Venezuela

Arepa

Maize cake split open and stuffed with anything, the base of the national diet.

Pabellón criollo

Shredded beef, black beans, rice and fried plantain arranged side by side.

Hallaca

Maize dough with a stewed meat filling, wrapped in plantain leaf for Christmas.

Cachapa

Sweet fresh corn pancake folded over soft white queso de mano.

Tequeños

White cheese wrapped in dough strips and fried, served at every party.

Pan de jamón

Soft loaf rolled around ham, olives and raisins, baked only in December.

Asado negro

Beef braised with papelón until the outside turns almost black and sweet.

Empanada de cazón

Fried maize pastry filled with stewed dogfish, from Margarita and the coast.

Perico

Eggs scrambled with tomato, onion and pepper, spooned into a breakfast arepa.

Cachito

A crescent roll with ham inside, eaten with coffee on the way to work.

Mandoca

Ring of maize dough with cheese and papelón, fried, from Zulia.

Pisca andina

Andean potato and milk soup with a poached egg and fresh cheese.

Sancocho

Fish or beef broth with tubers and plantain, cooked on the riverbank.

Casabe

Flat bitter-cassava bread, indigenous and unleavened, snapped into pieces.

Quesillo

Caramel flan riddled with small holes from being beaten rather than strained.

Dulce de lechosa

Green papaya candied in papelón with clove, served at Christmas.

Papelón con limón

Cane sugar block dissolved in water with lime, the everyday cold drink.

Chicha andina

Thick sweet rice drink with cinnamon and condensed milk, sold from carts.

Ron venezolano

Aged rum with a protected designation, drunk neat rather than mixed.

Café guayoyo

Weak black coffee filtered through cloth, the counterpoint to a strong negrito.