Canadian World Traveller Spring 2023 Issue

8
Flavors of Colombia
Savor traditional foods and beverages at Bogota’s street carts, markets, restaurants and cafes
Article and Photography by Randy Mink
It seems as if you can’t walk a block in
central Bogota without running into a
fruit market, sidewalk juice stand or
mom-and-pop cafe. And you’re never far
from a street vendor serving up that classic
Colombian corn cake, the arepa, hot off the
griddle.
Not long after their arrival in this sprawling,
traffic-choked capital cradled by the green
slopes of the Andes, first-time visitors seeking
to sample native foods inevitably find themselves
biting into an arepa. Colombia’s version
of a tortilla, the ubiquitous patty of cornmeal
and butter is usually grilled plain or
filled with a sweet cheese, or sometimes with
egg, ham or chicken. Arepas can be a
snack, light breakfast or starchy accompaniment
to a sit-down meal.
Corn plays a part in many Colombian dishes
with Andean influences, as do meat and
potatoes. Food in this South American country
is basically peasant fare, simply prepared
and gently flavored.
Traditional Favorites
Bogota’s most famous dish is the beloved
ajiaco santafereno. A hearty meal in a bowl,
ajiaco is a chicken and potato stew with
small pieces of corn on the cob. It is flavored
with guascas, a wild herb native to the
Andes, and often garnished with capers and
a dollop of sour cream. Ajiaco is popular
with tourists dining at La Puerta de la
Cathedral, a restaurant located in a historic,
high-ceilinged building around the corner
from the main cathedral. Specializing in traditional
Colombian cuisine, it is just steps
from Plaza de Bolivar in La Candelaria, the
atmospheric Spanish colonial district. Its narrow
cobbled streets brim with churches,
museums, handicraft shops and 300-yearold
houses.
https://worldtraveler.travel - Already 21 Years!