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Food & Drink |
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Venezuelan
food is one of the country's best kept secrets. There are many very
unique dishes, particularly in the "fast food" category.
Cumin and saffron are used in many dishes but the
distinctive and delicate flavor of most of the popular dishes comes from
the use of local roots and vegetables.
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Some traditional Venezuelan dishes:
- Arepa:
the native bread made from ground corn, water
and salt into a plain fried corn
pancake. They are filled with almost anything, including eggs and
tomato for breakfast, beef, chicken, ham, sausage, shrimp, cheese,
salad and even baby shark.
The Arapa is reminiscent of polenta, but the corn texture is both
finer and firmer.
- Empanada:
Deep-fried cornmeal turnover filled with chicken, ham, cheese, fish
or meat.
- Cachito: Hot
croissant filled with chopped ham and or cheese.
- Cachapa:
Thick, slightly sweet pancake made with maize and served with
mozzarella-type cheese (queso guayanesa).
- Hallaca:
Traditional Christmas and New Year
dish made from chopped beef, pork and chicken with green peppers,
onion, garlic, tomatoes, raisins, olives and various herbs and
spices all mixed into maize dough. It is then wrapped in banana
leaves and steamed.
- Hervido:
soup made with chunks of beef, chicken or fish and native vegetables
or roots
- Pabellón Criollo:
Venezuela's national dish, consisting of shredded beef mixed with
black beans (caraotas negras) and cheese, served with fried plantain
(cooking banana) and rice.
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| The most common meat
dishes in Venezuela are fried and grilled fish and meats
usually served with rice. Generally, beef and chicken are
most popular, though other meats such as goat are preferred
in certain regions. Pork is eaten mostly at Christmas. |
| Meat |
- Any boneless steak cut
from loin end, short loin or rib = Churrasco
- Beef = Res
- Beef tongue = Lengua
de res
- Boneless chuck =
Solomo abierto entero
- Boneless loin end =
Ganso entero
- Bottom round =
Muchacho cuadrado entero
- Brain = Sesos
- Brisket = Pecho
- Chop = Chuleta
- Chuck = Solomo abierto
- Chuck roast = Pulpa de
solomo abierto
- Club steak = Solomo y
costilla
- English Cut for
braising = Papelon
- Eye of the round =
Muchacho redondo entero
- Flank steak (larger
than in US) = Falda
- Ground beef = Carne
molida
- Heart = Corazon
- Heel of round =
Muchacho redondo
- Kidneys = Rinones
- Liver = Higado
- Liver, sliced = Bistec
de higado
- Meat= Carne
- Meat, ground = Carne
molida
- Meat, lean ground =
Carne molida sin grasa
- Meat, tender = Carne
blanda
- New York steak =
Churrasco
- Prime rib = Solomo de
cuerito
- Prime Rib with bones
removed = Solomo de cuerito entero
- Roast Beef = Rosbif
- Rolled, String-Tied
Roast Beef = Rosbif amarrado
- Rump Roast (top of the
rump) = Punta de Trasera
- Prime Rib Roast =
Solomo de Cuerito
- Standing Rib Roast =
Solomo de cuerito entero con hueso
- Shank for soup or stew
(with bone) = Lagarto con hueso
- Shank cut length-wise
= Lagarto sin hueso (Preparation, boil until almost
tender, separate meat fibers, add barbecue sauce and
simmer.)
- Shoulder = Ganso de
paieta
- Sirloin = Solomo
- Sirloin steak =
Chuleta de res
- Sirloin tip (tip of
the loin) = Chocozuela entera
- Sirloin for barbecuing
= Bistec de solomo para parrilla
- Slow long cooking
roast = Asado
- Short ribs used for
soups (sancocho-Venezuelan soup) = Costillas de res
- Steak = Bistec
- Steak, small, 1 ½ inch
round-shape = Medallon de Lomito or de ganso
- Steak, ground round =
Carne molida de pulpa negra
- Steak, top round =
Bistec de pulpa negra
- Steaks, very thin =
Milanesa
- Stewing Meat = Carne
para guisar
- Tenderloin = Lomito
- T-Bone = Solomo con
lomito
- Tongue = Lengua
- Top sirloin = Ganso
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There is an abundance of fruits in Venezuela.
The batido is a blended ice and
fresh fruit drink.
Fresh fruit juices are readily
available, as are batidos, a thicker juice, and
milkshakes (merengada). |
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Choose from
Mango, papaya (lechosa), avocado (aguacate) oranges (naranja),
banana (cambur) coconut (coco), passionfruit (parchita), melon
(melón), pineapple (piña), guava (guayaba) and soursap
(guanábana).
Parchita is a favorite, although many people don't like it at
first. It's an acquired taste, but once acquired, the best fresh
orange juice doesn't even compare for sophistication in terms of
complex natural acids and sugars |
| Sugar cane juice with lemon (papelón
con limón) and fresh coconut milk are also on offer. |
| Beer is
ubiquitous, and the most popular brand is Polar.
Rum, the commonly found spirit, comes in several varieties and
is mixed with coke to make Cuba Libre, a favourite drink
amongst Venezuelans. |
| Coffee is domestically
produced in Venezuela and is the most common hot beverage. It is
always offered to visitors as a welcome drink. |
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Plantains, or patacones |
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