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Arepas & Chicharrón recipe

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While there’s much talk of how we should be using our time in isolation, I fully support the school of thought that if we just get through this, it’ll be enough.

So while you are under zero obligation to “be productive” or “try something new”, if you’re curious about Colombian food or share my inclination towards recipes involving any form of fried meat, you could give the below a go.

Today’s recipe is for Arepas con Chicarrón, or corn-cakes and fried pork belly. The arepas require a precooked corn flour called “masa harina”. You can’t sub this out for regular corn flour so I recommend looking in your local cash & carry or international supermarket for this; popular brands are Pan and Goya.

The pork belly recipe is a cracker; the meat pretty much takes care of itself, boiling down in water until the last few minutes when you fry it off in its own fat to get it gloriously golden and crunchy. Give it a bit of attention the night before with some salt and bicarbonate of soda to dry it out for extra crisp.

Chicarrón and Arepas

Arepas

Makes ten

Ingredients

  • 250 grams masa harina
  • 250 ml water
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Method

  • Pour out your water into a bowl big enough to allow you to mix in
  • Shake in your masa harina, salt & pepper
  • Combine ingredients with your hands, forming a dough
  • Cover bowl with a tea towel and leave for 10 minutes
  • The dough is now ready to mould. Separate it into 10 equal sized balls and flatten down to about ½ inch thickness and mould into a round shape, either with hands or use a cup to cut out the shape, like a cookie cutter
  • Lightly oil up a griddle or non stick pan and cook arepas until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes on each side.
Colombian Arepas

Chicharrón

For four people, served alongside arepas and other nibbles

Ingredients

  • 500 grams pork belly, cut into cubes about 4cm x 4cm
  • 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 ½ tbsp salt
  • Seasonings of your choice (I used sweet paprika, cumin, garlic power)

Method

  • The night prior to cooking, place pork belly out on a plate and rub skin with the bicarb of soda and half the salt
  • The next day, when ready to cook, place pork belly in a pan big enough to fit it comfortably and add enough water to cover the meat completely
  • With the flame on very low, leave meat to simmer, checking on it every half an hour to turn the meat
  • 2-4 hours after you have started to cook the meat, the water will have evaporated off – this is time to turn up then heat and get your meat golden brown and crunchy
  • With the heat on high, carefully and lovingly fry the belly (no extra oil needed as it’s now cooking in its own fat). This should take 3-5 minutes – careful because the fat spits.
  • Once nicely golden and crunchy, remove meat from pan and place on top of kitchen roll laid on a plate to absorb extra grease.
  • Sprinkle spices and remaining salt on top – you can use the suggested sweet paprika, garlic powder and cumin or whatever your preferences are.
Chicarrón

These can be served alongside a whole host of toppings, below is what I went for: some pickled onions (left in red wine vinegar and a dash of sugar to take away the acidity), avocado, grated cheese, some chopped tomatoes with coriander and lemon and coriander to garnish.

Barranquilla in Golders Green, isolation edition

These are two very simple recipes that can serve as base for a whole Latin-American inspired meal. There’s loads of other Colombian recipes on my blog you could use as well: Colombian-style chicken wings, patacones (fried plantain slices, but this recipe does them in the oven), arroz con pollo (chicken with rice). Choices for pudding include a guava cake you could anglicise with jam instead of guava and a passionfruit and dulce de leche victoria sponge.

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Guava cake pulled from the archives, recipe available here

So if you’ve finished Tiger King and are at a loss for what to do next, why not give this a go? Let me know how you get on!

Bidmead back in Barranquilla – Feb 2018

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Nearly three years have passed since I left Barranquilla, where I lived for 12 months while working as a British Council language assistant. As London’s bitter winter intensified, my thoughts wandered to the sun, salsa and downright lovely locura that is my beloved Barranquilla. It was high time I headed back.

Arriving just as carnival was about to commence, I danced, drunk and shook my stuff with the rest of the city, while also revisiting all my favourite Colombian foods.

I’ve published various Barranquilla posts while living there (fried ear and salsa dancing here, how to make your own ajiaco here – just search “Barranquilla” on the home page for more), and in fear of repetition I’ll keep this one brief. Here’s a snappy rundown of my top Barranquilla bites.

First stop was La Immaculada, one of the cities top fruteras, around since 1982. A frutera is the place to head for fresh juices and fried goodies (aptly named fritos).

Frutera Immaculada

Fruit juice and fried goods

What did I eat? A carimañola (meat filed pastry with dough made from yucca) and a dedito (cheesy finger), alongside nispero and mandarin juice, plus the obligatory ají (chilli) sauce.

