Eight Women, Eight Markets, One Perfect Bowl of Papas con Cuero — The Finals Are Friday

If you've been in Cuenca more than a week, someone has told you to try papas con cuero. If you've been here more than a month, you probably have a favorite vendor. Now the city is about to make it official.

The Competition

The II Ruta de las Papas con Cuero — Cuenca's second annual competition to crown the best bowl of the beloved potato-and-pork-skin soup — has narrowed the field to eight finalists. All of them are women, and all of them cook out of Cuenca's municipal markets.

Meet the Finalists

• Lolita Sangurima — Mercado 9 de Octubre
• Monserrath Albarracín — 3 de Noviembre
• Rosita Auquilla — 10 de Agosto
• Dolores Chapa — Plataforma Valdiviezo
• Zoila Arévalo — Narancay
• Rosita Arévalo — Mercado 27 de Febrero
• María Guanga — 12 de Abril
• Elvia Guanga — El Arenal

The competition is organized by the Dirección de Mercados and judged by Mateo Guevara, a chef from the Universidad de Cuenca. He's evaluating three things: sazón (flavor and seasoning), presentación (presentation), and tradición (tradition).

When and Where

The final takes place on Friday, May 2 with the awards ceremony at 2:30 PM at Mercado 3 de Noviembre.

A bowl of papas con cuero from any of these vendors runs between $1.50 and $3. For what might be the best bowl in the city, that's a steal.

Why You Should Go

Even if you don't catch the finals, this is basically a curated guide to the city's best papas con cuero vendors. Print the list, visit the markets, and do your own tasting tour. You won't regret it.

Source: El Mercurio