Cartagena´s flavours

Cartagena de Indias tastes like coconut, ripe banana, meat on the plate, green mango with salt and sancocho. Immerse yourself in exquisite and popular flavors in this craving and indulging city.



Tropical juices There is a sweet and refreshing Cartagena, a juicy Cartagena, full of flavors and colors. The corozo, the passion fruit, the mango, the pineapple, the tamarind, and the melon, become the perfect ingredient of a good sorbet from Cartagena. The cold  juices from seasoned dry fruit juices are the recommendation.

Cocadas

Essentially prepared based on coconut, hence its name. Over time, sugar, "panela" and tropical fruits have also becomed favorite ingredients for the preparation of this traditional recipe. Where to buy them? In the Portal of Sweets will get the experts in the preparation of this Caribbean delight. The most popular: pineapple with coconut, guava with coconut, arequipe with coconut, coconut milk and joy with coconut and anise. Each cocada has an approximate value of $600.

Drinks

The contrast of coconut candy with lemon acid results in the sparkling coconut lemonade that delights best in this warm city. The "agua de panela", or the lemon is a true elixir to quench thirst. Its preparation is simple. The block of panela is allowed to dilute in hot water to later consume cold. The raspao, ingenious and refreshing drink whose crushed ice ball is served in a cone or disposable glass with lemon juice, passion fruit, tamarind or kola; With condensed milk the result is indescribable. How much? Between $ 1,000 and $ 1,200, depends on how you want to enjoy this exotic combination. The kola with milk, mixture of milk and soda that form a delicious and unique drink.

Fish

The delights of fusion of Caribbean flavors have no end, and delighting the rich, crisp and fresh fish representative of our cuisine will be an excellent choice No matter what kind of fish, the important thing is to accompany with lemon to taste, a toasted green plantain, a healthy salad, the irresistible coconut rice, and of course some soups of the same fish to never forget.

Fritters

Beans, cassava, potato or corn, fried are the maximum exponents of the gastronomy of Cartagena de Indias. In every corner there is a table available to try this coastal delight with a little bit of "suero costeño".  "Arepa de huevo", is a yellow corn pattie, with ground beef and egg inside. "Carimañola", based on cassava, cheese or ground beef, perfect at any time. "Arepita de dulce", corn pattie, with salt, panela, grated cheese and anise... Ideal for breakfast. "Empanada",  prepared with yellow corn, stuffed with chicken or minced meat. "Buñuelos", made of black beans or green corn, however they are exquisite...

Tubers

The plantain, cassava, pumpkin and yam are also protagonists of Caribbean food, especially fish, chicken and rib sancochos. The banana is fried or cooked. Cassava is found in sancochos, breakfasts, dinners and snacks; Is the main ingredient of carimañolas, fried oval shaped made with ground cassava and stuffed with meat or cheese. It is also found as an ingredient in "enyucados", as well as "pandebonos". One of the simplest presentations is the one accompanied by a slice of cheese and whey. It is also enjoyed as snacks, in the form of cassava sticks.



Rice with coconut It is a typical dish prepared in two ways in Cartagena de Indias: white coconut rice and fried or titote coconut rice. The difference between the two is a few ingredients and some preparation details. The important thing is to balance the sweet and salty flavors.

"Carne en Posta" This dish is one of the most traditional of Cartagena de Indias and is usually served with coconut rice and "plantains in temptation", the abundance of ingredients and flavors found in this recipe moves us to try this delicious dish, perfect for a lunch in a typical food restaurant.

 

Sancocho

Although this typical dish is always present at celebrations or in meetings with family, friends and neighbors. It is consumed mainly at lunch time, accompanied by white rice and avocado. There are several kinds depending on the meat used in its preparation, which also defines the name of the sancocho. In this region there is a great preference for the sancocho of chicken cooked with wood fire, the one of fish and the one of grains with salted meat, popular in this region.



Granos

In the Cartagena kitchen, the beans in their different types and colors, chickpeas, pigeon peas, lentils and peas become delicious soups, creams, sweets and even snacks with very good flavor and nutrients. Whether red or blackhead, the bean is ideal in soups, with meat or pork, or as an additional ingredient of rice. The pigeon is the most exquisite of all. Whether it is used for sancochos or mixed with milk, sugar and cloves of smell, is the desired grain of the Coast, especially from Cartagena de Indias.