Gallo en Chicha

Gallo en chicha is a traditional Salvadoran dish [cite book |title=El Salvador |last=Deady |first=Kathleen W. |year=2002 |publisher=Capstone Press |isbn=9780736809412 |pages=p. 15 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=T2JPPv-r-kIC&pg=PA15&dq=%22Gallo+en+chicha%22&num=100&client=firefox-a&sig=ACfU3U0T8xHiv15KEvq3C1CwsAndMpEfNA#PPA15,M1 |accessdate=2008-09-01] (although it is cooked and eaten at a regional level in other Central American countries such as Guatemala) [cite book |title=Guatemala |last=McNally |first=Shelagh |year=2006 |publisher=Hunter Publishing, Inc |isbn=9781588435286 |pages=p. 64 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=x7CtmPL5DMQC&pg=PA64&dq=%22Gallo+en+chicha%22&num=100&client=firefox-a&sig=ACfU3U3L9sq1E9k__1JJZpMUHr_a1l5Qbg |accessdate=2008-09-01] made with rooster, Salvadoran chichacite news |title=Latin Flavors: A Fusion of Culture & Cuisine |url=http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/food-stores/4218522-1.html |work=Gourmet Retailer |date=2007-04-01 |accessdate=2008-09-01 ] and panela. A simple comparation would be to say it is a localized version of Coq-au-vin, [cite book |title=Counter Intelligence |last=Gold |first=Jonathan |year=2000 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |isbn=9780312267230 |pages=p. 91 ] but that would be just half of the history. The gallo en chicha, like much of the Salvadoran cuisine, is an exotic blend of the European influences and the Salvadoran ingredients and cooking traditions, resulting in a delicious creole dish.

Traditions

The dish is consumed in most parts of the country, but has a bigger and more noticeable presence in the western and central parts of El Salvador. The dish is consumed in both rural and urban areas, and it is usually prepared in special occasions and celebrations, like holidays or to celebrate the birth of a baby, for example. This may have to do with the relatively long and complicated cooking process, making it a dish that isn't eaten everyday, much like turkey.

References