Book of Days Tales

Guayaquil, port city in Ecuador, was founded on this date in 1538 by Spanish conquistador Francisco de Orellana on the location of an indigenous village and given the name Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de Santiago de Guayaquil. Its official name now is  Santiago de Guayaquil, but, except in official contexts, it is usually called simply Guayaquil.  The origin of the name is much debated, but the commonest tale is that when the Spanish arrived the town’s leader was named Guayas and his wife was Quil.  They reputedly fought the Spanish to the death and set fire to the town rather than surrender, and so, in their honor, the town was named after them – making a portmanteau of their two names.

Guayaquil is a major port that is famous for its fish.  Ceviche is a well-loved favorite dish and would work well as a celebratory recipe. I have chosen a version of grilled shrimp that is popular in Guayaquil. 

Ingredients

1 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined

½ cup dark rum

¼ cup honey

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Instructions

Mix the rum, honey, and ginger together well and place in a sealable bag with the shrimp. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal the top.  Let the shrimp marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Drain and reserve the marinade..

Place the shrimp on skewers and grill over hot coals, turning once, and brushing with extra marinade as the shrimp cook.  Do not overcook – 3 minutes should be enough. 

Serve with plain rice, lime slices, and mashed avocado.