[2022-11-07] Try something new
Today, I made arepas for the first time. According to the Minimalist Baker, "Arepas are cornmeal cakes that originated hundreds of years ago in a region that now makes up Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama. Traditionally, they were cooked on a pan called a budare. But they can also be grilled, baked, or fried."
Mel introduced me to arepas a few weeks ago at the Ottawa Farmers' Market in Westboro. We had ours with shredded cheese and cilantro-garlic sauce. I was hooked. I did what any self-respecting cook would do: I committed to recreating the taste and texture at home. First, we searched for a recipe for cilantro-garlic sauce, settling on this one. It was so good that I featured it in Saturday Synopsis #16 and have already made a second batch. Next, we hunted for the arepa flour, which was surprisingly easy to find. And today, I made the arepas. They turned out well, similar (though not yet identical) to the arepas we got at the market. I'll continue to refine my technique.
Some of our favourite meals were inspired by dishes we had while eating out, including something we now call Steak and Potato Salad based on a salad we had at a restaurant in Arnprior, and Cheddar and Roasted Red Pepper Scones based on a sandwich we had at a coffee shop in Almonte.
You can probably tell that I love food: the taste, the smell, the texture. But I also love what food represents: a chance to discover something about another culture, an occasion to show someone you care, and an opportunity to try something for the first time. Coincidentally, my lovely neighbour left a container of still-warm soup on my front porch. Boa sopa!
Not all of my experiments turn out (for example, I haven't yet decided whether I will try making pita bread for a second time). But many are promising enough to try again, and some are downright spectacular—destined for our family's collection of recipes and likely to feature in a gift of food to a loved one.
