Once You Taste You Have to Haste
By Sebastian Suarez Zarate

Who hasn’t heard of the famous bandeja paisa, ajiaco, lechona, appetizers, or other Colombian typical meal? Our “menu” is one of the widest in variation, including very different delicious flavors that not only you, but everyone, falls in love with at the moment they taste them. Only here in Colombia you will find those delicious plates that everyone desires and longs to eat every day of the week. Once you taste you have to haste!

Bandeja Paisa: It is the most famous Colombian food meals originated in Antioquia. It includes red beans, white rice, ground beef, pork skin, chorizo, blood sausage, fried cassava, fried egg, corn bread, avocado, fried sweet plantain, and all is served in one dish (“bandeja” in Spanish).

Ajiaco: First the chicken is cooked with several ingredients to obtain typical flavors. After this, both potatoes and Colombian potatoes are cooked in water to obtain the flavor desired. Then the chicken is added, as well as corn, eggs, avocado, white cream, and if desired, a taste of hot sauce.

Lechona & Tamale: Lechona is a rice-pork based dish that includes peas, pork butter, pork meat, potatoes, and all mixed in with the cooked rice inside the pork’s skin. It’s often served with a piece of the pork’s skin and some corn bread. It’s surely one of the most delicious Colombian plates from Tolima. The Tamale, another much known plate, is a steam-cooked corn meal dough wrapped in a corn husk. It can include carrots, chicken, pork, beef, potato, and eggs.

Other Appetizers: Beef and Potato Cakes (empanada), Corn bread (arepa), and  Fried Plantain (patacones).

Dessert – Arroz con leche: As its name says, it’s basically rice in milk, with an addition of lime and cinnamon. One of the most famous and delicious desserts in the country, and is widely served in typical restaurants. A must try for every Colombian food lover.

Now that you’ve had a glance over few of the grand variety of Colombian meals, you can be certain that if you visit Colombia (and we hope it’s very soon) you won’t be unsatisfied with your dinner results. Come try it now!

For more information about Colombian cuisine enter here:
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombian_cuisine