A Morning at the Galeria de la Alameda in Cali, Colombia

by Antonio on 12/10/09 at 7:46 am

A view of the galeria

Twenty years ago there were very few supermarkets in Cali, Colombia. Families would instead head to the galerias on Sundays before church. At this covered outdoor market families would do their weekly shopping. Gladly the Galeria is still intact and we visited recently. It’s located in the Alameda neighborhood in Cali and is easily accessible by bus.

Various Fruits at the Galeria

We arrived at 6am and were impressed at it’s size, it’s as big as the Chelsea Market in NYC and divided in sections: Fruits, Vegetables, Meats, Crafts and makeshift food stands with incredible goodies. The best part is that you can haggle. You can ask how much a bag of oranges is and usually talk the merchants down a significant amount. Respectful haggling is expected. For about $20 USD (or $40,000 Colombian Pesos) you will go home with plenty of food for the week.

Fruits and veggies at the galeria

In the fruit section you will find everything you would find in the states like strawberries, blackberries, oranges, mandarins, papayas, bananas, grapes, persimmons,lemons, pineapples, watermelons; as well as fruits that are native to Latin America and much harder to find up north such as:

Aloe at the Galeria

Curubas: It’s a long fruit with green velvety skin. To eat it you stick your fingernail in it and break it in half. Inside it has small black seeds covered with a pink pulp. Great when put in a blender with milk and sugar.

Fruit of the galeria

Mamoncillos: These grow on a tree and are sold in bunches. Little and round like a grape with a thin green skin. You bite the skin, peel it off and suck on it’s large pit which is covered by a pink, sweet and sour pulp. These are often sold a snack by street vendors.

Granadillas

Tomate de arbol: It’s a type of sweet tomato for making juices and desserts.

Zapotes: Round and large with a tan hard thick skin; you tear off the top and it opens (this takes practice and it took us a while to master). Super sweet and delicious, like eating a mousse.

Lulos

Chirimoyas: (custard apple) Large, green and spiky on the outside with soft skin filled with a white sour pulp with small seeds. Also often used for making juices or souffles.

Granadillas: One of our favorites. Similar to pomegranates they have a thin hard skin. You crack the top and hold them from their stem as if they were red wine glasses. With a spoon you eat the pulpy sweet seeds inside. Much easier to accomplish than eating a pomegranate.

We ran into some bunches of aloe vera plants. We were told that they are considered good luck. You  are supposed to hang them upside down on your front door to stay lucky.

In the vegetable aisle we found all the US staples as well as so many kinds of potatoes we didn’t know which to leave behind.

Rellenos Carolina

Everyone in Cali has their favorite food stand at the Galeria. We went to Rellenas Carolina food stand. On the menu were morcillas (blood saussage), asadura (hearts, livers, kidneys, cow testicles all stewed in a huge pot), insulsos (sweet corn dough with creme fraiche cooked and wrapped in a corn husk). They charge $6 per pound for your choice of goodies.

Maria Fernanda Making delicious goodies

If you head to Cali, this is a definite stop. We’re still remembering the aromas of the galeria. They were intoxicating.