Our first barbecue

Continuing on the food theme, tonight Carlos and I finally had our first ever barbecue.

Barbecues are a big tradition here. Chileans love meat, particularly beef, and there is no better way to spend a social gathering than around glowing coals. In fact, many blocks of flats here have built in barbecues or quinchos on the roof. Our building is no exception. And, after a bit of improvisation involving a cooling rack, oven pans and a ladle, we were off...

DIY barbecue

We started with the staple choripan - a chorizo or longaniza style sausage in marraqueta bread, which is a kind of double-breasted bread roll which handily splits into hotdog-sized buns.

Then as the sun went down, it was onto a nice steak. Everyone we had spoken to about the barbecue had their opinion on the steak - which meat it should be, which cut, how to prepare it. Whether or not we followed the Chilean rules, I don't know, but it was certainly tasty!

www.flickr.com jaynescarman's Sunset from the roof photoset