Mondongo is one of my favourite typical soups and a perfect embodiment of the nose-to-tail approach within Colombian cuisine whereby no meat is left to waste. Made mainly from tripe, the slow cooking of the stomach breaks it down from chewy to smooth, with a rich meaty flavour. Accompanied by yucca, potato and plantain, the flavour is picked up by a sprinkling of coriander and a squeeze of lime.

Mmmm…Mondongo, I’ve missed you (please note my fantastic nails too)

Returning to Barranquilla I realised how things we might consider as exotic at home (huge avocados, fresh coconuts and exotic fruits) are really just everyday alimentation for the costeños. Just look at this coconut lolly I had on route back from the beach – homemade and bought from someone’s front garden, this beats a pre-packaged Twister any day.

Beach life = eating coconut lollies

Or how about this lovely lady, serving half or whole avocados to accompany people’s fish lunches by the river? The sweetness and intense flavour of this avocado has thoroughly ruined any future avo-on-toast I may be tempted to buy while out for overpriced brunches back home.

Best avocados EVER

Want to stop to quench your thirst in the mid-day sun? Why not grab an ice-cold coconut, sold on the side of the road. Sit down, sip the juice, and then ask your coconut vendor to machete open the shell for you in order to enjoy the sweet and creamy flesh.

Casual coco frio on the side of the street

Being back in Barranquilla, I slipped straight into my old routines and felt quite quickly that I’d never want to leave. But as my ten days flew by, London and it’s grey but homely skies were calling. I’ll always have a bit of my heart tied to Colombia’s coast, and now will aim to head back more often. In the meantime, I’ll be looking to recreate some Barranquillero recipes in my Brixton kitchen, so stay posted!

“Quien lo vive es quien lo goza” – offical phrase of Barranquilla carnival

Bizcocho con bocadillo, A Colombian guava cake

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Turtle stew, fried lungs and malted fizzy drinks may sound like acquired tastes. But acquire them I did, during my year in Colombia. Certain food items I was less keen on, and I had particular dairy dilemmas when I realised all yogurt was either watery or contained gelatine and came in a jelly-like block. Total greek, Yeo Valley, Rachels Organic, donde estan, I would ask?

Despite my yearning for real yogurt, Colombian cooking captured my heart. Colombian food is never going to compare to classic French cuisine, but it comes from a totally different angle. The main dishes serve to feed and fill a crowd – big stews, rice and meat dishes and a lot of carbohydrates dominate.

With so many regional differences within the culture, Colombian food varies hugely: from the creamy potato and chicken soup ajiaco  in cold and central Bogotá to more tropical flavours such as coconut and the fruit chontaduro on the warm yet wet pacific coast. Despite its regionally varied dishes and interesting, complex flavours, Colombian cuisine is still relatively unknown to the British palette, but I’m on a personal mission to make Colombian food more popular within the UK. 

There’s a huge Latino population within London and some pockets of the city seem almost entirely Spanish speaking. I think it’s brilliant that I can buy empanada flour, the infamous bright pink fizzy drink postobon and achiote chilli powder less than half an hour away from my house and the fact the cashier will speak to me in Spanish without a second thought.

Harina pan y bocadillo

Corn flour for arepas and empanadas and guava jelly, bought at Brixton market.

With Colombian products so readily available, I decided to recreate one of my favourite Colombian cakes –  a wonderfully dense and moist vanilla sponge marbled with bocadillo, a sweet paste made of guava pulp and sugar. I bought my bocadillo in Brixton market and I’m certain you can find it in either Elephant & Castle or Seven Sisters too. If you’re not London based, you can find it here, or you could also use membrillo, the Spanish quince jam available in most larger supermarkets near the cheese.

Enough waffle, time to bake cake.

 

Bizcocho con bocadillo (Vanilla and guava cake)

Ingredients

-200g flour

-200g butter

-160g sugar

-5 eggs

-100g warm milk

-2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

-300g bocadillo (or membrillo)

-Dash of vanilla extract (1 tsp)

-4 tbsp water

Method

  1. Line a grease a large round cake tin – I used a 9 inch x 3 inch springform pan.
  2. Start your sponge mix by mixing the flour, bicadrbonate of soda and sugar together. Melt the butter completely, leave to cool slightly and whisk into the sugar and flour mixture, adding one egg at a time, mixing it all together. As you whisk add in the 100 ml warm milk and the dash of vanilla extract. Your cake batter is now ready.
  3. To make the bocadillo marble, you need to cut your bocadillo into small cubes and place it in a pan over a low heat, with 2 tbsp of water. As the bocadillo starts to melt down, stir it gently and add the rest of the water (and more if required). Take off the heat. You’re aiming for a liquid consistency you’re able to drizzle, but not something that’s overly runny.
  4. Quickly, as you don’t want the bocadillo to re-solidify, pour half the vanilla mix into the tin and then drizzle in half of the bocadillo mixture, swirling it around to create a marble pattern. Top with the rest of the vanilla mix and then repeat the bocadillo swirls on top.
  5. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, and if top is overly browning, cover with foil. Cake is done when a a knife poked in comes out clean.

