Today is National SALTENA Day!

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (MetroplexJim)

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:31:36 GMT

Texascajun

This sounds familiar with my Grandmother and cleanliness, but i honestly never remember her eating out when I was growing up.

Kinda the same here, after she turned 75 (I was then 31) she would refuse to "eat out". She would come along, but would only have tea and a baked good.

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (Texascajun)

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 12:39:58 GMT

This sounds familiar with my Grandmother and cleanliness, but i honestly never remember her eating out when I was growing up.

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (MetroplexJim)

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:58:23 GMT

I agree. The most exacting "health inspector" I ever knew was my first generation French grandmother. She always checked the hands, nails, and general appearance of those who handled her food. She would even walk through restaurant kitchens before ordering. (Nobody ever said "no" to my grandfather).

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (Texascajun)

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:57:06 GMT

MetroplexJim, That's really interesting. Some of the best food comes prepared these ways. Who needs Health Dept. approval.

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (MetroplexJim)

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:06:18 GMT

Texascajun

We have a lady that sells tamales (she stays up all night making them and then sels them hot and extra moist) from the back of her van every friday at my job. She mentioned saltena's one day but I didn't know what she meant. I'll be sure to ask her now.

Boy, that brings back memories. The first saltenas I enjoyed in the US were prepared out of the apartments of Bolivian ex-pats in Arlington, VA. I'm sure the local Health Dept. didn't approve, but "F - them". That was back in the 1970's when you had to be "in the know".

As the DC Metro area "Bolivian Community" grew to some 50,000, Bolivian restaurants popped up (Cecilia's, Pike Pizza, Tutto Bene, et al.) and "The Saltena Circuit" was born. God Bless America!

Another "Bolivian treat" that set my "Anglo" tastebuds longing for "more" is "huminta" - a sweet, spicy, moist cornbread-like tamale. My Bolivian sister-in-law (former) used to make it en casserole primarily from cornbread mix, creamed corn, and tabasco. OMG, it's SO outrageously good.

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (Texascajun)

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:24:21 GMT

We have a lady that sells tamales (she stays up all night making them and then sels them hot and extra moist) from the back of her van every friday at my job. She mentioned saltena's one day but I didn't know what she meant. I'll be sure to ask her now.

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (MetroplexJim)

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:12:47 GMT

mar52

I eat lots of things that way!

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (mar52)

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:42:21 GMT

I eat lots of things that way!

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (MetroplexJim)

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 11:16:02 GMT

BTW: the "native way" to eat a saltena is with a napkin and spoon. Have llajua near. And beer.

Wrap the napkin half-way up the treat. Bite a little off of one end and then use the spoon to scoop and eat the juicy contents, nibbling down the crust as you "empty" it. If you wish to add picante, add llajua to taste as you go.

(Never seen a calzone, empanada, or perogi eaten this way).

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (Davydd)

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 18:46:15 GMT

Foodbme

A Calzone by any other name is still a Calzone!

Not exactly. Different crust. Different fillings. Different size. Different way of making. You can't be narrow minded about it. There are literally many ways to describe a folded over crust and ingredient filled food item. Italians have but just one variation and hardly the first.

The Perogi sculpture at the 2011 Minnesota State Fair

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (MetroplexJim)

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 15:48:09 GMT

Foodbme

A Calzone by any other name is still a Calzone!

Never had a juicy calzone.

And, calzone and llajua don't mix.

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (Foodbme)

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 15:02:13 GMT

A Calzone by any other name is still a Calzone!

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (Davydd)

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:56:08 GMT

Enjoyed Saltenas at a sidewalk cafe in Cochabamba, Bolivia every morning for a week right on the Avenue Jose Ballivian (El Prado).

That's a hardboiled quail egg in the middle.

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (MetroplexJim)

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 13:55:24 GMT

Here's a good "primer" on saltenas: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A55539-2001Apr23?language=printer .

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (MetroplexJim)

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 13:43:16 GMT

mar52

Is that an empowered empanada?

No. They are juicy (as you can see), not dry. Note the shiny egg wash on the crust to keep the goodness in without making the pastry shell mushy. Delicious works of art they are.

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (mar52)

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 13:34:46 GMT

Is that an empowered empanada?

Re:Today is National SALTENA Day! (fishtaco)

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 11:25:07 GMT

That looks oh, so good.

Today is National SALTENA Day! (MetroplexJim)

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 08:35:44 GMT

Endowed by my Creator with The First Amendment, I have just now declared it!

Anybody know where one might find this Andean treat served in Texas?

Any other saltena fans out there?