Page 18 - AHATA

A9
LOCAL Friday 26 September 2025

Food culture in Aruba

(Oranjestad) – Like many more. These snacks are
other cultures, an impor- usually sold at local snack
tant aspect of the Aruban trucks and cafes, often lo-
cultural identity is our con- cated on the side of the
nection to food and food road. In the area of Tanki
traditions. The local food Leendert and Tanki flip, for
traditions consist of a melt- example, there are many
ing pot of different cultural of these trucks parked on
and religious eating habits the side of the road and
and dishes. often open until late at
night—offering tasty and
Breakfast, lunch and dinner filling snacks post night-life
The routine of breakfast, fun.q
lunch and dinner on the
island is one that does not *ABC Islands: Aruba, Bonaire
completely follow a Euro- and Curacao
pean or American routine, *Pan di ham: Derived from
despite the major influ- the Venezuelan Pan de
ences from these parts of Jamon (rolled up bread with
the world on our culture ham, raisins and olives)
and way of living. When it
comes to the three impor- *Saco: Saco literally means
“bag”. Saco contains fried
tant meals of the day, most potatoes, plantains, chicken
of the Aruban population (and ribs) and a Johnny
follows a Latin-American in- cake, served in a paper bag.
fluenced routine.
Source: Voeding, voedings-
Breakfast gewoonten en gerechten op
Breakfast in Aruba is quite Aruba (Nutrition, Food Tradi-
simple: a cup of coffee and can are largely influ- uncommon to see leftovers items. Traditional drinks in- tions and Dishes on Aruba) by
Biblioteca Nacional Aruba
or tea, some bread, and enced by Latin-American from the main meal reheat- clude ponche crema (Aru-
sometimes an egg. Some- and Latin/Afro-Caribbean ed and eaten again. Tea ban eggnog), chuculati
times, due to the need of Stews. Some of the more and coffee are often also pinda (hot chocolate with
a quick “to-go” breakfast, unique stews and soups served with the evening peanut butter), and home-
you may also find many from the ABC Islands* in- snack. made fruit punch. Desserts
snack trucks and cafes that clude sopi di bonchi cora include, bolo di pistachio
sell sandwiches, pastechis (red kidney bean soup with (Religious) Holidays (pistachio cake), bolo di
(meat pie), arepas and pig tail), sopi mondongo Christmas is probably the cashupete (cashew cake),
empanadas early in the (tripe soup), carni stoba biggest global holiday, and quesillo (flan), bolo preto
morning. (beef stew), comcomber every culture has its own (dark fruit cake), drigidek
stoba (West Indian gherkin spin on what their Christmas (gingerbread), pan boyo
Main Meal stew) and much more. cuisine entails. In Aruba, our (bread cake) and more.
The main meal is typically Christmas cuisine is again
eaten in most households Dinner Time largely based on Latin- Snacks and tasty delights
around noon or in the af- Dinner time can vary signifi- American influences, most Besides meals and dishes
ternoon. This can consist of cantly from household to notably form Venezuela. that are eaten on the din-
meat, fish, and chicken— household. Unlike the U.S. Ayacas and the famous ner table, Aruba also has
stewed or fried—with fun- or in Europe, dinner time pan di ham* are two cru- a food tradition that in-
chi (polenta) or rice with typically does not consist cial holiday dishes, along cludes snacks and other
stewed vegetables. Often, of a whole (warm) meal. In- with stuffed turkey, roasted tasty delights that you may
fried or boiled plantain stead, the evening “meal” glazed ham topped with easily find around the is-
or pan bati (Aruban pan- can typically consist of pineapples, arroz con pollo land. These include, Saco*,
cake) is included. Stews are something lighter, like a (rice and chicken) and po- basket, pastechi, kroket,
a staple in Aruban cuisine sandwich, though it is not tato salad, among other deditos, Johnny cake and