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Vanilla sponge marbled with bocadillo – A Colombian guava cake, brought all the way to NW London!

A very pretty cake and a bit more exciting than a Victoria Sponge. Give it a go!

Penis, balls and a bit of heart for good measure – more culinary exploration in Cali

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The last part of my travels sees me return to what could potentially be my favorite place in Colombia…Cali. I first visited with my sister in January, returned in May and managed to squeeze in one last visit before I head back to the UK. Why do I love it so much? Well, Cali is the country’s (if not world’s) capital of salsa, the weather is hot, the people are friendly and it’s just a lot of bloody fun. They also eat a hell of a lot of meat. What more could an offal-loving salsa enthusiast possibly want?

A very meaty fritanga

To begin this meat filled post, I present the fritanga caleña. Not a dish for anyone watching their waistlines, this is some seriously heavy stuff. Eaten at the famous J&J in the iconic and picturesque old barrio of San Antonio, a fritanga is a mix of fried meat and fritos (pasty type goodies).  J&J know how to do it right, with this epic basket containing fried beef, morcilla (black sausage), pork rind, lung, plantain, new potatoes, empanadas, marranitas (fried plantain balls with pork) and aborrajados (fried plantain balls with cheese). This famous spot features a bar dedicated to condiments and offers guacamole, three different types of tomato salsa, peanut sauce, tartare, sour cream and salsa verde. How will I ever be satisfied with just ketchup again?

It’s highly likely I am so drawn to Cali due to it’s affinity for offal, a sentiment I very much share. On a friends recommendation I headed to the Galeria de Alameda, the place to go for a delicious lunch at an incredible price. I had been told I couldn’t leave Cali without trying the typical (and extremely potent) caldo de pajarilla. This essentially translates as ‘offal soup’ and is a stew featuring kidney, heart, liver and…spleen. This soup is pretty robust and makes for a hearty and heavy midday meal. Whether I actually liked it is perhaps up for debate. Even for an offal lover such as myself, I felt the mix of quite so much offal in one dish created ‘a too many organs spoil the broth’ situation. Oh, that old chestnut!

But if you thought spleen soup sounded a bit much, perhaps you’d be interested to know about the ‘caldo peligroso‘ as advertised in the sign above. This translates as ‘dangerous broth’, but for a keen traveler and adventurous foodie such as myself, I couldn’t fathom what the danger might be. Chatting to the chef, turns out that this ‘dangerous soup’ contains bull penis, testicles, heart and feet. She also alluded to it being some sort of aphrodisiac. While I tried to imagine how eating genitals might get your own private bits somewhat excited, I personally failed to make the link.

This rather impressive looking stuffed pigs head is known as lechona, a whole pig stuffed with rice, vegetables and spices, slow cooked in a brick oven. This is a dish I’ve wanted to try for a while and in all places I found it while passing through a shopping centre! Just another reason to love Cali – pop into a shopping centre in search of a loo and find a whole stuffed pig instead. This dish was a perfect combination of textures and flavors, as you get crispy pork skin along with the soft, richly flavored rice dotted with shreds of slow cooked pork. My lechona lunch certainly beat  any other shopping centre food court meal I’d eaten before!

But what’s this? Something that isn’t meat? Sometimes Cali’s hot, sticky summer days call for something this isn’t a fried dead animal and that is when the very famous cholado fits the bill perfectly. There are various versions and recipes for this typical caleño sweet treat, but, in essence, it features shaved ice, fruit syrup, fresh fruit and a wafer. From there, the sky (or plastic cup’s capacity) is the limit. Popular additions include ice cream, chocolate shavings, sweets, dried coconut – your options are endless.

Leaving Cali for the third time, I was more enamored with the city than ever before (although perhaps feeling ready to eat some vegetables). However, this is something that can wait until my return to the UK, as in a last minute decision I booked myself a flight to my old home of Buenos Aires! Bring on plenty of steak and red wine, along with all the other cuisines Argentina’s capital has to offer. 

