More than 30 journalists from different media outlets in Spain, who attended the invitation made by the Quito Tourism Public Company, enjoyed a night of flavour and experience.
The meeting took place at the Ayawaska Gastro restaurant, located in the Salamanca district, in the centre of Madrid. This establishment, run by the Ecuadorian chef Miguel Ángel Méndez, has its origins around 15 years ago, when his father, of the same name, created a proposal for traditional cuisine in the Spanish capital.
Today, the establishment offers Spanish diners, especially those from Madrid, a renewed proposal of Ecuadorian flavours, fused with new culinary trends, which has motivated several media outlets to highlight Ayawaska's work.
On Tuesday night, the restaurant welcomed journalists from major media outlets such as El País, El Mundo, ABC, La Devi, Hosteltur, Radio Nacional de España, Europa Press, Conde Nast Traveller, EsDiario, Libertad Digital, Etheria Magazine, among others, who received information about Quito's tourist attractions and also had the opportunity to taste several Ecuadorian and Quito dishes to highlight the food and gastronomic richness of the South American capital.
The menu began with a welcome cocktail, canelazo, a traditional Quito drink made from fig leaves, orange leaves, sweet pepper, naranjilla, panela and Miske from Casa Agave of Ecuador. Then the menu 'Quito, Light of America' was offered, which included a pork sandwich in milk bread, glazed in lemon verbena and cocoa honey, mint, carrot, pickled apple and sausage and cilantro mayonnaise. In addition, choclo-chulpi prepared with corn, choclo and chulpi corn sautéed with mapahuira, peanut chili and cured egg yolk.
In the most intense part of the tasting, attendees savored a Quito-style shrimp ceviche, which included pork cracklings, cilantro oil, and popcorn.
At dessert time came the 'bonitísima quiteña', prepared with purple corn, red tuna tartar, egg yolk hollandaise and lemon verbena, and also pristiños, a sweet dough accompanied by panela honey, banana peels and hibiscus flower.
The tasting ended with 'chicha tu madre', a cocktail prepared with corn chicha, mandarin lemon, panela and chili.
The mayor of Quito, Pabel Muñoz López, attended the gastronomic event. He shared a welcome message with the journalists, spoke about the charms of the capital and invited the attendees to fall in love and discover the beauty of the main city of Ecuador. Also present was the manager of Quito Tourism, Etzon Romo, who was in charge of organizing this event in the Spanish capital.
During the presentation of the destination, attendees tasted Pacari chocolate, made with fine aroma cocoa from Ecuador and considered one of the best in the world for its quality.
At the end of the event, several media representatives expressed their interest in working on reports and communication products about Quito's tourist offer and its gastronomic wealth as one of the main attractions of the 'Carita de Dios'.
In this way, the promotion of the most beautiful city in the world in the international market continues.
Source: Quito Tourism.