At a celebration of Ecuadorian gastronomy in the heart of Madrid, chefs Javier Estévez and Miguel Ángel Méndez, along with bartender Joel Crespo, hosted two exclusive culinary events showcasing the wonderful exotic fruits of Ecuador. These events, organized by NEXT Ecuador as part of the Taste Ecuador campaign, brought together around seventy industry professionals, including chefs, hospitality professionals, and food journalists, who had the opportunity to taste innovative creations that incorporated iconic products such as yellow pitahaya, orito, granadilla, and Hass avocado.
The first showcooking, led by Michelin-starred chef Javier Estévez, amazed attendees with his skill in using offal combined with Ecuadorian fruits. Among his standout dishes were a refined yellow pitahaya salmorejo, a bite of lamb neck pibil, and a lamb tongue tiradito, culminating in a dessert of veal gnocchi accompanied by orito and lemon cream. Estévez shared that working with unconventional ingredients like granadilla and yellow pitahaya was an exciting challenge that enriched his culinary proposal.
The second showcooking, by Miguel Ángel Méndez, founder of the Ayawaskha restaurant, offered a reinterpretation of Spanish cuisine classics, infusing them with an Ecuadorian touch. His innovative version of the gilda included honey-glazed pork crackling with yellow pitahaya, while his gazpachuelo contained Hass avocado emulsion, Iberian ham, and green plantain powder. Méndez emphasized the need to convey to industry professionals the versatility and quality of these fruits.
The day ended with a spectacular cocktail demonstration by Joel Crespo, the recent winner of the Sustainable Cocktail Challenge 2023, who created cocktails illustrating how the flavors of Ecuadorian fruits can revolutionize contemporary mixology.
Paola Ramón, coordinator of the NEXT Ecuador project, commented that the purpose of this campaign is not only to highlight the quality and taste of Ecuadorian fruits but also to benefit local small-scale producers, who are at the core of this initiative. The strategy aims to strengthen the export of Ecuadorian products in international markets, generating employment and economic development in the country. To date, this campaign has contributed to the well-being of over 940 small-scale farmers and has indirectly impacted more than 6,000 people.
via: MiMub in Spanish