Note to self – do not eat endangered animals

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Despite travelling extensively throughout Colombia, there are a few spots that always pull me back. Cartagena, just an hour and a half away from Barranquilla, is certainly one of the places. A top tourist destination, its old city is a UNESCO world heritage site and its nearby islands are home to some of the countries most pristine beaches. A friend recently visited from Buenos Aires and when I asked what he wanted to do, the response was clear. “Beach, beach and lots of sun”. Coming to visit me on the Caribbean coast, he was in luck! We headed to Cartagena for a few days to soak up some rays and naturally, food held an important part in the holiday.

Isla grande

We began our trip by setting off for a nights stay on a group of islands known as the Islas del Rosario, about 45 minutes away from Cartagena by boat. Made up of various small islands, we stayed on Isla Grande and were treated to two days of gorgeous sun and completely unspoiled beaches.

Loster lunching on Isla Grande

The hotel we were staying at had delicious food, however it was rather on the fancy side. We decided to venture away from the hotel and explore the island, home to around 800 permanent residents. We got chatting to a local fisherman who showed us some very impressive freshly caught lobsters, which soon became our lunch! They came cooked al ajillo (in a garlic sauce) and grilled, served with patacones (fried plantain slices). The lobster was flavorsome beyond belief – completely fresh and cooked to perfection.

(Property of the Travel Chanel)

Like many other food-lovers, I hold the chef Anthony Bourdain is extremely high esteem. The author of the Kitchen Confidential, a fascinating insight into the world of restaurants and well worth a read for any foodies, he is also the star of his own show No Reservations, where he travels the world trying typical (and sometimes not so typical) foods in many different countries. The clip above is a section from the No Reservations Colombia episode, and if you skip to 4 minutes in you can see Bourdain at Cartagena’s very own Bazurto Market.

Be warned – Bazurto is no trendy pop-up style food market. It’s a chaotic, dirty, loud and rather smelly place, but if you want to see the real Cartagena, this is where to come. I previously visited with my sister and enjoyed it so much I decided to head back with my friend. Although he seemed slightly overwhelmed by it all (seeing a chicken being boiled while a van full of soldiers with machine guns rocked up was perhaps slightly unsettling), we headed off in search of the famous Cecilia’s, as featured in Bourdain’s No Reservations episode.

Stewed turtle, served with coconut rice, yucca, sweet plantains and salad 

When I had visited previously, Cecilia’s famous turtle wasn’t an option, but returning I was spoiled for choice – fried, stewed or grilled, turtle seemed to be the top meal of the day. In his No Reservations episode, Bourdain himself states that turtle is endangered, but that its consumption has been part of the indigenous culture for hundreds of years. Upon reflection, although this was completely delicious, with a dark, rich flesh and a perfectly seasoned coconut vegetable sauce, eating an endangered species should never be condoned. Even if locals around me were choosing it, as a foreigner I shouldn’t be encouraging this practice. As a unique experience, it was definitely interesting to try this local dish, even if I will not be doing so again (I promise!).

Relaxing on Playa Blanca, Baru island

After the sights and smells of Bazurto market, it was back to the beach for another day of relaxation before we headed across the coast to Santa Marta, another one of my regular haunts. It’s a tough job all this travelling and gastronomical exploration, but I guess someone has to do it. Stay tuned for another travel post which sees me return to perhaps my favorite spot in all of Colombia, its salsa capital Cali.

Tri-border tripping in Leticia

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Unbelievably, nearly a year has gone by since I arrived in Colombia to work as an English Language assistant. In a bid to see as much of this wonderful country as I can before I head back to blighty, I headed off travelling again, starting in the capital of Colombia’s Amazon, Leticia. An impressive 800km away from the nearest highway, Leticia is unlike any other part of the country I have visited so far and its borders with both Peru and Brasil make for a real melting pot of cultures. Coming in on the plane from Bogota, all that can be seen for hundreds of miles is thick, dense jungle forest.

Welcome to the jungle!

Travelling alone, I reached the hostel I had reserved and got chatting with two girls in my dorm, both from the UK. It was around lunchtime and our tummies were rumbling, so we headed off in search of some grub. Leticia holds many exciting culinary options, but perhaps the most exciting is the fact you can nip into Peru for some fresh ceviche, or head on over to Brasil for their typical brasilero barbecue. Feeling like something fresh, we jumped in a boat over to Peru, heading for what is known to be the best ceviche in town.

Why not arrive to all your lunches via boat?

Pulling up to Brisas del Amazonas, the Peruvian music, signs welcoming us to Peru, along with piles of fresh ceviche made it clear we had reached the right place.

