stores outside of the capital don`t carry much.

Honduras has its share of big box stores with prepackaged and imported goods; however, they are EXPENSIVE. Example: a jar of imported pasta sauce costs $5-10, where as a pound of tomatoes, a pound of onions, a bag of oregano, and a bunch of basil costs $3!!

Another reason to shop locally is that most supermarkets in Honduras are owned by the US (WalMart), meaning profits leave the country and don`t support the local economy beyond the jobs created.

**I am by noooo means a purist- especially when it comes to avacadoes (Mexico), olive oil, and nearly any derivative of chocolate!!! but I try to be conscious of where I invest my Lempira**

One of the best parts of eating locally is savoring the seasonal harvests. Everything seems to taste better when you only have access a few months per year!! Most recently, we entered one of my favorite seasons: Mango Season!

Don Santos getting ready to climb and harvest mangoes

A long pole with a Lacrosse-esque basket attached is used to reach for hanging mangoes.

From the moment they appear on the tree, mangoes are ready to be eaten. Green, they are acidic and taste great with chile and salt, ripe they are sweet and refreshing! Mangoes can be eaten straight off the tree, in smoothies and juices, in salsas, and most recently I found out that they are great with what else... chicken! While mangoes will never be locally in season in the States... if you feel the need for something spicy and sweet- try out the following recipe:

Orocuina`s Mango Chicken over Coconut Rice: serves 4

• 4 portions of chicken
• juice of 2 oranges
• vegetable or olive oil for cooking
• 2 red onions
• 2 mangoes
• 1 cup of rice
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• cajun spices to taste

1. Cut mango into 1/4¨ thick slices and set aside.

2. Boil the chicken in orange juice over the stove top until cooked through, remove from heat and pull apart into small pieces.

3. Saute onions in small amount of oil. When soft, add cook

ed chicken and sliced mango and cook until mango is heated through.

4. Cook rice with 1 part water and 1 part coconut milk until soft and creamy, and add cajun spices to taste.

5. Serve chicken, mangoes, and onions over coconut rice and enjoy!

Mango Chicken scored high on Catracho and US scales!

Buen Provecho!