Introduction: Picadillo is a family of finely diced vegetable and meat hashes found throughout Costa Rica, with the potato version among the most common home-cooked variations, simmered gently and typically eaten with rice, beans and warm tortillas. Cultural Background: Picadillo is a family of finely diced vegetable and meat hashes found throughout Costa Rica, with […]
Introduction: Tamales are the heart of Costa Rican Christmas tradition, with entire families gathering to prepare dozens or even hundreds of masa parcels filled with seasoned pork, rice and vegetables, wrapped in plantain leaves and boiled — a labour of love reserved for the December holiday season. Cultural Background: Tamales are the heart of Costa […]
Introduction: Spiced vegetable fritters coated in a chickpea flour batter, bhajias reflect the long-standing Indian community's influence on Comorian street food, sold hot from roadside stalls in the late afternoon. Cultural Background: Spiced vegetable fritters coated in a chickpea flour batter, bhajias reflect the long-standing Indian community's influence on Comorian street food, sold hot from […]
Introduction: A cooked potato salad bound with mayonnaise and mustard, this dish reflects the Andean interior's reliance on potatoes as a dietary staple, and is a common accompaniment at family lunches and holiday tables alongside roasted meats. Cultural Background: A cooked potato salad bound with mayonnaise and mustard, this dish reflects the Andean interior's reliance […]
Introduction: Sancocho is Colombia's great communal soup, a hearty hen-and-root-vegetable stew traditionally cooked outdoors over wood fire for family gatherings and weekend reunions. Cultural Background: Sancocho is Colombia's great communal soup, a hearty hen-and-root-vegetable stew traditionally cooked outdoors over wood fire for family gatherings and weekend reunions. Its roots lie in Spanish and Indigenous cooking […]
Introduction: Ajiaco is Bogotá's signature chicken and potato stew, built on three native Andean potato varieties and the herb guascas, which gives the broth its distinctive flavour. Cultural Background: Ajiaco is Bogotá's signature chicken and potato stew, built on three native Andean potato varieties and the herb guascas, which gives the broth its distinctive flavour. […]
Introduction: Colombian tamales are cornmeal parcels filled with meat, rice and vegetables, wrapped in plantain leaves and steamed, and are a centrepiece of Christmas Eve and New Year gatherings across Colombia, traditionally made in large communal batches by extended families. Cultural Background: Colombian tamales are cornmeal parcels filled with meat, rice and vegetables, wrapped in […]
Introduction: Mondongo is a rich tripe soup thickened with root vegetables and enlivened with a wedge of lime and fresh herbs at the table. Cultural Background: Mondongo is a rich tripe soup thickened with root vegetables and enlivened with a wedge of lime and fresh herbs at the table. It has roots in Spanish tripe […]
Introduction: Cazuela is the quintessential Chilean home-cooked soup, a clear broth built around a large piece of beef and whole vegetables, traditionally served as a full meal in itself. Cultural Background: Cazuela is the quintessential Chilean home-cooked soup, a clear broth built around a large piece of beef and whole vegetables, traditionally served as a […]
Introduction: Charquicán traces back to Indigenous Andean cooking, originally made with charqui (dried, salted llama or beef) pounded and simmered with squash and potatoes. Cultural Background: Charquicán traces back to Indigenous Andean cooking, originally made with charqui (dried, salted llama or beef) pounded and simmered with squash and potatoes. Today it's a beloved everyday lunch […]