We ordered the mixed ceviche to share, and it was incredible.

It came with mussels, prawns, langostines, fresh crab, white fish (which I must confess I do not know the name of), yucca, sweet potato and delicious salty toasted corn. This between three was perfect, and cost a grand total of eight pounds. Luxury meal, budget price = happy lunch out in Peru.

Always one to try a local delicacy no matter how weird it may be, Leticia presented me with a first – crunchy, salty, insects. Known as mojojoy, these little bugs were actually pretty tasty. Filled with cheese and served alongside farinha (tasty ground up dried yucca with a nutty flavor), these went down a treat.

Cheesey and buggy

During my stay in the Amazons, I opted for a two-day jungle tour. Alongside 9 other travelers I trekked into the jungle, staying a night in a maloca (the home of an indigenous tribe) and one night under a cambuche (a makeshift shelther) in the middle of the jungle. A physically demanding couple of days, it was well worth the torrential rain, tropical heat and hours of walking – if not just for the food alone! This was no mediocre campside comida – we had some fine meals, featuring whole roasted chickens and enormous fish dinners.

A small feast, mid jungle

I did not imagine the food to be nearly as good as it was and we were all delighted! The meal above features two typical fishes found in the Amazon – the larger two are gamitana, which had a meatier flesh akin to tuna, while the slimmer fish is tucanaré, which was more similar to cod. This all came served with boiled potatoes, rice, salad and a typical cassava pancake with an almost rubber-like texture. While the pancake itself was quite bland, eaten with the fish and salad it was a perfect accompaniment.

Back from the jungle it was nearly time to leave lovely Leticia, but not before I hopped on over to Brasil. Leticica borders Tabatinga, which is part of Brasil. As a town itself Tabitinga hasn’t got very much to offer, other than very cheap cachaça and the well-known restaurant Tres Fronteras, which as the name suggests, offers food from each bordering country.

No veggie option for us

I was fortunately in the company of some very like minded carnivores and we went for the mixed parillada (meat grill). Supposedly feeding two people, this came with chorizo, tripe, chicken breast and thigh, flank steak, tongue and probably about a million other meats I’ve forgotten to mention. As a side, you get a whole plate of arroz chaufa (Chinese style rice) and boiled potatoes. I sincerely want to meet the couple that defeat this alone…between three we still couldn’t finish it!

Jungle times!

As the meat coma wore off it was time to head out of the jungle and back on the road. Stay tuned for some more travel BidmeadBites, involving some crab in Cartagena and some ‘dangerous stew’ in Cali…

Desert Dining

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Time flies when you’re having fun.

Heard that one before? Personally, I couldn’t agree more. It’s hard to believe that nearly a year has gone by since I arrived in Colombia. Now down to my last two months in this incredible country, I’ve finished with work and am off on my travels. And what better way to begin than heading into the desert?

Cabo de la Vela

Part of the Caribbean region of Colombia, La Guajira is one of the countries 32 departments and is home to the Wayuu, the indigenous group who survived the conquest by the Spanish. My friend Ari and I made a trip all the way to the tip of the region in order to reach Punta Gallinas, South America’s most northern point. Along the way, we stopped over in Cabo de la Vela, a small town now popular for its great kitesurfing conditions.

London town, it is not…

Cabo de la Vela is hardly Colombia’s most buzzing touristic spot. Made up of a few guest houses, some local joints to eat and now a kite surfing school, this tiny town is a beautiful, tranquil spot unlike anywhere else I have ever visited. We stayed two nights here and enjoyed it’s unspoiled beaches and beautiful viewpoints. The local food was very similar to the regular Colombian fare, except that around La Guajira you’re more likely to be offered chivo (goat) than your usual chicken or beef.

Friche, without the guts, served with patacones, rice and salad

Goat here is most typically served in the dish friche. Having done my culinary homework beforehand, I had read that friche was goat stewed in its own guts and blood – something right up this offal-lovers street. However, after sampling the dish and chatting with locals about its preparation, it turns out that more often than not the blood and organs are left out, leaving this as just goat meat fried in oil and salt. I am a big fan of goat meat, as it has a lovely rich flavor, but served just like this I felt that perhaps it needed a touch of something else. Maybe I was just gutted about the lack of guts?

After two nights in Cabo de la Vela we headed onwards to reach Punta Gallinas. Not a smooth journey, we shoved ourselves into the back of a Jeep and clung on for dear life as we shot across the desert to reach our final destination. We gained some souvenirs from the journey in the form of bruised bottoms but it was all worth it in the end, as Colombia’s most northern point awaited us…and us alone!

