“We need to have a tarde de chipas sometime so you can teach us how to make these,”…

…said EVERYONE, EVERY time Lilian, wife of Rev. Sergio Fritzler, brought her famous chipas to any kind of team potluck or party, from when I arrived on the field 2+ years ago (and probably before) until Thursday. 

If you know me at all, you know I’m a doer. Fed up with all talk and no action, I hopped on WhatsApp and coordinated with Lilian to host a long overdue tarde de chipas Dominican ladies’ night. We enjoyed each others’ company and yummy munchies and FINALLY learned the secret to the cheesy, gluten-free (!), bite-sized Paraguayan delicacy we’ve all come to love. We joked that everybody was going to bring a batch to this coming Tuesday’s all-team event, but something tells me that, even though Lilian may have leaked her recipe, her reputation as the chipa queen is safe. 

Pro tip: Always grate cheese under a fan if you live in the tropics or you’ll work up a sweat!

They’re good the same day, nestled under a tea towel in a basket, but they’re amaaaaaazing hot out of the oven: crisp on the outside, ooey gooey on the inside. 

Love these sisters in Christ and everything they – sometimes literally – bring to the table. 

Until next time, blessings!