Latin American Cuisine: Colombian

Arepas
If there is one Colombian food the country is famous for, it is
without a doubt Colombian arepas. A meal as varied as the
biodiversity of our colorful and vibrant country. Discover the
significance of Colombian corn cakes and the places they come
from.
What exactly are Colombian arepas?
Arepas are mostly known as corn cakes made out of corn dough or
precooked corn flour in a flat circular shape, similar to a pancake. It can
be cooked on a grill, fried, or roasted. Most of the time, Colombian
arepas are the best companion to other dishes such as Bandeja
Paisa or tamales. On the other hand, arepas can also be filled with
other ingredients like ground beef, egg or cheese, making it a dish in
itself and a real comfort food.
The history of corn cakes, or arepas, dates back to the Spanish conquest
in the pre-Columbian era when the different indigenous groups
harvested corn and made several preparations out of it as they
considered it a gift from the gods.
Although there are over 40 types of corn cakes in Colombia. Here
are the most famous ones in the country.
One of the most famous Colombian arepas you can find is the arepa e’
huevo, pretty much the most representative meal from the Caribbean
coast. This arepa is a fried yellow corn cake filled with a whole
egg inside. It sounds pretty simple but cooking it requires a great
technique from the preparation of the dough to each step of the cooking
process. The beauty of it is in its versatility: people can eat it for
breakfast, lunch, or even dinner. Any time is good to try this
delicacy!
The origins of arepa e’ huevo
The origins of this famous Colombian arepa are yet unknown. There is a
clear dispute between Barranquilla and Cartagena as both cities claim to
be the inventors of this delicious corn cake. In the first one, it is known
as arepa e’ huevo as it is only stuffed with eggs. In Cartagena, it is
known as an empanada (another type of fried corn snack) with an egg
and meat. Yet the preparation is the same as only the filling changes. In
the end, both are delicious.
Without a doubt, it is a very famous meal on the Colombian Caribbean
coast, especially for travelers on the road close to Troncal del Caribe,
a highway that connects the regions of Atlántico, Magdalena,
and Bolívar on the north coast of the country.
In the region, the women are the ones who are experts in cooking
arepa e huevo. They have inherited the tradition from descendants of
women dedicated to the manufacture of arepas. Fruit of the heritage of
indigenous corn, Spanish omelets, and African fried foods, this
nutritious corn cake has been passed down from generation to
generation for almost 200 years and is one of the main sources of
food for all the people traveling the road of Cordialidad. This
experience is a must for tourists who visit wonderful coastal
cities or any part of the country.
Arepa de Choclo, the sweet and salty one
Choclo is the Quechua word for “tender corn”, which refers to fresh-
picked corn. Therefore, arepa de choclo is the corn cake made with
sweet and tender corn, that when mixed with melted butter and eggs
forms a batter that is later cooked in small batches over a heated
pan. This preparation is similar to that of pancakes.
Some variations of arepa de choclo involve splitting the corn cake and
putting cheese similar to a sandwich. Other times, different types of
cheese like curd, mozzarella or fresh cheese are used to fill it up. This
delicious sweet corn cake can be part of a breakfast or can be
served with hot chocolate late in the afternoon.
Where does the arepa de choclo come from?
Arepa de choclo is found in all regions of Colombia. However, it is known
that it was first noted in the regions of Antioquia, Valle del Cauca, and
Risaralda. These regions are close to the Coffee Cultural Landscape,
inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2011, a recognition
awarded because it stands as an outstanding example of human
adaptation to difficult geographical conditions on which hillside and
mountain coffee farming are developed.
This area is home to a great biodiversity, such as the highest
wax palm trees in the world in the Cocora Valley, a habitat also
known for its many bird species.
The sweetest of the Colombian arepas: The arepa boyacense
Arepa Boyacense is a thick, rounded, and chunky corn cake prepared
with precooked yellow corn flour or dry yellow corn. Other ingredients to
prepare the dough include milk, butter, salt, and sugar or panela
(molasses) to give it a sweet notorious flavor.
It can be cooked on a hot griddle, in a frying pan or wood oven. Similar
to the arepa de choclo, it is often filled with curd or fresh cheese. This
sweet corn cake is often served as part of a breakfast. It’s also a
good snack during the day.
The region of Boyacá is where this sweet corn cake comes from
In the central part of the country, the eastern Andean mountain range
plays home to the region of Boyacá and a small town called
Ramiriquí. Famous for its friendly inhabitants, their archaeological
heritage, fertile land for harvesting corn and an invaluable
treasured tradition: making arepas boyacenses.
The town has one of Colombia’s largest rural areas, surrounded by the
beautiful landscape of green mountains and colorful birds where over
6,000 farmers work the land to prepare the flour of the sweet corn cake
in a process that lasts up to 8 months. For this reason, every year
the municipality celebrates the international festival of “the
corn, the sip and the arepa”.
The classic style of Colombian arepas: the arepa paisa
The arepa paisa might seem like the simplest of all the Colombian
arepas, which can explain why it goes with everything. It is thin, white
and the dough is purely based on corn with bran with no additions, not
even salt. For this reason, it is the perfect base for butter, fresh
cheese, butter or even hogao (a tomato and onion sauce with
spices).
On the other hand, they can also be stuffed and cooked over charcoal to
keep its distinctive taste. The arepa paisa is an unmissable side to
every breakfast in the region, and like the other arepas it can be
enjoyed in all the meals of the day.
The arepa paisa is from one of the most famous regions of Colombia:
Antioquia
The second biggest region of Colombia is home to one of the country’s
most visited cities: Medellín. A city known for being the most
technologically-advanced hub of the country and one of the most
innovative cities in the world. The region is also an economic engine
of Colombia as many productive activities take place here, from
livestock to textiles.
The paisas (the people of the region) are famous for being great
hosts, hard workers and very innovative individuals. In the
mountains of the region, the families prepare the dough by cooking the
corn, as there is no place for precooked flour in the preparation of arepa
paisa. This dish is not only the support for each family meal of
the day but also for their daily income.