This beach above stretched as far as the eye could see, and unbelievably, we were the only people on it! I’ve seen many a beautiful beach in the past year, but more often than not I’m sharing it with a fair few other foreigners, and if not, some keen Colombian holiday-makers. This perfectly unspoiled landscape was truly breathtaking and the peace and quite around it was just incredible.

After a day spent bathing in the beauty of Punta Gallinas, we indulged ourselves for dinner, dining on some freshly caught lobster, served again with rice, patacones and salad. Lobster in La Guajira is sold at market price, meaning it is actually an affordable indulgence. Great news for seafood loving travelers like myself.

Waking up after a blissful nights sleep in one of these amazing chinchorros (traditional wayuu hammocks, with sewn on blankets), it was time to hit the very, very long road back to civilization. We would be returning through Uribia, the indigenous capital of Colombia, just in time for the festival of indigenous culture. And what better way to get stuck into a different culture than through a plate of food?

Top plate is chivo guisado, with friche below, both served with goat soup. A whole lot of goat!

Queue more friche, this time served with arepas, and another goat dish – chivo guisado (stewed goat), served with rice, costeño cheese, and a sweet plantain slice. I much preferred the chivo guisado, as I think adding in more flavors brings out the taste of the meat far better. Both these dishes came accompanied by a tasty soup, made from the neck and spine of goat. I did mention they eat a lot of goat here right?

My trip to La Guajira was different to any other journey I have done in Latin America so far. The preserved indigenous culture of the Wayuu and vast, stretching desert make this a must-see spot for anyone travelling around Colombia. My future travel plans include sampling the country’s best coffee in the Eje Cafetero, eating some exotic jungle fruits and fish in Leticia, as well as visiting the UNESCO recognized gastronomical heritage city of Popayan. I’ll stay peckish and keep posting my culinary conquests through Colombia, so stay tuned!

Museli and milk for breakfast? Give me fried pork rind instead!

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“Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince and Dinner like a Pauper”.

We’ve all heard the phrase before and are frequently told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But why is that true?

Looking at its name, it should all become a little obvious – you are quite literally breaking the fast you undertake during your nights sleep. I don’t know about you, but I rarely go for more than 6 hours without eating. So when I wake up, I’m always pretty hungry! And to all you non-breakfast eaters out there, did you know it’s you lot who are more likely to be reaching for the high sugar and fatty snacks mid-morning? So…wake up well, and get your breakfast on!

I was lucky enough to win myself a free breakfast at La Tiendacita, a well-loved local joint here in Barranquilla which serves typical costeño food. I won through a competition on Instagram, in which I had to name three of my favorite things about my beloved Barranquilla. What did I pick? The people, La Troja (the epitome of the city and my favorite salsa club – check out my post on it here) and of course, the food!

A typical morning meal here in Colombia is not to be taken lightly – and I mean that very literally. That is to say, granola and yogurt it is not. Think meaty, cheesy things, fried pastries and what for us might seem more like lunch or dinner options: rice, meat, even stews are all fair cop for this Colombian morning munch.

La Tiendacita itself is a really cool place, with two different branches within the city. The walls are adorned with local phrases, some of which I shall share with you here:

Tronco de pajarilla – a load of bullshit

Cogela suave – take it easy (the phrase of Barranquilla)

Mi llave – my best friend

Fria – a beer

Your typical Barranquillero slang. Don’t go shouting these at your granny though, as a lot of vulgarity is involved!

Ever find yourself on the coast of Colombia, be sure to try some of these phrases out – your cara de gringo will certainly be reassessed! For breakfast, an array of typical bites were on offer. Fritos (think tasty fried pasty-style things) are particularly popular – arepas, empanadas and the delicious cheesy fingers deditos all feature as part of a Colombian breakfast.

Finger-licking fritos, next to a huge pot of chicharrón

My complimentary breakfast consisted of an enormous portion of chicharrón (fried pork rind cooked in its own fat), boiled yucca (a root vegetable), both served with some of the typical costeño condiment suero, which is a bit like sour cream. Served with some corozo juice (a small dark berry, somewhat like a cranberry), I opted for an extra cheesy dedito on the side – as if there wasn’t enough food to begin with.

This was a breakfast fit for a king. As I stared down at my plate, over-flowing with meat, carb, and its creamy dipping sauce, I started to wonder if the extra dedito hadn’t been just a bit ambitious. However, with pork as good as this, with its perfect contrast of the crispy, salty skin against the soft, flavorsome meat, it was no hard feat to finish it all. I love yucca served like this, with its slightly sweet taste somewhat similar to sweet potato. Dipped into the creamy suero, it was the perfect carby accompaniment. Even the unnecessary dedito was a treat – tangy costeño cheese wrapped in a rich, buttery pastry case.

