Page 34 - Winter2020

Older men Ecuador has a rich and varied cuisine due dramatic shift away from coconut in Esmeral-

and women to its diverse ecological geography. Whereas a dans’ diet is likely primarily due to the sharp
high-altitude tuber like the potato makes the rise in prices. In the early 2000s, one coconut
testify to food of the highlands distinctive, coconut is cost as little as ten to twenty-five cents, but today
having eaten the essential ingredient in Esmeraldan cuisine. they sell for as much as USD $1.50 to $2.50 in
coconut in Encocado (literally “coconut-ed”), the iconic times of scarcity.
Esmeraldan seafood or meat stew cooked in
almost every coconut sauce, sparks the imagination and ig- THE RISE OF THE COCONUT TRADE
single meal nites the taste buds of Ecuadorians. For black How were coconuts made scarce in the local
of their day. Esmeraldans, encocado is also a potent symbol markets of one of the major coconut-producing
of their identity—an essential part of their areas of Ecuador? Over the past few decades,
cultural heritage as an ethnic and regionally plagues have decimated coconut palms, al-
distinctive people. though that’s not the whole reason for the price
hike. In addition, Ecuador’s major cities—Qui-
ONCE UPON A TIME, to, Guayaquil and Cuenca—have become huge
EVERYTHING ENCOCADO markets for coconuts from Esmeraldas for use in
Fifty years ago, coconut palms grew on the growing food industry, and particularly as an
rural farms and in every backyard. In the old ingredient in pastry products and granola. More
days, coconut was ubiquitous in Esmeraldans’ recently, government programs have included
everyday life—but no longer. granola (with grated coconut from Esmeraldas)
Back then, Esmeraldans as part of school breakfasts
made everything encocado. in public schools throughout
Older men and women tes- the country. At one point,
tify to having eaten coconut demand for coconuts in Ec-
in almost every single meal uador’s urban-centered food
of their day. A typical day industry increased to the
could include hot chocolate point of sustained importa-
made with freshly pressed tion of coconut, especially
coconut milk and local cocoa from Peru, Mexico, Colom-
bean paste for breakfast, bia, the Philippines and the
guanta or fish encocado for United States. In the early
1
lunch and vegetable soup Doña Matilde Angulo taught me how 1990s, Ecuador began ex-
in coconut milk for dinner. to make masato from scratch at her porting coconut, sending
Coconut meat pieces with home in the neighborhood of La Tolita, most of its produce to Spain,
grated panela (evaporated in Esmeraldas. (Photo by the author.) the United States, Colombia
cane juice) made a snack, and Argentina.
and masato—a smoothie made from ripe sweet The high coconut traffic across local bor-
plantain, coconut milk and cinnamon—was a ders domestically explains how coconuts from
refreshing, energizing drink at any time of day. Esmeraldas arrive on the plates of schoolchil-
Boiling hand-grated and pressed coconut milk dren in Ecuador’s cold, dry highland towns
with panela and spices made manjar de coco, and cities; or make their way to passersby in
a thick, sweet coconut treat. Grated coconut cool-weather Quito who buy coconut juice from
and panela are the only two ingredients in a the street carts of Esmeraldan vendors; or even
still popular traditional dessert called cocadas. show up in the granola and yogurt that health-
Homemade coconut oil was also commonly used conscious, middle-class, mestizo and white
as a skin and hair conditioner, and medicinally urban consumers have for breakfast. Interna-
as a laxative. tionally, Ecuador’s coconut trade now provides
Habits changed when new industrialized additives widely used in cosmetics and a grand
foods were introduced into the diet of Ecuador- assortment of health food supplements in the
ians, particularly since the 1970s. However, the United States and Europe.
32 Wise Traditions WINTER 2020