I had big plans for today’s Cocina Viva post. It was going to be all about ajiaco, a traditional Colombian soup that’s as rich in history as it is in flavor. My dear friend and colleague from Colombia had thrown down the gauntlet, challenging me to recreate ajiaco as a vegan dish. She thought it would be an easy task given the soup’s vegetable-rich base. I was excited to take on the challenge and share the process with you, complete with a deep dive into the cultural significance of ajiaco.
But as it turns out, my Sunday cooking session never happened. Instead, I spent Saturday on a six-hour adventure around Portland, chasing down an elusive herb called guascas. This herb is the key to unlocking the true flavor of ajiaco, and without it, I knew the dish just wouldn’t be the same.
After doing some research, I found three locations in Portland that might carry guascas. Since I don’t drive, my day was going to involve a lot of buses, trains, transfers, and walking. It sounded daunting, but I was determined to track down this crucial ingredient.
My first stop was an international grocery store near Gresham, Oregon. I boarded the bus, hopeful that this store would have what I was looking for. The journey out there took some time, but I was optimistic. Unfortunately, when I arrived, I found everything but guascas. No luck here, but I wasn’t ready to give up just yet.
Next on my list was La Arepa, a Venezuelan food cart that I’ve grown quite fond of. It wasn’t on the original list of places to find guascas, but since it was on my way to the Portland Mercado, I couldn’t resist stopping by. Their vegan empanadas are some of my favorite treats in the city, and they didn’t disappoint. A delicious break before heading to my next destination.
From La Arepa, I made my way to the Portland Mercado. I had a good feeling about this place—until I remembered the unfortunate event that had happened a few months ago. The Mercado had burned down, and when I arrived, I was met with the sight of the fenced-off shell of the old store. It was a somber moment, realizing that this stop on my journey would be fruitless for obvious reasons. Only the food carts remained, a small reminder of what the Mercado used to be.
While at the Mercado site, I struck up a conversation with the woman running the Colombian food cart stand. She was incredibly kind and recommended I try a place called El Campesino, the third and final stop on my list. She seemed confident that they might have what I was looking for.
With renewed determination, I set off for El Campesino. By this point, I had been crisscrossing Portland for hours, and I was beginning to feel the weariness that comes with a long day of navigating public transportation. When I finally arrived, my hopes were dashed once again—no guascas.
In the end, my search for guascas turned into a six-hour adventure that took me all over the city. While I didn’t find the herb I was looking for, I did come away with some Colombian sodas—Manzana Postobón, which I’ve been enjoying, and Colombiana, which I haven’t tried yet due to my sensitivity to caffeine.
Though I wish I could be sharing a recipe and deep dive into the history of ajiaco with you today, that post will have to wait until I can source the ingredients I need. Rest assured, the Cocina Viva series will return as soon as I do.
In the meantime, I’ll be savoring the memories of my adventure and planning my next move. Sometimes, the journey itself is as rewarding as the destination. Thank you for your patience, and I look forward to sharing the vegan ajiaco story with you soon.
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