A Year in Uruguay

Piña means pineapple in most Spanish speaking countries, but in Uruguay pineapple is anana and piña refers to pine cones. Convenience stores in the US don't typically sell pine cones but many neighborhood shops in Montevideo do. Pine cones are used for cooking-- not as an ingredient, but as fuel for the parrilla. Wood is the primary fuel but the fast-burning piñas are added when the cook wants a particularly hot fire.

Labels: customs, Uruguay