Cuisines and Cultures from Columbia and Ecuador

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Recommended: Food and cultural influence

Families have food and drink recipes created and passed down from generation to generation. Some families are known for their specialty dishes. Countries are no different as they have special items that they grow and export. There are menu items that represent the self-image and identity of the country. Cultural traditions will determine the what, and why of a particular cuisine. These foods are served in restaurants as well as homes with pride. There will usually be a well told story behind the selection. Agricultural conditions will sometimes play a significant role in the finished product. Some of the cuisine selected as specialties may be the same for another culture. The only difference could be the selection of seasonings which are readily available to them or the side dishes served. History, heart and culture are the essential ingredients in a nation’s cuisine of choice. The opportunity to indulge should never be turned down (Away2013).
Identify the popular food items
The foods of Colombia are a reflection of the varied landscapes and people within the country. In the coastal area of Colombia arroz con coco, rice with coconut, is a popular dish (Parrott-Sheffer, 2013). Around the city of Bogotá, there is a regional dish, a stew called ajiaco. The main ingredients of the stew are “chicken and three kinds of potatoes, corn and an herb called guascas” (Dinho, 2009). In Medellín, the common foods are frijoles and chicharrones, beans and pork rinds respectively (Parrott-Sheffer, 2013).
Like Colombia, the landscape of Ecuador influences the regional foods. A typical dish along the coast is ceviche which is made with shrimp or shellfish, onions, cilantro, and lemon juice (Lotha, 2014). Other popular dishes along the coast are dee...

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...getarian ceviche of chocho beans, cilantro, tomato, onion, salt, and lime. This dish can be topped with plantain chips or roasted corn. “Food of Ecuador on a daily basis includes seco de pollo, which is stewed chicken with rice and avocado slices” (Ecuador Food, 2014).

Works Cited

Food Journeys of a Lifetime: Top ten Great National Dishes (2013),
Retrieved January 30, 2014 from http://away.com/feature/excerpt/nationalgeographic/top-ten-great-national-dishes-1.html?page=1
South America (2014). Retrieved from http://www.southamerica.cl/Colombia/Drinks.htm
Metropolitan Touring (2014) Retrieved from http://www.metropolitantouring.com/content.asp?id_page=3209
Typical Colombian Food: Colombia. (2014). Retrieved from: http://www.southamerica.cl/Colombia/Food.htm
Ecuador Food (Ecuadorian Cuisine). (2014). Retrieved from: http://www.mapsofworld.com/ecuador/food/

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