Pupusas: When Food is Best Enjoyed with Company

Introduction:

Food in El Salvador is quite a unique experience. There are a lot of foods and drinks here that you can’t find anywhere else. Until about a few months ago, I maintained a strict plant-based diet, known as "veganism". This meant that I didn’t eat anything that came from animals, so no meat, milk, eggs, cheese, gelatin or cream.

A lot of the national food, or "comida típica" here in El Salvador, is made with some sort of animal product. It's pretty hard to enjoy the food if you’re carrying on a vegan diet. About five months ago I left my veganism and started discovering El Salvador through its national food.

I also realized that sharing food is a pretty big part of hospitality and caring for others here. Everyone shares what they have, and I think I enjoy food more when I’m sharing it with everyone around me.

So it’s time to talk about a food that’s best enjoyed with company, especially on a Sunday night in El Salvador: pupusas.

What food did I try?:

Pupusas are basically palm-sized, doughy, grilled discs stuffed with delicious ingredients. They are best enjoyed in this part of the country with salsa and cortido, which is kind of like coleslaw without all the mayonnaise and a bit more vinegar.

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