This week I asked to learn how to make arepas. I mean, I know how to eat them, but what am I to do when I go home for Christmas? I can't bring my host/ chef with me! Well, now I know why arepas please my taste buds so much: they are basically just a dough of sugar and flour. Who wouldn't like them?
Although I never had the chance to cook with my Nana, I have a feeling that cooking with Nana would have been very similar to cooking with Guiselle. No measurements. Just eyeball it. Or until it looks right or tastes right. I don't know how well I will duplicate arepas once I am back in the states.
If I can get the dough right, then I know I can do the rest. I was having trouble making my arepas flat, and they were far from round. Guiselle is on the other side of the stove just pat-pat-patting perfectly round circles. And so fast too! She taught me how to work my fingers, and it turned out much easier.
The round ones are "plain," or just the cooked sugar dough. The semi-circle ones are filled with a mixture of crumbled cheese and white sugar.
 |
| adding cheese before folding |
 |
| I made this one! |
The arepas turned out well and just as I was finishing cooking the last few, she made the coffee. It's custom here to have afternoon coffee and a snack; usually a bread, empanada, etc.
So I went outside to enjoy my coffee and arepas in front of the Christmas tree. That's right: Christmas tree already. I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that Costa Rica is entering into SUMMER now as the Christmas decorations are going up!
 |
| Happy Friday! |
No comments:
Post a Comment