The typical food of Bogotá stands out for recipes such as ajiaco or fritanga. The fusion of the cultures that inhabited the area is evident: that of the Spanish settlers and that of the indigenous natives.
This miscegenation makes Bogota's gastronomy one of the most recognized in all of Latin America. In this region there are four of the 50 best restaurants on the continent.
The gastronomy of Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, shares some of the characteristic features of that of the rest of the country, such as the use of potatoes, yucca or various types of meat. It also has a great variety of its own typical dishes.
The 5 main typical foods of Bogotá
one-
Ajiaco is a soup of indigenous origin that has been enriched with the inclusion of various ingredients, until it has become one of the most traditional recipes in Bogotá.
In fact, every November a festival called "Día del ajiaco santafereño" is held to honor and taste this dish.
The recipe includes three different types of potatoes: the sabanera, the pastusa and the criolla, which ends up dissolving and giving it its color.
Other ingredients that cannot be absent are chicken, heavy cream, baby corn and capers.
Finally, one of the distinctive elements of this Bogota ajiaco is the use of guascas, aromatic wild herbs.
two-
Like other dishes in Bogotá, fritanga is the result of miscegenation among the inhabitants of these lands.
In this case, the Spanish heritage is clearly appreciated in the minced meat and sausages, which are the basis of this recipe and which come from the native Spanish Extremadura community.
The most common elements in the fritanga are black pudding, beef, sausage and chorizo, all well fried and served on a paper that absorbs fat.
Along with these fried tubers are also added, such as yucca or potato, and fruits such as banana.
3-
Changua is a soup that is usually eaten in Bogotá at breakfast time. It is a very simple dish made with few ingredients.
Its name seems to have Chibcha origin, a people that lived in the area. A few years ago the Royal Academy of the Language added its definition to its dictionary.
To cook it you only need milk, onion, salt, butter and coriander, which are heated until boiling.
At that moment the eggs are incorporated until they are prepared to the taste of each diner. It is usually eaten hot and accompanied by a toast called pan calado.
4-
Actually, the Santa Fe stew is the name of the pots in which this dish is cooked; But, by extension, the food that is made is also called that way.
This recipe is the result of the Spanish presence, since its origin is in Andalusia, where a very similar meal is still being prepared today.
There are many variants, but traditionally it should include meats (chicken, beef, and pork) and various vegetables such as tender ears, yucca, potato sabanera, arracacha and hibias.
Aromatic herbs such as thyme and coriander are added to this. Finally, it is essential to serve it with a hogao (stew prepared with onion, garlic and tomato) accompanied by cheese and avocado.
5-
Chocolate with cheese is another food traditionally served for breakfast, especially during the cold months. During that time, this recipe competes in popularity with coffee.
The dish consists of a very hot chocolate served with a slice of Colombian white cheese.
The diner can dip it in the drink or put it inside until it melts completely. It is usually accompanied by an arepa or an almojábana, a kind of bread made from corn flour and yucca.
References
- Pabon, Gabriel. 12 dishes from Bogotá that we must all try in life. Retrieved from civico.com
- Jenison, David. Is Bogotá the Next Lima for Foodies ?. (June 15, 2015). Retrieved from pastemagazine.com
- Vanille See you. Traditional Colombian Soup: Ajiaco. Retrieved from vanilleverte.com
- Expat Chronicles. 10 Things To Eat in Bogota. Retrieved from expat-chronicles.com
- Snail Radio. The five most traditional foods in Bogotá. Obtained from caracol.com.co