How the National Sandwich of Uruguay Resembles the Country Itself

Shocked there isn't more coronary problems

I think the healthy quality of the natural ingrediants mitigates problems.

Good, real, unadulterated food may surprise your body systems at first, but you'll likely be healthier here than "back home." Food also tastes better here.

What part of the sandwich resembles the unavailable health insurance for retired expats in Uruguay?

On the main drag in Colonia del Sacramento today, I thought I might try the famous national sandwich, the chivito.

At the first place I visited, I asked if they could substitute another meat for lomo, which is a beef offering -- as I don't eat beef.

No, I was told, that wouldn't be possible.

In Restaurant #2, I asked if they made the chivito.  The anfitriona said they did but that it wasn't good.

Chalk one up for honesty.

cccmedia on the road in Colonia del Sacramento

The taste of something superior and unique replaces the ineffectivly managed and expensive health insurance available in other countries. There is national health available to all of course, and the inexpensive and well managed mutulista programs from hospitals for those who wish a more personal care.

Consider "no health insurance" a request for processed-meat-product to replace some of the best natural meat in the world. The familiar is not nessesarily better for you.

Like the sandwich, come and taste it for yourself, make your own decisions from personal knowledge.

cyberhug.me wrote:

the healthy quality of the natural ingredients... you'll likely be healthier here than "back home." Food also tastes better here.

I finally had some chivitos in Colonia, and they were fine.

But somehow, today on my first day ever in Montevideo, I topped them.  I concocted the best-tasting sandwich I've ever made -- all from ingredients that I bought at the DeVoto supermarket on Avenida Bolivia at San Nicolas in Carrasco this afternoon.  These fixin's include ham and cheese, but it was no ordinary ham 'n cheese san.

I chalk up the off-the-charts taste factor largely to two key ingredients -- four quesos cheese .. and rústico multi-cereal bread.

I call this sandwich the cccvito.  I made it open-faced and unheated.

This sliced bread was the best store-bought bread I've ever tasted -- like a North American rye bread, only so fresh and delicious you may want it at every meal.  It's the Artepan brand, available in clear-plastic-covered packages of 400 gram weight.

You know the expression “best thing since sliced bread.”  That could have originated here.

The cheese was Salsa Four Quesos from the folks at La Especialista brand, a creamy mix -- according to the labeling -- of queso dambo, muzarella, fontina, parmesan with some salt and pepper mixed in.

The ham was store-sliced jamón cocido (cooked ham).

I put some lettuce on top of the other inside ingredients.  There was no egg involved.

Then I washed down the cccvito with Pfanner blueberry juice, aka Heidelbeere mirtillo, which apparently comes from an Austrian juice-maker.

I'm not sure if there's a scientific basis for Cyberhugme's claim that food tastes better here.  But he could be right about that.

cccmedia, from Montevideo