Venezuelan food

Venezuelan food is about the many foods made and eaten in Venezuela. Most foods came from as a mix of European[1] (Mostly from the Mediterranean sea), African, and Indigenous dishes.[2] The most well known dish is the Arepa, a type of flat bun made with cornmeal (It could also be made with wheat flour[3]) which is eaten as a side or main dish filled with other foods. Other well known foods are pan de jamón, tequeños, pabellón criollo, and hallacas.

Tequeños with arepa filled with beef and plantains.

Different Venezuelan regions have different foods that are eaten. The most common food ingredients used are:[1][4]

Main foods
Hallaca, a food commonly eaten at Christmas season.
Pabellón criollo

The foods most eaten in most parts of Venezuela are:

Regional foods
Map of Venezuela and its regions.

Because of how big the country is, the foods are different in each region. Usual foods of each regions are:

  • Eastern Region: Seafood, such as fish, shellfish and lobsters, tubers such as yams, potatoes and Chinese squash, corn and beef are eaten in the south-plains region where there soft fresh cheeses (Guiana, de mano, clineja, mozzarella criolla, etc.) are also made. Fried or stewed fish are eaten with arepas, rice, salad, tostones or slices. Some European foods (such as clams with white wine, paella, etc.) are also eaten.
  • Central-western Region: Meats such as goat and rabbit, cheeses are eaten there. The foods are mostly from indigenous and European influence. There is also a a lot of fast foods that came from Zulia, like, the patacón, tumbarrancho (a type of arepa) and fried wheat cakes. Its typical sweets include chimbos eggs, icaco candy, lemon and figs.
  • Central Region: Foods commonly eaten are Chicken, stewed or roasted fish, rice, pasta, salads that come from Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese and other European foods.
  • Andean Region: The foods are similar to the Colombian Andes. Potatoes, wheat, beef, sheep, chicken, little fish except cultivated trout, from European foods are commonly eaten there.

Fresh or marinated vegetables, like aubergines, pumpkins, potatoes are also commonly eaten as sides.

Drinks

Some popular drinks are:

Matla, a non-alcoholic drink made with malt.

Snacks
A dish with tequeños, tostones, arepitas (small arepas), and empanaditas (small empanadas).

Some foods commonly eaten as snacks are:

Breads
Pan de jamón

Some breads commonly eaten are:

  • Casabe – a flatbread made with cassava starch.
  • Pan dulce (sweet bread)
  • Pan de jamón – A bread filled with ham, olives, and raisins that is commonly eaten during the Christmas season.

Desserts
Quesillo, a locally made flan.

Some desserts eaten in special events are:

  • Alfajor – Corn cookie with arequipe and grated coconut
  • Bienmesabe
  • Brazo gitano (Spanish Swiss roll)
  • Cannoli – often called "cannoli siciliano"
  • Pudín de chocolate – chocolate pudding
  • Dulce de Lechosa Green papaya slowed cooked in a syrup with cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla.[8]
  • Mousse de chocolate
  • Quesillo – A type of flan[8]
  • Polvorosas – Butter cookies with cinnamon

Cheeses
Queso de mano

Queso fresco (or queso blanco) is popular in South American countries like Venezuela. Other popular cheeses are Guayanés cheese, Palmita cheese, and queso de mano.[9]

Sauces
Guasacaca with tortilla chips.

Some sauces commonly made and used are:

Sauces from other countries, such as ketchup, mayonnaise, soy sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, pink sauce, tartar sauce have also been popular.

Festive foods
Common christmas foods

The hallaca is a food eaten at the Christmas season, which begins at December 3.[11] Venezuelan families meet to prepare the food. During the parties, pan de jamón, pork leg, chicken salad, punch, wine, black cake, and other dishes are commonly eaten as a side.

Even though it can be found at markets, people usually like the homemade version. Newer generations like to change up the recipe a bit.[11]

References
  1. Kohnstamm, Thomas; Kohn, Beth (2007). Lonely Planet Venezuela. Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1-74104-545-1.
  2. Long, Lucy M. (2015-07-17). Ethnic American Food Today: A Cultural Encyclopedia. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4422-2731-6.
  3. "Cómo hacer arepas andinas | Arepas de trigo". Recetas ABC (in Spanish). 2016-08-24. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  4. Brittin, Helen Clark (2011). The food and culture around the world handbook. Library Genesis. Boston : Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-507481-7.
  5. "Venezuela - Crops". countrystudies.us. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  6. McCausland-Gallo, Patricia (2011-10-04). The Food and Cooking of Colombia and Venezuela: Traditions, Ingredients, Tastes, Techniques, 65 Classic Recipes. Anness Publishing. ISBN 978-1-903141-83-0.
  7. Armas, Juan Forero and Mayela (2016-04-29). "Beer Becomes the Latest Scarcity in a Venezuela Crippled by Shortages". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  8. "Venezuela Food, Typical Meals Desserts - Comida Tipica South America". southamerica.cl. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  9. Brown, Bob (2009-01-01). The Complete Book of Cheese. The Floating Press. ISBN 978-1-77541-353-0.
  10. Novas, Himilce; Silva, Rosemary (2016-12-13). Latin American Cooking Across the U.S.A. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-5247-3241-7.
  11. Boadas, Aura Marina (2007). "Exilio y desarraigo en la narrativa de renato rodríguez: Exile and uprooting in Renato Rodríguez narrative". Núcleo. 19 (24): 137–149. ISSN 0798-9784.
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