Monday, June 23, 2008

Making Arepas at my House

Sabroso!



The two criollas who make the arepas,
my daughter Jewel and Patricia, Steven's wife.
We made pabellon arepas tonight.


After the food network show last night, we all decided we needed to eat arepas today! Right now, my little apartment is full and overflowing. My daughter and family are here. My nephew, Steven, and his wife and their two kids are also here from Venezuela. They have their own apartment in the same complex, but we all spend the day together and eat together. Josh and Naomy are only a block away,

So we all love arepas, the traditional Venezuelan food. It is made from a corn flour which is pre-cooked and then dried and packaged. It is mixed with water and salt until the right consistency, and then formed by hand into balls which are shaped into small cakes, similar in size to an english muffin. For you southerners, it is much like grits, a sort of 'grit bun'.

The arepa cooking on the griddle.

Cut open and add a little butter.

Then the shredded beef! (En Venezuela,
se dice 'carne mechada' en Cuba es"ropa vieja")

Next comes the fried plantains!
Tejadas!


Then the black beans.

Topped off with white cheese!




And there you have it!
The Arepa de Pabellon!




Steven's daughter, Ema, enjoying her arepa!

No hay nada mas Venezolono que una arepa!

27 comments:

Mountain Mama said...

I will be looking for the recipe. I think little Ema is enjoying hers very much.

Anonymous said...

Yumo! as Rachel Ray would say. Save me one, please!!

Kristi said...

Looks like Ema's entire little face was enjoying her arepa. LOL
Food Network has nothin' on you. Looks good!

~Kristi

Starla said...

Looks good, I wish you could share that good food through the computer, lol.

Findalis said...

I'm going to have to try and make some. Sounds like a cool dish for a hot summer day.

CrimeSceneFairy said...

Ooh! Grits like the Christian rap group? I might like Arepas

Jane said...

I'll take mine with just butter!!! I also like them with the 'carne' but I just can't get into the cheese. I've tried, the taste is just too strong for me!!!

MathewK said...

Looks like a mouthful JM, bon appetit.

~Karen_ said...

They look delicious!

Terri said...

That looks really good!

Gayle said...

Never heard of them, Rita, but I've never heard of a lot of things you post about. They look extremely delicious though. :)

Liz said...

Oh Rita, you're a venezuelan at heart!!!

Buen provecho!!!

Charles said...

I was going to ask for the recipe but Mountain Mama beat me to it.

So now you have two requests.

I'm hungry now for some reason

MaMa Vaughn said...

Wow, sounds like ya'll are having fun!! Your family seems to always have fun...your fun to be around. Have a great day.

Brenda said...

That looks delicious! Recipe?

Kimberly said...

Looks good and messy! Is the cheese Feta or a white cheddar?

Nina in Portugal said...

That looks pretty cool and yummy! When I learn to cook Portuguese food, I'll post pictures of me cooking it!!

Anonymous said...

Put some bacon on that puppy and I think it would be right up my alley.

Z said...

when fj comes here and sees this, he'll be falling off his chair and drooling, I'll bet!

OH, MAN, JM...this looks SO SO delicious. I LOVE the sweet plaintains with the savory meat and beans and OH, that arepa must smell heavenly....mmmm

Move over, Big Mac!!

Pen of Jen said...

Hi Rita!

I have followed all the news of your blog and loved the wedding photos and well everything.

I am I guess back, and just stopping in to say hello.

So glad that all of you live so close together!

Well you California gal(granola) see ya again.
Jen

Ryan said...

Those look real good.

Unknown said...

When I show Agustin these photos, he'll be sorry he didn't take you up on your invitation!

Anonymous said...

Ropa vieja? LOL!

Awesome, jm. Now I'm REALLY hungry...

Anonymous said...

Ropa vieja? LOL!

Awesome, jm. Now I'm REALLY hungry...

Pastor Erik DiVietro said...

Wait a second...Stephen? As in Stephen and Patricia Arce?

Rita Loca said...

Erik, Yes, they have to get paperwork for their kids and also raise some more support.

ExploreColorado said...

Que rico. Looks like something I'ld like to try. I love latin american food. Well, at least the different varieties I have tried.
Looks like you had fun making them.
Vickie