Essay on Venezuela
The food in Venezuela today is a mixture of African, native Indian and European cuisines (especially Italian, Spanish and French) that changed and enriched themselves mutually over the centuries. It also includes Caribbean flavors and ingredients. From 2,000 BC Venezuela’s lands were rich and bountiful, people practiced farming and hunting and enjoyed a wide variety of wild animals, seafood, fish, fruits and vegetables. They grew cassava, an important crop for making bread as well as maize, beans, peppers, potatoes, peanuts, squash etc. With Spanish colonization there came new cultural and culinary habits, so the country’s national cuisine grew more diverse.
At present being a large diverse country it has distinctive regional cooking in each part. Most of the dishes include fishes and seafood. Most of the food is baked or fried with meat or fish and served with rice. However, they are done, they are always tasteful and aromatic. The Venezuelan food is known for its wonderful smell and delicious taste especially sprinkled with spices like cumin, oregano and saffron. The flavors of many dishes come from the masterful use of local vegetable and roots. The traditional food is not necessarily hot, but usually with such ingredients as onions, coriander, peppers and what not.
They say that Venezuelan food is one of the country’s best kept secrets, it has a great number of unique dishes that absorbed all the best from different cultures they came from. Remarkably, some special dishes of Venezuela belong to “fast food” category. Venezuela has several fast-food chains in large towns and local vendors on street corners.
One should bear in mind that recipes differ from region to region as well as Venezuelans food preferences. On the coast they enjoy top quality fish, fish soups, fish stews and crayfish. Coconut is also served in some dishes there. In the Andean region the most typical food is the “arepa” made of wheat. They cook cured meats and sausages as well as fresh trout dishes. In the Amazon region the food is quite different from the rest of the country. Basic ingredients used by Venezuelans of the region are yucca, beans, turtles, tapirs, deep fried ants etc. Special bread made out of yucca they make is called Casabe. It is rich in fibre and minerals.
Arepa is considered to be the most popular dish in Venezuela, traditionally made of cornmeal. It is a thick disk resembling a pancake and it can be grilled, fried or baked. Arepas are filled almost with anything, eggs and tomato, beef, chicken, ham, cheese and even baby shark. Arepas are eaten daily as snacks throughout the day or served as companions at all meals. Another popular dish is cachapa. It is similar to the traditional American slightly sweet pancake with mozzarella-type cheese inside and is made from corn, sugar, salt and oil. Sometimes it is served with jam or cream. It is typically served for breakfast with tea. Venezuelan type of French croissant with chopped ham or cheese is called cachitos de jamon and is served hot. Another dish is chivo al coco that is frequently cooked at the coastal region and contains shredded goat in coconut milk. Empanadas are fried cornmeal turnover with cheese, ham, fish or minced meat. The fillings may vary depending on the region. Ensalada caprese is a famous Italian dish also widely cooked in Venezuela. The salad includes such ingredients as tomato, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. One more Italian dish is potato pasta called noquis. What is more, pasta is extremely popular in Venezuela and the country is considered the second pasta-loving nation in the world. Guasacaca is the key spicy sauce in the country that is often served with arepas, empanadas, chicken etc.
Hallaca takes a specials place in Venezuelan cuisine and is made of beef, pork, chicken with onions, garlic, tomatoes, raisins and different spices and herbs. It is traditionally served for Christmas and New Year in Venezuela. On Christmas, by the way, families come together to enjoy hallacas, pan de jamon and dulce de lechoza, a dessert. Among other public holidays are Epiphany, Carnival, Holy Week, Labour Day, Fiesta de las Cruces, All Saints Dayand some others.
One more typical dish is pan de jamon, it is filled with ham and raisins. Tequeno is the classic party food served all throughout the country usually filled with gooey white cheese. Hervido is a soup made of beef, fish or chicken and local vegetables and roots. Generally, meat is very popular and beef or chicken are eaten daily in some regions, while goat meat in others. Pork is eaten predominantly at Christmas. Fried or grilled fish is also common everyday food. Yuca, potatoes, rice, different beans, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, aubergine, peas, and corn are also a part of daily diet of Venezuelans. They are accompanied with a great variety of vegetables and delicious exotic fruits. Mango, papaya, melon, coconut, bananas, pineapple, guava and other fruits are widely enjoyed. A great variety of salads and fruit juices are seen as complementary. Among the most popular desserts one may name besito de coco, bien me sabe, cannoli, dulce de leche, quesillo etc. The most common hot beverage is coffee that is often offered to guests as a welcome drink. Moreover, refusal to join the coffee ceremony is considered bad taste. Though it is not approved by the catholic church Venezuelans love wines, among the most famous of which are Santa Teresa, Diplomatico Rum Reserva Exclusiva. Venezuelan local herbs and wines are known for their therapeutic effect.
Venezuelans have three main meals that are a large breakfast in the morning, a substantial dinner (12-3 pm) and a light supper (8 pm or later). They are well known for their hospitality and eating and drinking with guests is a common thing for them. Venezuelan table manners are similar to table manners all over South America. Meals are relaxed social gatherings, but still there are some unwritten rules of etiquette. If invited to a Venezuelan house, one should arrive 15 or 30 minutes later not to show extra eagerness that is interpreted as greediness. One should wait until he or she is told where to sit and wait until the rest of the guests are seated. The host indicates the beginning of a meal by saying: “Buen provecho”. The first to make a toast is the host who traditionally says: “Salud!”
Key manners are Continental, such as holding a fork in the left hand and a knife in the right hand and using utensils to eat everything including fruits. One should also keep a napkin on the lap while eating. It is considered polite to leave a small amount of food on the plate after eating. One should talk to everyone at least a little, a conversation should be interesting for all with all involved. Sometimes after the dessert is finished a guest is offered a humid towel and lemon to clean the hands as a sign of good taste. As for the taboos in Venezuela, the most important of them concern not food itself but table manners and etiquette. For example, one should never talk only with one person and touch upon any specific topics. A guest should not be served more than once except for the liquor or dessert. It is impolite to refuse a plate, even if you one does not want, he has to eat a little. If one dines in a restaurant, an additional tip is given of around 5 percent.
Venezuelan cuisine having absorbed the secrets of various cuisine’s recipes has formed its unique distinctive cooking that is simple and tasteful, healthy and flavored and attracts tourists from all over the world willing to taste and enjoy it.
