In Chile, you’re guaranteed a good story with every meal
Grilled octopus is served over potatoes at Oda Pacifico restaurant in Valparaiso, Chile. This dish is typical of Chilean seafood preparations that take advantage of the freshness and flavor of the catch from the country’s coastal waters. (John Dowling / For the Chicago Tribune)
From fog-made beer to locally sourced cuisine, there’s a story in every Chilean meal
On the island of Chioe off the coast of southern Chile, cheesemaker Pablo Belmar is trying to revive an aged-cheese culture that he says was lost when Spanish colonizers left Chile nearly two centuries ago. (John Dowling / For the Chicago Tribune)
Though located in an arid region, the Limari Valley in northern Chile enjoys coastal winds, soil rich in limestone and enough rain to sustain world-renowned vineyards. (John Dowling / For the Chicago Tribune)
Atrapaniebla beer, brewed by brothers Marco and Miguel Carcuro in the desert of northern Chile, starts with water condensed from ocean fog, which the brothers say is free of sulfates and other compounds that can harm the flavor of beer. (John Dowling / For the Chicago Tribune)
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On a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean in northern Chile, brewer Marco Carcuro explains the fog-catchers that he uses to condense fog into water to brew his Atrapaniebla beers. (John Dowling / For the Chicago Tribune)
Fresh salmon is served over a puree of fava beans at the Mulato restaurant in Santiago, Chile’s capital. The simple preparation emphasizes the freshness and flavor of the fish taken from Chile’s coastal waters. (John Dowling / For the Chicago Tribune)
Located in the Limari Valley of northern Chile, the Tabali winery is tucked into a ravine, a design chosen to harmonize with the flat, dry landscape around it. (John Dowling / For the Chicago Tribune)
Chef Francisco Mandiola applies the finishing touch to dessert at his Fuy Santiago restaurant in Santiago, Chile’s capital. Mandiola and other Chilean fine-dining chefs believe their country’s seafood lends itself to simple preparations because of its exceptional flavor. (John Dowling / For the Chicago Tribune)
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Vineyards in the Maule Valley of southern Chile enjoy cool winds from the Pacific Ocean in the morning and from the Andes Mountains at night, balancing the hot midday sun and creating perfect conditions to grow grapes. (John Dowling / For the Chicago Tribune)
On a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean in northern Chile, brewer Marco Carcuro explains the fog-catchers that he uses to condense fog into water to brew his Atrapaniebla beers. (John Dowling / For the Chicago Tribune)
