Six Pics: The Cuisine of Nicaragua
Six Pics is a new feature here at Travel Rinse Repeat where I’ll share six pictures with a common theme. More than just photo essays, this series will dive into different aspects of a place or a culture. In this first edition, I’m sharing one of my favorite aspects of traveling: eating!
Thanks to an abundance of cheap street food and some amazing chefs (thank you, Finca Mystica), I ate a little too well in Nicaragua. From an abundance of strange and interesting fruits to a dessert that makes the nation proud, Nicaragua does not disappoint when it comes to food. And though Central American cuisine can sometimes be labelled bland or tasteless when compared to its spicier Mexican cousin, I found the diversity in flavors to be more than satisfying for my palette.
Here are six of the most interesting or important dishes that I encountered.
Gallo Pinto
Gallo Pinto literally translates to ‘Painted Rooster’ though there is no chicken (or paint, thank goodness) in this dish. At its most basic, Gallo Pinto is a combination of rice and beans, though serving it with eggs, cheese, pork, or sausage is common as well. It is a staple of both Nicaraguan and Costa Rican cuisine, and both countries claim it as their national dish. On my short stay, I was all too happy to devour Gallo Pinto every time it showed up on my plate (which was quite frequently). But ask any Gringo expat who’s been living in Nicaragua for some time and they will almost certainly tell you how much they detest Gallo Pinto being served at every single meal.
Mamon
Mamons are a common snack fruit sold by the bunch in Nicaragua. The small, green fruits look like miniature limes, but the edible inside is decidedly different. The rinds are easily removed revealing the satiny, yellow fruit with a texture more akin to a piece of raw fish than a citrus fruit. The flesh is sucked away from the pit which is usually discarded on the ground, planting the next generation of mamon trees and explaining the frequency of these fruit trees throughout Nicaragua.
Tres Leches Cake
Originally created in Nicaragua, tres leches cake has found popularity throughout Latin America and even in the United States. The cake is extremely moist which comes as a result of it being soaked in three different types of milk: evaporated, condensed, and heavy cream. The cake is a source of national pride for Nicaraguans and it was the one dish that I was told not to miss on multiple occasions. It turns out that soaking cake in sugar, cream, and fat makes it incredibly delicious. Surprised?
Vigarones
Found on just about every menu at snack kiosks or lunch counters around town, vigarones were one dish I couldn’t bear to stomach, try as I might. Shredded cabbage, boiled yucca, chimichurri, and various other vegetables are all mixed together with deep fried pigs skin or ears. In my one attempt at conquering this dish, I made it through all the vegetables, but one bite of the tough and salty pork rind was enough for me. The yucca was a highlight for me, tasting a bit like potatoes.
Revueltas
In the city park of Granada, generations of women labor over hot coal stoves to cook these stuffed corn tortillas. Thicker and fluffier than your standard taco tortilla, these grilled flat breads are filled with bits of gooey cheese and melted butter, making them a perfect late afternoon snack. And the best part? A stack of revueltas costs less than $1 USD.
Fresh Fruit
It wouldn’t be the tropics without abundant access to delicious, cheap, and diverse forms of fresh fruit. Nicaraguan markets, street vendors and restaurants are all stocked with fruits in every shape, size, and color. Guavas, papayas, and plantains are commonly found on breakfast plates or consumed for mid-day snacks. And did you know that most of the pineapples served in Central America have white flesh instead of the usual yellow?
Bonus Pic: Toña
While it’s not technically a ‘food’, it would be near impossible to visit Nicaragua without coming across the beloved beer Toña. It’s a standard light lager that is enjoyed by locals spending an afternoon on the plaza, ex-pats at the Irish pub, or backpackers partying on La Calzada. While the flavor was nothing special, the volcano on the bottle label is a nice touch.
Have you ever tried any of these foods?
Similar posts:
- 11 Colorful Puertas of Granada, Nicaragua
- The Circus Kids of Granada, Nicaragua
- I Found My Beach: Finca Mystica on Ometepe Island, Nicaragua
- Staring Into A Volcanic Abyss at the Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua
31 Responses to Six Pics: The Cuisine of Nicaragua
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MMm… I’ve had most of these – and Tres Leches cakes are my favourite! So sweet and creamy..South Americans seriously know how to do dessert
Great photos as always!
Dana – Our Wanderlust recently posted..Road Trip: The Drive
I was going to say how yummy the vigarones looked until I learned what was in them. I’ll stick with the tres leches – my favorite from the local Mexican grocery store!
Scott – Quirky Travel Guy recently posted..Photo Teaser #35: Bright lights
Oh man, I just ate breakfast, but now I’m hungry again. I LOVE tres leches, and I think that anyone who claims not to like it can’t be human. Also, I really want to try vigarones now. I’m intrigued by anything that makes pork rinds sound gourmet!
Carla recently posted..Cemeteries are fun!
You had me at three milks….easily one of my favorite desserts. I’ve seen lots of mamons sold on the side of the road, but I didn’t know exactly what they were. I’m not sure I’d like them, but your photo does make them look delicious. Of course all your photos are wonderful…as usual.