Behold the Barranquilla breakfast – not for the faint hearted!

I enjoyed the wonderful company of the waiters as I ploughed through my breakfast and was entertained with tales of the city while learning more costeño slang. About 45 minutes later, to the sheer disbelief of the waiters, I had consumed every morsel on my plate. Yes, I was full, but actually pleasantly so. However…without over sharing, I’d say fried pork for breakfast isn’t the kindest thing on the old digestive track. But it’s sure to say I was fueled for the day ahead, and definitely didn’t need any form of elevenses.

Eating at La Tiendacita is more than just the food – it really is a cultural experience. People come here when they want their own taste of home, just like their mum and grandma used to make. However for this inglesa, whose mother and gran cooked more of your typically British roast chicken than Colombian champús (the not so tasty thick drink made from corn, pineapple and other ingredients, tried on my trip to Cali), it is a chance to further learn about some real Barranquilla’s traditions. And if their typical breakfast means it’s okay to consume crispy fried pork before 1 pm, I am all game.

Dinner for 80?

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Colombia is a country of contrasts. Hot Caribbean beaches, deep, dense jungles and cold, steep mountain ranges. African-influenced music such as champeta plays next to the indigenous music bambucco, with some modern day reggaeton thrown in the mix too. While these are differences to be celebrated, Colombia also possesses less desirable contrasts, such as the stark comparison between the rich and the poor.

Thankfully, there are many charities within the country working to help change the situation of millions of families who live in poverty. One such organisation is TECHO, who work to provide emergency housing for families living in sub-standard housing conditions.

I’ve already written about some of the work I have done with TECHO here, and my most recent experience was the task of feeding 80 hungry volunteers during a weekend of construction with four families in Puerto Colombia, down by the beach here in Barranquilla.

I had to provide two breakfasts and one dinner and my job involved planning the menu, managing the budget, buying the food and of course…cooking it all too! Another volunteer and I worked together to achieve this mammoth task. We came up with a menu of well-loved Colombian classics, two of which I’ll share with you all today.

The breakfast on the first day was huevos pericos served alongside bread rolls. This is a classic Colombian breakfast dish and is a quick, easy and nourishing option that is just a tad more exciting than your everyday scrambled eggs recipe.

Spice up your scrambled eggs with the recipe here below!

Eggs for 80

Huevos Pericos (serves 4)

Ingredients
– 6 eggs
– 3 finely chopped tomatoes
– 2 tablespoons olive oil (replace one of these with butter if you like your eggs a bit richer)
– 2 strands of spring onion, finely chopped
– Salt to taste

Method
1) Add in oil (and butter if using) to the pan while it heats up. Once the pan is warm, add in chopped onions and watch and stir until the start they change color.
2) Add in chopped tomatoes with a good pinch of salt. Stir around with onions for about 5 minutes, until tomatoes are looking cooked but not mushy.
3) Now crack eggs straight into the pan and mix around, and when starting to scramble turn off heat. Stir around a bit more, but don’t let them dry up – runny eggs are best!

This can be served with some chopped coriander stirred through, or sprinkled on top.

Breakfast on the second day was a very traditional dish called cayeye – boiled guineos (smaller, green plantains) mashed up with butter, salt and cheese. Added suero (a kind of sour cream) is optional, indulgent and completely recommended! Sadly, in the sheer mayhem of boiling 80 bananas and grating over 5 kilograms of cheese (all before 5:30 am this is), I forgot to take any pictures. So you’ll just have to trust me when I say this is one breakfast dish you should try!

Ingredients for Cayeye – photo credit not my own, taken from food catering company aldimark

Breakfasts done, what’s for dinner? The much-loved Colombian dish arroz con pollo (chicken and rice).  Tackling such a classic dish, I did my research talking to various mums/grandmas/cleaners and cooks in order to get their top tips. Everyone has their own little tricks for making this dish, and here is a compilation of those pearls of wisdom to help you try your hand at this classic Colombian eat.

