"I'm not sure what that is.” “Hmmm…I would love to try something new, but I’d rather get something I know for sure I will like.” It is not uncommon to overhear such sentiments as you walk around a food truck rally. One of the best things about a rally is the wide variety of unique cuisines that are offered by our trucks on any given night. What if you could understand a bit more about a dish before you find yourself standing in front of a particular truck? Look no further!
Ever heard of an Arepa? An Arepa is a flatbread made of ground maize dough or cooked flour prominent in the cuisine of Colombia and Venezuela. The arepa is flat, round, unleavened bread type patty, which is made by soaking ground kernels of maize (corn), or maize meal or maize flour. It can be grilled, baked, fried, boiled or steamed.
Arepa is very often eaten daily in countries such as Colombia and Venezuela. It is similar in shape to the Mexican Gordita that you may be familiar with from visits to your local Taco Bell. The characteristics can vary by color, flavor, size, and the food with which it may be stuffed. The accompaniments can very often differ based on the region in which it is being served. It can be topped or filled with meat, eggs, tomatoes, salad, cheese, avocado, shrimp, or fish depending on the meal. It can also be split and used to make sandwiches.
Often times, entire meals variations are offered around one ingredient, as is the case with the arepas. So, whether you are interested in trying it with just some cheese, or want to go all out with a little bit of everything, don’t hesitate to include an arepas in your next food truck meal adventure!