Leah Travels recently posted..The Weird and Wonderful in Tokyo
Hi there – great article and pics you got of the real local and street food of Nicaragua (Centro America) – I only want to comment about the mamones, the picture shows jocotes. Hasta luego y buen viaje
Thanks for the correction! I updated the photo to one of mamones.
Excellent research. I’m certain it was rough plowing your way through all of the food. Mamon? I bet I won’t be able to find those in my grocery — but, will keep a heads up. Thanks for the great info.
Lane recently posted..Cadillac Ranch: The Man Behind the Wheel
Mmmm….tthat Tres Leches looks like the perfect breakfast for me!
Annette | Bucket List Journey recently posted..Searching for Sea Turtles & Sharks in Olowalu
Cake for breakfast…love it!
Mmm! The food looks delish! I see my fave — platanos/plantains.
Paz recently posted..Park Avenue – 42nd Street
One of my favorites as well.
Yum! That cake looks delicious… Love the “Six Pics” idea! Clever
Claire recently posted..A Hidden Charm in Amsterdam
Yes, it was a little too delicious…I’m going through withdrawals. There will be more to come from six pics in the future, so stay tuned.
This takes me back to travels around Mexico – especially the tortilla-like Revueltas – no restaurant at home could match the rustic qualities of the ones who get cooked on a hot stone. Local cuisine is such an important part of travel – most of the time you can only enjoy it while you’re there…and it looks like you did!
Fiona recently posted..The Photo Edit: Lake Como, Italy
Give me ALL of it. Stat. As if I needed more reasons to visit Nicaragua. There isn’t one picture that I wouldn’t want to enjoy right now.
Tawny- Captain and Clark recently posted..N Seoul Tower is Quite the Trip. [video]
even the vigarones, huh? I hope you make it there, it’s definitely an incredible place.
My kind of eats…Tres leches is one of my favorites:)
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..The Lodge at Pebble Beach Resort
John, I love that you have discovered some of the Nicaraguan food I have enjoyed before. One funny thing about mamón… In Cuba, they are called mamoncillo. In Puerto Rico, quenepas. As a child growing up in PR, we could buy them off street vendors everywhere but the adults would freak out because to eat it, as you describe, you take it out of the hard rind, place in your mouth and suck the pulp off it. Well, my grandmother would tell us that she, allegedly, sucked too hard on one when she was a child and choked when the rather large pit went into her throat. So… we would buy them and eat them surreptitiously… She may or may not have choked on one as a kid, maybe it was her fear that WE would, but her story included her Godfather picking her up by her feet upside down until the pit came out! Thanks for the excellent pix and for bringing back this memory for me!
Raul (ilivetotravel in Twitter) recently posted..A Photo Essay of the Center of Moldova’s Capital: Chisinau
i don’t know how i feel about mamons based on your description… i’m curious. great photos, as per usual!
the lazy travelers recently posted..going for the gold: our top three travel memories
gahhhh…it ALL looks delish! but you know TONA has me most intrigued! i know, i know. booze…all over the world. it’s my focus. so tell me, how was the bonus Nicaraguan photo?!
lola recently posted..Cambodia Countdown – week 1
To be honest…not very good. I’m not a big fan of the light lager style beers.
Every food post should be punctuated with a beer. Well done. I loved the gallo pinto at Costa Rican sodas.
Traveling Ted recently posted..The Perseid Meteor Shower or bust misadventure
I like your thinking Ted, I might have to keep that theme up!
Incredible photos… and I remember from my days in Costa Rica, “pinto gallos” (i thought it was said that way, or it may have been my bad spanish at the time)… But I agree, every meal… loved it. That and some green salsa. Man it was good.
again great images,
stay adventurous, Craig
Craig Zabransky recently posted..Two Local Drinks to Enjoy in Amsterdam
Thank you sir. It seems to be so ubiquitous in Central America – it’s such a simple yet delicious staple.
You had me at tres leches.. I had no idea it was originally from Nicaragua. I just ate and now I’m hungry again. Lol
Kieu ~ GQ trippin recently posted..The Gilis: Our First Diving Experience
I didn’t either! It’s certainly a common dessert in my hometown of Denver, didn’t realize it came all the way from Nicaragua.
Wonderful pictures and cuisine suggestions! I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to try mamons and revueltas.
Pola (@jettingaround) recently posted..Photo of the Week: A street in Oaxaca City, Mexico
Oh how I miss Nicaragua, did you have any nacatamales?
Ayngelina recently posted..Food Friday: Portland Food Carts
Can’t say I did…
The revueltas and the tres leches cake sound absolutely divine. I mean….that cake….THAT CAKE. Every dessert should be soaked in milk, sugar and fat. The gallo pinto looks amazing too I mean, rice and eggs – what could go wrong? I don’t think I could ever get bored of that showing up at every meal.
I have to admit though, I’m a bit worried about the prospect of a fruit’s insides resembling fish flesh…
Tom @ Waegook Tom recently posted..K-Pop 101: 10 Songs To Get You Started