Soup is by and large the most popular and diverse type of food from Ecuador. The first course of most lunches and dinners is a savory soup, rich with grains, vegetables and chicken or beef. Locro soup, made with cheese, avocado and potato, sounds a bit odd, but is surprisingly tasty. Chupe de pescado, a fish and vegetable soup with coastal origins, is becoming popular throughout the country. Bolder diners can try yaguar locro, a potato soup made with sprinklings of cow blood. And bizarre food in Ecuador includes one final soup: Those ready to throw their inhibitions completely to the wind should dip their spoon into caldo de pata, a broth containing chunks of boiled cow hooves, considered a delicacy by locals and believed by some hopeful men to increase virility. Yum!