Cuy is a delicacy in Pasto, which means people are not eating it every day; moreso on special occasions. When I finally tried it, I thought it was absolutely delicious! It tastes similar to chicken, but a little bit better. I never thought I would eat cuy, but I’m glad I did because it is such an important part of Pastuso culture.
Something that is very important to know is that Colombia is an extremely diverse country, with different cultural customs and cuisine all over the country. A typical dish from Bogotá, the city where I live, is ajiaco, a soup dish made with chicken, corn and three types of potato that is usually served with rice and avocado. I recently tried this Bogotá-classic and was not disappointed. Ajiaco is full of delicious flavors and is perfect for a chilly afternoon, making it a very common dish in Colombia. A meal called corrientazo (cheap lunch) includes juice, a side of soup or fresh fruit and a main dish with rice, meat, and salad. While ajiaco is its own dish and typically does not come as a side, like in a corrientazo, the constant usage of soups shows how common they are in Colombian cuisine.
Another Colombian staple is arepas, which is a sort of flatbread made out of corn flour. While there are many different kinds of arepas (sweet, salty, stuffed with meat etc.), my favorite so far might be arepas boyacenses, which are sweet arepas stuffed with cheese. Arepas boyacenses are from a state named Boyacá, which is pretty close to Bogotá. I remember trying these and immediately being obsessed!