Arroz con Pollo (serves 4)

Ingredients 
– 250 g (1 cup) of white rice
– Stock cube of chicken stock
– 3 cloves on garlic, chopped
– A fair bit of salt (various pinches, we will say)
– Trisazon spice (now I doubt this is hanging around in Tesco. It’s basically a mix of cumin, garlic, paprika and red colouring. Use these 4 and you should be good!)
– 1 teaspoon tomato puree
– 3 carrots, grated
– Half a bunch of coriander, chopped, with some leaves reserved for serving
– 1 green pepper, cut into small cubes
– 1 red pepper, cut into small cubes
– 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
– 1 large onion, finely chopped
– 2 chicken breasts

Method

1) First cook the chicken. Place breasts in a pot with the first 3 chopped cloves of garlic, the stock cube, and cover with water until all of the chicken is submerged. Boil for about 30 minutes until the breasts are cooked through, and remove chicken to cool on a plate but reserve this chicken stock (you will use it to cook your rice).

2) Now, in the water you cooked the chicken in, you’re going to cook your rice, adding in the grated carrot for colour. Make sure there is exactly twice as much water as you have rice – if you haven’t got enough chicken-y water for your rice, add in more plain water. Likewise, if you’ve too much water, drain some out. Simple!

3) While the rice is cooking, shred your chicken breasts with two forks. Save aside, and crack on with the veg.

4) Cook onion in a separate pan until it starts to take a golden colour and then add in peppers. Add salt and spices and garlic. Cook for another 5 minutes, and then add in tomato puree.  Add in shredded chicken, chopped coriander and give a good stir for about 1-2 minutes.

5) Checking your rice is nice and cooked (about 20-25 mins), it’s time to mix it all up! Add cooked chicken and veg to rice, stir it all up and taste. A bit pale looking? Try a squirt of tomato ketchup! Not feeling flavorsome enough? Add some more spices. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh coriander, and enjoy.

Arroz con pollo is a great feed-a-crowd dish, and if I managed it for 80, this recipe for four should be a breeze!

Overall, the weekend was a tough, long, but unforgettable experience. It was my third time participating in a construction with TECHO, and it never ceases to amaze me how in just two days the lives of families can be transformed so positively. So after you’ve hit the kitchen to cook up these two Colombian classics, please also take the time to read up about TECHO and the work it does across Latin America.

Until next time, where BidmeadBites takes a brief holiday away…stay tuned to find out where to!

Exotic Fruits and Glorious Juice

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Fruit here in Colombia is really quite something.  Lulo, nispero, zapote. granadllia, uchuva…ring any bells? These are just some of the new fruits I’ve discovered during my time here. Sliced up and eaten as snacks, served as toppings for breakfast or as parts of delicious desserts, the sheer variety of fruit here means there is no excuse not to be filling up on these vitamin-rich, natural sweet treats. Or, why not drink up the wonderful array of fruits at one of the various fruteras around the city?

Fruteras here sell not only delicious juices, but also offer up those tasty and much-loved fritos. Empandas, carimañolas, deditos, arepas, patacones…essentially just an awful lot of very delicious (and very beige) food. Here is a quick rundown of some of my favourite fruteras so far.

Just check out the frito selection here at Los Compadres. No fruit or veg to be seen, but that’s where the juices come in!

Frutera Los Compadres (Calle 74 entre Carreras 46 y 47)

Condiment heaven at Los Compadres

Perhaps one of the most famous fruteras in Barranquilla, Los Compadres has a firm fan following and is visited as much by busy workers in the morning as it is by tired and tipsy party goers at night. The range of fritos is immense – I’m slowly working my way through them all. I also like that here you can buy portions of flavoured rice, which invariably come with either meat or chicken.

Frutera El Compadre (Calle 79 y Calle 76)

When my sister came to visit, I felt it only right to introduce her to the wonders of fruteras, and so together we headed to El Compadre, another famous spot in the city. I opted for some meat empanadas and she went for the classic dedito (cheese finger) and a little baked spinach pastry. We washed down our snacks with some delicious and exotic juices en leche (with milk).

The brown juice is nispero, which has a distinctly nutty flavour, and the pink juice is zapote, which I believe tastes like a mix between carrot and strawberry…but really it’s unlike anything else I’ve tried before!

Zapote juice (left), Nispero juice (right), with my sisters veggie goods on the left and my meat filled goodness on the right.

Frutera Fruticao (Calle 93 Carrera 49c)

A lot of fruteras prepare their juices in advance to have them ready for order, but at Frutticao they make them as you order, meaning you can skip the enthusiastic servings of extra sugar often added. You also have the option of different types of milk (they haven’t quite reached the soya option yet, but skimmed is on offer). Serving only a few fritos, this place is really all about the juice, and as you can see from the list below – there’s quite the selection to choose from.


Fruteras are the perfect place to stop for a quick juice and bite to eat, at all hours of the day. I continue on the quest to find the best spot in the city, although mixed opinions may have me searching a long time!