Colombian Arepas
I arrived to Colombia hungry. Deprived of hunger you could say.
I had been coming from a week of island bliss in San Blas, Panama, where my diet consisted of rice, plantains, Flor de Caña and an Argentino.
Cartagena, was the first stop from the flight over and the most memorable of Colombia.
¿Por qué?
Street food.
From the moment I saw that Colombiana cracking an egg into a fried pork arepa and then refrying it, I knew it was love. After five weeks of arepa overload, I was in serious need of some mixed greens. How was I supposed to say no when they’re being sold EVERYWHERE and with such variety and such a low price?!!
After Cartagena was Santa Marta, a coastal city that was stocked with ceviche and fresh tropical juices.
There I met an Americana who had just opened up her first business, Cafe Lulo. She has set up a New Age organic arepa cafe that the locals were slowly accepting. With the help of her Colombian novió, Cafe Lulo takes the arepa to a whole new level. I believe I made four appearances within the span of 3 days.
While staying in Medellin, the hostel owner told me about a local man who sells sweet corn arepas with fresh farmers cheese.
“The gaucho sells at the main mercado” she tells me, “and has a small stand in the very back. He’ll be wearing a big cowboy hat, you can’t miss him.”
She was right.
The cheese came wrapped in banana leaves and we ate them on the curb savoring every bite.
