¡Quiero Salsa de Aji con Chochos!

April 12, 2011 12:50 PM

I traveled through Ecuador for about 2 months, and in the process fell in love with Salsa de Aji, specifically the Salsa de Aji con Chochos, made by SNOB. I cannot for the life of me find somewhere online to buy it (that ships within the U.S.). What would be the best way for me to find someone in Ecuador to get me some? I'm located in Los Angeles. I realize this could get expensive but right now I'm just trying to think if there's even a way I could do it.
posted by dithmer to food & drink (7 answers total)

Could you not try to make it yourself?
posted by LN at 1:34 PM on April 12, 2011

A great webpage, even better when you get Google to translate it for you. I'd heard that Chocho was an iffy word in Ecuador.
posted by uans at 4:01 PM on April 12, 2011

In Minneapolis, local Hispanic markets usually carry a variety of aji sauces. (We do have a significant Ecuadorian immigrant population.) I have a bottle of Mama Tere sauce in my fridge right now from Ecuador, bought right here in NE Mpls. It's not out of the question that an ethnic market in your area might have it right now, but it might require in-person shopping if no-one here has a direct recommendation.
posted by gimonca at 4:10 PM on April 12, 2011

Los Angeles has an extremely diverse culture. Having grown up there and lived a significant part of my adult life there, I've got to believe there is an Ecuadorian market somewhere in the greater L.A. basin. Have you tried to find a market that is either Ecuadorian or "South American?" I would start by trying to find if there is an "Ecuadrian Community" like there is a Little Japan, Chinatown, Korea Town, etc. You could call your City Councilman's Field Office and they might be able to tell you.
posted by Old Geezer at 4:25 PM on April 12, 2011

try some google searches with: +ecuatoriano +"los angeles" +market
btw the restaurant in Hawthorne called Rinconcito Ecuatoriano has been closed apparently.

I found a market in Huntington Park that might be what you need, or it might be a liquor store!

Rinconcito Ecuatoriano Mini Market
2627 Saturn Avenue
Huntington Park, CA 90255-4129
[phone]
posted by calgirl at 9:23 PM on April 12, 2011

LN - I thought of that, but unfortunately tomates de arbol are very difficult to find in the U.S., and I've only looked mostly in supermarkets, but I don't often see aji peppers either. I have seen lupini (chochos) though.

Old Geezer and Calgirl - both great ideas! Thanks for finding that, Calgirl. I was searching for "Ecuador market Los Angeles" instead of "Ecuatoriano" which may have been why I was having trouble.
posted by dithmer at 9:28 PM on April 12, 2011

Melissa's Produce grows tamarillos, and has a store locator on their web site.

We have a sizable Asian(Chinese) market here in Tucson, and they have aisles devoted to differing ethnic cuisines. There's a whole aisle of South American ingredients, where I found jarred aji peppers. Love 'em!
posted by JABof72 at 6:33 AM on April 13, 2011