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COLOMBIAN FOOD
Colombian food isn't known in the U.S. outside
immigrant enclaves, so travelers often look forward to
discovering the culinary landscape of this South
American country. Stews, meat, seafood, root vegetables
and arepas feature prominently in Colombia's culinary
repertoire.
Stews:
If Colombians had to choose a national dish, it would
probably be ajiaco, and sancocho might be a contender
for second place. According to Colombian cookbook
author Patricia McCausland Gallo, these stews are a
“staple in the Colombian diet,” and are eaten regardless
of the temperature outside. Ajiaco is a thick stew, while
sancocho is a lighter, broth-based soup. The base
ingredients of ajiaco are chicken, corn, and potato, with
a touch of an herb called guasca. Sancocho has dozens of
variations, which depend both on the region where it’s
being cooked and what ingredients the chef happens to
have on hand.
Meats:
Vegetarians might feel slightly challenged in the meat-
loving Colombian culture. "If people can afford it," writes
cookbook author Patricia McCausland Gallo, "meat is
eaten more than five times a week." Beef, lamb, and goat
are all popular meats, and it is not uncommon for all
edible parts of the animal to be eaten, including organ
meat. Ways you're likely to see meat offered on a menu
are as part of the "bandeja paisa" or as a "fritanga." The
former is a plate heaped with meat, fried eggs, rice,
beans, avocado, and other accompaniments. The
complete bandeja paisa has 13 separate items. A fritanga
is a plate of fried meats, served alongside fingerling
potatoes. Think of the fritanga as a mixed grill.
Seafood:
Cities and villages on the Colombian coast have a cuisine
that's unique when compared to inland pueblos. Seafood
features prominently in coastal dishes; local sancochos
may replace chicken or meat with fish, octopus, conch or
other staples from the sea.
Roots:
Root vegetables are common throughout South America,
and Colombia is no exception. Yuca, also known as
cassava, potatoes, and arracacha, are steamed and
boiled and served as accompaniments to meat. They are
also added to ajiaco and sancocho as principal

ingredients. Most of the root vegetables have a starchy,
slightly sweet flavor and can also be ground down into
flour.
Arepas:
The easiest way to describe an arepa is to make a
comparison to cornbread, though they're not exactly the
same. The arepa, which can be traced back to indigenous
Colombians, is not quite as dry as American cornbread.
Though it's now a popular snack among all
socioeconomic classes, arepas were once the food of the
underclass, as they are relatively inexpensive to make
and are filling. When cooked in the countryside, arepas
may be cooked on an almond or banana leaf over open
flame to give a special, smoky flavor.
Colombia's national dish, bandeja paisa, is so rich and
satisfying that you might feel the need to unbutton your
pants afterward. True to its name, bandeja paisa ("paisa
platter") is generally served on a large tray (bandeja)
rather than a normal-sized plate. On it, you'll find red
beans and rice, ground beef, chorizo,
plantains, arepa (cornmeal bread) and avocado. The
entire work is topped with fried eggs and, to make the
dish even more decadent, sometimes a large slice
of chicharron (fried pork belly) is added. Wash it all down
with a large glass of mazamorra (cold milk with crushed
maize) and be sure to wear elastic-waist pants for
maximum enjoyment!. Although bandeja paisa is well
known throughout the country, many other Colombian
dishes are regional favorites.
Llanos region: Indigenous tribes who inhabited the
grassland areas of Colombia's northeast created a
regional delicacy that is still enjoyed today. Hormigas
culonas (literally, "big-butt ants") are harvested during
the rainy season, soaked in salt water and roasted in a
ceramic pot. While ants may be considered a delicacy by
locals, people from other regions of Colombia wouldn't
necessarily agree. The llanos region is also known for its
barbecued meats, which may be prepared in the
traditional way on a vertical spit over an open fire.
Coastal regions: Coconut rice (arroz con coco) is a
mainstay along both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of
Colombia. Arepa (cornmeal bread) is served in many
variations on the coast, including stuffed with cheese
(arepa de queso) and served with egg (arepa de huevo).
In general, food in Colombia's coastal regions tends to be
spicy. Some of it, such as mote de queso con hogao (a
soup with cheese and yam, topped with hogao, a savory
condiment made from tomatoes, onions and peppers)
reveals a blend of African and Criollo influences.
Andean region: Ajiaco (chicken soup with corn, potatoes,
avocado and guascas, a local herb) and changua
(breakfast soup made with eggs, milk and scallions) are
favorites of the Andean region.
A list of Colombian food wouldn't be complete without a
mention of Colombia's exotic fruits, including lulo,
curuba, mamoncillo, uchuva, chontaduro,zapote and
many others.
No article about Colombian food would be complete
without a mention of rich, delicious Colombian coffee.
The dry air and rich, volcanic soil of Colombia’s mountain
climates produce some of the richest and boldest Arabica
coffee beans in the world. In 1959, the National
Federation of Colombian Coffee Growers launched an
advertising campaign designed to put a Colombian face
on their coffee. Screened against a jagged mountain
peak, wearing a poncho and a sombrero, Juan Valdez, a
humble and fictional coffee picker, and his sidekick
Conchita the Mule are still synonymous with Colombian
coffee today.

REFERENCES
Árquez, Samuel M. and Roadfield, Douglas C. “Colombia.” everyculture.com. (Aug. 9, 2011)
http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Colombia.htm
How Colombian Traditions work, form: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-
traditions/national-traditions/colombian-tradition5.htm
Puerta, Maribel. "Bandeja Piasa." DiscoverColombia.com. (Aug. 13, 2011)
http://www.discovercolombia.com/category/food-blog/

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Colombian food

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