10 Traditional Venezuelan Food I LOVE.

Venezuelan cuisine is a culmination of diverse cuisines and owes its variety to a plethora of influences including West African, Native American, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and French. Venezuelan foods, with their tingling spices, exotic flavors and sumptuous sweet meals have become favorites all around the world.

1.Arepa – The all-time favorite appetizer by the way it comes from Venezuela, not Colombia.

its- Cornmeal bread that can be grilled, fried, baked or steamed is stuffed with a filling of beef, pork or eggs. It is not only a common staple food in the Venezuelan cuisine but has become a rage throughout the world.

2. Pabellon Criollo – Our country's national dish.

The national dish! This is a traditional Venezuelan dish in which spicy shredded beef is served over hot rice and is accompanied by black beans. Sometimes, even fried eggs and fried plantain slices are served with it.

3 Cachapas.

Fresh corncakes with a special white cheese from Venezuela.

4.Tizana: The perfect summer spirit.

This fresh, fruity Venezuelan drink. Tizana is similar to fruit punch but better and it has delicious tropical fruits in it.

5. Quesillo: The tastiest Venezuelan dessert.

I admit I have a sweet tooth, but how can you not love this creamy, caramel delight? Quesillo is similar to Spanish and Mexican flan. However, the Venezuelan recipe uses the whole egg instead of the yolk, so it makes it even creamier and less watery. Quesillo has a texture similar to pudding, just firmer and more consistent. Additionally, it has a delicious caramel sauce at the top that makes my mouth water by just writing about it. My Grandma Gloria is the master of all the delicious homemade Venezuelan desserts, thanks to her I learned and now I make one of the best quesillo and flan people has ever tried.

6.Perico: Scrambled eggs with Latin American flavor.

 Venezuela’s own version of scrambled eggs, served with onions and tomatoes. It is often used as a filling for arepas or consumed with bread.

7. Hallaca – The Venezuelan Christmas dish.

Hallaca, is a traditional Venezuelan dish prepared mostly during Christmas. It is cornmeal dough wrapped in plantain, filled with a stuffing of beef, olives, pork and capers and then cooked.

8. Golfeados – Traditional Venezuelan sweet rolls.

Sweet roll dough is rolled up with a mixture of papelon (a sugary substance which is the by-product of sugar cane processing) and queso llanero, a type of cheese. The sweet rolls are then baked, upon which is sprinkled sweet syrup and more cheese!

9.Cachitos – A Latin-American croissant variant.

It is a Venezuelan take on the French croissant. A breakfast snack of bread-rolls filled with ham or cheese.

10.Cocada: A must-have Venezuelan drink.

Cocada is, without a doubt, one of my favorite Venezuelan beverages. Half a smoothie, half a dessert, this is a classic beverage that can be found in many street stalls. The preparation method varies and they are still debating which is the authentic Venezuelan recipe. Some people say that a true cocada consists only of soft coconut pulp and coconut water. Others prefer to add milk to the mixture, but the bold ones combine it with vanilla ice cream or condensed milk to make it super sweet. 

Now you know why my coquito is everything I mix my Venezuelan recipe with the Puerto Rican recipe.  My little secret recipe.

I think I Am really hungry now after posting and describing my favorite dishes from my country that taste oh so good.

Here are 4 of my favorite to go restaurants in the New York and New Jersey area if you haven't tried Venezuelan food yet.

El Cocotero/ Munchies by Antonios/Patacon Pisao and Caracas Arepa Bar.

Thanks for stoppping by.

xo Martha Luna.