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By Jennifer Dugger

When I first arrived in Santiago, Chile to teach English there were a few attributes that immediately caught my attention: Shakira idolatry; a resounding pride in southern Chile; and, of course, an affinity for the "asado" or barbecue. The temptingly spicy aroma of these anytime events waft throughout the city, carrying an olfactory tapestry of celebration, friendship and "buena onda," all of which we can trace to sizzling links of choripan, carefully spaced on the grill among other, less mysterious cuts of meat.

Choripan - the mere mention of it brings a smile to the lips of any Chilean. It can be found in the form of longanizas (long versions), chorizos (short versions), or cocktails (really short versions). Its unmistakable popularity in Chile has inspired me to take to the streets in search of golden choripan secrets. With probing questions such as, "What is the meaning of Choripan?," I have managed to confuse many Chileans. The following is what has resulted from somewhat less philosophical inquiries.

My first series of questions stemmed from curiosity about the difference between the United States sausage link and the Chilean choripan. I discovered that it is about more than brand names. In the United States one can find a plethora of brands, each with varying fat contents designed to accomodate a finicky sausage market that ranges from weight watchers to beer slammers. Here in Chile, however, most people accept the fact that a low-fat diet will never include choripan and that diets enjoy spontaneous holidays just like everyone else. The supply responds to the demand.

There are several varieties that can be bought in links at the meat counter such as the San Jorge, Llanquehue, and Winter longanizas; the Winter Parrillero (shorter sausage); and the Cecinas Supers, all ranging in price from 2,193 pesos per kg to 3,672 pesos per kg. Or you might opt for the packaged version. The latter choice sometimes includes nutritional details outlining the extent of your dietary transgression. Whichever you select, however, will be a guaranteed delight.

From there I sought to discover the uniqueness of choripan love. Is it common only in Chile? Naturally, following a series of interviews, I discovered that, although choripan is widely popular in surrounding countries, the best is found in Chile, particularly in the south (of course-all of the best of Chile is to be found in the South-ask anyone). I was told that a trip to San Carlos or Chillan would be well-rewarded by a truly superior choripan experience. I concluded that even if you can't manage a six-hour lunch trip to the choripan heart-land you're guaranteed better choripan in Santiago than beyond the Chilean frontier. It seems quality, in this case, breeds love.

In trying to understand the gauge for choripan superiority, my inquiries guided me to the topic of ingredients, which shed light upon the true meaning of "choripan." "Chorizo" (sausage) plus "pan" (bread) equals choripan! Such an obvious explanation - as simple as throwing meat on a grill.

Semantics aside and the ingredients questions still unanswered, I proceeded into the dangerous mire of information that most fear. I asked my students. I received input from a tennis player, a doctor and a lawyer, all of whom responded vaguely, forcing me to diversify my research methodology. I bought a package of Llanquehues (a southern variety-the best) from the Pre-Unic. The package ingredients began with pork meat, pork bacon, beef, ice (hielo-that's ice, isn't it), nitric salt (I'm sure this is harmless) vinegar and dextrose. The list continued with several lines of chemical components, surely the choripan equivalents of fluoride to drinking water, calcium to orange juice, and so on.

Next I turned my attention toward the origin of choripan, reverting to my previous interview methodology. Upon posing the dilemma to my students, my curiosity was greeted with suggestions of the Greek god, Zeus as a possible source. Although I sensed that this answer carried a grease-like stain of sarcasm, I decided to dignify the possibility with an internet investigation.

Believe it or not, Zeus was involved. Apparently the Mycenaeans who worshipped the Goddess Rhea, sister of Cronus and father of Zeus, created the Olympic Games as a friendly gathering to which all participants could bring choripan from distinct regions of the Mediterranean for quality comparisons. This leaves the question of the origin of choripan unanswered.

The results of further research, however, suggest that the art of sausage creation has been passed along like family heirlooms for thousands of years, spanning dozens of generations and nations beginning with the first "wurst masher" in Germany. Anyone who's been to Osorno can make the Chilean connection from here. I suggest that Chile is directly linked to the ancestral progression of choripan via southern German colonies, hence the superior quality of Chilean choripan.

So, there are some extra anecdotal ingredients to spice up your next asado for which I suggest you provide some Llanquehue longanizas. Pile your choripanes high with mayonnaise, mustard, ahi, cabbage, and palta for a delux Chilean "completo," or top them with mustard and sauerkraut, to get back to those German sausage roots. Either way, there's no need to wait for a special occasion-It's a sunny day; light the grill.