Page 13 - AHATA

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local Monday 24 February 2025
Food culture in Aruba

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

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