Food & Dining

Rural Chef’s third edition premieres online September 17 at 8 p.m. Students and semiprofessional cooks will compete, with chefs from Cuenca restaurants among the judges.

Elena Narváez will present corn ice cream with a baked humita at Reto del Sabor Cuencano. The September 25 program at Portal Artesanal EDEC starts at 4:30 p.m. and includes bands from different parishes.

A family business that began in Orange, New Jersey now operates a cafe in Victoria del Portete and exports its Ecuadorian products to the United States.

A Baños producer is selling more than 4,000 quail eggs per week under the Productos del Campo brand, with local distribution now reaching supermarkets, AgroAzuay stores, Gran Sol, and Feria Libre.

A first-edition chocolate festival tied to San Joaquin tradition is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Esquina de las Artes. Five local chocolate brands are listed, with tastings, demonstrations and sales areas planned.

Arcsa inspected three restaurants near Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso after a citizen alert. El Mercurio reports one was closed after inspectors found a serious pest problem, including a cockroach nest behind refrigeration equipment.

Missing American BBQ? The Rib Company and Pájaro y Bestia are doing it right — 12-hour smokes, custom rubs, and a smoker built from San Antonio blueprints.

Cuenca's II Ruta de las Papas con Cuero has its eight finalists, all market vendors competing for the city's best bowl. The finals are May 2 at Mercado 3 de Noviembre, and a plate costs you $1.50 to $3.

The second annual Ruta de las Papas con Cuero has its five finalists. Bowls run $1.50 to $3, the finals are May 2, and you can visit each vendor's market stall right now. Here's who made the cut.