tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post3248011477750405073..comments2023-06-02T06:13:02.859-07:00Comments on Cuenca Chronicles: Something puffy in Cuenca, EcuadorSharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-51327679759619973562012-03-11T20:32:34.372-07:002012-03-11T20:32:34.372-07:00Hi Sharon,
Thanks so much for your detailed respo...Hi Sharon,<br /><br />Thanks so much for your detailed response, I really appreciate that. I have tried several times to reply and thank you, but somehow I have not been able to publish my reply. giving it another go.<br />I am looking forward to meeting you an discuss this GF thing in more detail. I am visiting the end of Mach/beginning of April to check on our apartment. If not then, there will be plenty of time after our move.<br />I am knee deep in sorting etc., hampered by two broken wrists due to an ice skating mishap :(<br />Wanted to have a last go at a winter sport activity on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Maine. Oh well, two more weeks on the one wrist and four more on the other.<br />Thanks again Sharon!<br />JudithAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-56932413714579537392012-03-08T06:59:21.457-08:002012-03-08T06:59:21.457-08:00Sharon,
Thanks so much for that detailed response...Sharon, <br />Thanks so much for that detailed response! We live in Maine and are very spoiled with all that is available to us in the GF department. From Whole Foods, specialty stores to the regular grocery stores there is an abundance of GF product to choose from.<br />But I am pleased to hear what's available in Cuenca. I will definitely bring some Thai sauces, I love them too!<br />The bread machine is now on the TAKE List.<br />I will be in Cuenca the end of March to check up on our apartment and cannot wait to see the progress they have made.<br />Then we will not be back until our move.<br />Thanks again Sharon!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-51817143360579243102012-03-03T18:39:43.690-08:002012-03-03T18:39:43.690-08:00Hi Judith - if you search my blog for "gluten...Hi Judith - if you search my blog for "gluten free" or "flour" you will find where I've written about this very topic. Yes! Bring your bread machine. I recently visited the US and brought a grain mill back (Wonder Mill-Whisper Mill was less expensive than the best - I got the Wonder Mill mainly to grind brown rice flour for baking, sauces, etc.). You can find white rice flour, corn meal and blue corn meal, quinoa is a good gf flour. Potato starch, tapioca flour and corn starch are all readily available at a "spice " store called Cadelaes - 2 locations in Cuenca.Bring vanilla beans if you like to have them - not successful yet at locating any here but I have not checked Cadelaes yet.<br /><br />Peanut butter is available here at mercado and Super Maxi alike but some expats complain about wanting specific brands or wanting a lower price on imported fav brands. More spices and flours are probably available in Quito or Guayaquil. <br /><br />If you like Teff, I'd recommend buying a lot and bringing it. There is none to be found here. I believe it is an Egyptian grain, probably not grown in SA. I like its nutty flavor if a little is added to baked goods or pancakes so I brought back 6 pounds. We paid extra to bring 2 additional suitcases each, about $280 total. In the summer, no extra luggage is allowed I believe but check with your airline. (may be different for first class).<br /><br />Also I have not been able to find arrowroot powder which is way expensive anyway. But using corn starch in place of arrowroot powder with almond flour has worked fine for me.<br /><br />BTW I definitely recommend putting notes in any suitcase with gf flour/foods saying in both English and Espanol that you are celiac or whatever and must have these foods for your health. I've had no problem bringing in a suitcase tamari sauce (none here that I've found), a few gf Thai sauces, gf grains and flours, other items in small quantities.<br />Do not bring seeds or plants of any kind but probably you will have no problem with customs if you have the notes in place. 5 of our 8 bags were checked. Note to the wise, carry ons cannot be over 40 pounds for international flights. We had to check ours when we got to Miami. Yikes.<br /><br />There is just no way to get US products here that is not expensive. A postal service Correos is an option for shipping small things in, limitations are noted previously. We have found outright shipping to be incredibly prohibitive. Ferrying things back when you visit the US or elsewhere is another option. If you are sending a container, get everything on there you can because there are no weight limitations and you can bring large objects that do not fit in a suitcase. So one decides what to spend more on and what to let go of. That is a lot of the first year of living here, I suppose.<br /><br />And yet there are so many marvelous things to enjoy and new things to try so do not be discouraged.<br /><br />Hey, let me know when you get here. Good luck with the last 6 mo rush of discarding, storing and packing. And safe travels.<br />SharonSharonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-63107628771263602152012-03-03T11:53:20.548-08:002012-03-03T11:53:20.548-08:00Hi Sharon,
My husband and I are moving to Cuenca s...Hi Sharon,<br />My husband and I are moving to Cuenca sometime July of this year. I am gluten intolerant and would like to know want kinds of GF flours are available in the stores. I was considering to bring my bread machine. Will appreciate your response, thanks,<br />JudithAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com