Venezuelan cuisine

Venezuelan cuisine is influenced by its European[1] (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French), West African, and Native American traditions. Venezuelan cuisine varies greatly from one region to another. Food staples include corn, rice, plantains, yams, beans and several meats.[1][2] Potatoes, tomatoes, onions, eggplants, squashes, spinach and zucchini are also common sides in the Venezuelan diet. Ají dulce and papelón are found in most recipes. Worcestershire sauce is also used a frequently in stews. Venezuela is also characterized for having large variety of white cheese (queso blanco), usually name by geographical region.

Main dishes

Name	Image	Description
Arepa		Ground maize dough cooked, typically grilled on a budare (which is similar to a comal) or deep-fried in a regular pan
Cachapa		A maize pancake, usually filled with fresh cheese and/or fried pork
Cachitos (de jamón)		Similar to French croissant filled with ham
Caraotas negras		Black beans, usually eaten at lunch time, with rice, bananas and shredded meat, or pabellón
Casabe		A flat bread made of bitter cassava
Chicharrón		Typically fried pork rinds and eaten as a snack, or as a side dish
Chupe Andino		A soup traditionally made with cheese, shredded chicken or hen, vegetables and cream.
Ensalada de pollo		Chicken salad, usually made with mayo, green cabbage and carrots
Hallaca		Typical Christmas dish, hallacas typically have a mixture of beef, pork, chicken, capers, raisins, and olives wrapped in maize (cornmeal dough), bound with string within plantain leaves, and boiled or steamed afterwards
Huevos pericos		Scrambled eggs, butter, sautéed diced onions, and tomatoes; used often to fill an arepa
Hervido de gallina		Hen soup, usually with chunks of corn, potatoes, carrots and local root vegetables such as cassava, ñam, auyama (name for local variety of pumpkin), ocumo (cocoyam), and seasoned with onions, garlic, and cilantro[3]
Mandoca		Deep fried cornmeal ring
Mondongo		Soup made from diced tripe and slow cooked vegetables
Pabellón criollo		Creole pavilion, the national dish: white rice, shredded beef in stew, tajadas (fried ripe plantains) and stewed black beans
Pastel de pollo		Chicken pot pie
Polvorosa de pollo		Caracas version of chicken pot pie made with pâte sablée
Pastelitos		Fried puff pastries, it's one of the most famous Venezuelan foods from the Venezuelan Andes. These are made with wheat flour for the dough, and filled with cheese, and chicken for example. Usually pastelitos are eaten at breakfast[4]
Pasticho		It is the same Italian lasagne[5]
Polenta		Also known as "funche" in some areas of the country

Typical snacks

Name	Image	Description
Tequeños		Deep-fried breaded cheese sticks
Tostones and patacones		Tostones are a common side dish for fried fish, typically eaten at the beach.[6] They are also used to make the "Zulian patacón", which is a kind of sandwich made using tostones instead of bread[7]
Empanadas		Served as snacks by street vendors; can also be eaten as a full meal. The dough is made with corn flour, similar to arepas, and the fillings are typically cheese, stewed black beans, shredded beefs, among others
Papas fritas (French fries)		French fries

Beverages

A tequeño is prepared with bread dough with queso blanco duro (hard white cheese) in the middle.

• Beer [1]
• Chicha [1]
• Cocada – Coconut milkshake, found mostly in coastal areas.
• Mango juice
• Passion fruit juice
• Malta – Non-alcoholic carbonated malt.
• Papelón con limón [1]
• Ponche crema – Served especially during Christmas season.
• Rum [1]
• Frescolita (strawberry-flavored soda)
• Tequila [1] – Served at celebrations.

Breads

• Casabe – cassava flatbread
• Pan dulce – Spanish for "sweet bread"
• Pan de jamón – usually filled with ham, olives, and raisins and usually eaten during the Christmas season

Desserts

Venezuelan dessert called Quesillo

• Alfajor – maize cookie with arequipe and grated coconut
• Bienmesabe
• Brazo gitano (the Spanish Swiss roll)
• Cannoli – often called "cannoli siciliano"
• Pudín de chocolate – chocolate pudding
• Dulce de Lechosa Green papaya slowed cooked in a syrup flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla
• Mousse de chocolate
• Quesillo – local–style caramel flan
• Polvorosas – butter cookies with cinnamon

Cheese

A Cachapa with queso de mano

Queso blanco is very popular in Venezuela. It is produced all over Venezuela with different flavors and textures. The name of each variety of cheese is usually related to the geographical region.

• Cuajada andina
• Llanero cheese
• Queso blanco duro
• Queso de año
• Queso de mano
• Queso de Trenza
• Guayanés cheese
• Paisa cheese
• Palmita cheese
• Palmizulia cheese
• Telita cheese

Other foods

• Salpicón

See also

• Latin American cuisine
• South American cuisine

References

1. Kohnstamm, Thomas; Kohn, Beth. "Venezuela." Lonely Planet. Accessed October 2011.
2. Brittin, Helen (2011). The Food and Culture Around the World Handbook. Boston: Prentice Hall. pp. 20–21.
3. "VenezuelaTuya". Venezuela Tuya. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
4. "VenezuelaTuya". Venezuela Tuya. Retrieved 2018-08-29.
5. Romero, Aldemaro (21 June 1998). "Pasticho". notitarde.com (Spanish). Archived from the original on 23 March 2002. Retrieved 2006-04-28.
6. "12 comidas playeras típicas de Venezuela". La Tienda Venezolana (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-01-14.
7. Alvarez, Alex (2016-07-07). "An Ode To Plantains, Banana's Much Cuter Cousin". we are mitú. Retrieved 2020-01-14.

External links

[[Category:Latin American cuisine|V]