Chillan Longaniza

Longaniza de Chillan is a fresh pork sausage seasoned with garlic, cumin, aji and other spices in proportions each butcher guards, sold in long linked coils and measured by the metre rather than by weight, and it is the thing Chile associates with the city. It is grilled or fried and served in a sandwich, or as part of a chorrillana or a plate with fried potato and egg. The covered market in Chillan is where to find it, alongside the region's cheeses, dried fruit and chicha. Rivalry between butchers is genuine and long-running, and locals will name a preferred one without hesitation.

What you actually see

• Sausage sold by the metre - in long linked coils.
• Guarded spice proportions - each butcher's mix differs.
• The Chillan market hall - where most of it is bought.
• Genuine local rivalry - everyone has a butcher they prefer.

When to go

Year round; the market is best in the morning. A meal.

Honest expectations

It is a fresh sausage and must be cooked, so buying it to take home means dealing with that. Quality varies sharply between producers. The market is busy and cash is easier. Vacuum-packed supermarket versions are not comparable.

Nearby

Quinchamali is south-west; Nevados de Chillan is east.