Check out the places where this special food is still popular and widely-enjoyed today.

Spain

As the birthplace of the empanada, it’s no surprise that Spain is still a popular place to enjoy empanadas. This food enjoys hundreds of regional variants, from seafood empanadas in the country’s north to a vegetarian “pisto” option with sauteed veggies in Castilla.

Argentina

Argentina is absolutely in love with empanadas, which are typically oven-baked until golden brown. These treats are often served during the Easter and Lent periods of the year when they are filled with ingredients such as tuna.

Philippines

That’s right: you can find empanadas in Asia too! The Philippines, which was once ruled by Spain, continues the empanada tradition even now as a geographic anomaly. The Filipino version is commonly deep-fried and contains ingredients such as ground meat, potatoes, and vegetables.

The post These Countries Go Crazy for Empanadas appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

This food, whose literal translation to English is “cheese bread,” is an incredibly popular snack that has gone from a regional treat that was enjoyed during tough economic times during Brazil’s period as a Portuguese colony to a staple food of the country’s cuisine. 

The city of Ouro Preto in Brazil’s Minas Gerais region was the birthplace of this food. It came about in the 1700s when the region grew exponentially due to the discovery of gold in the area, leaving a food shortage.

Resourceful residents turned to starch from the cassava root, a common tuber that has been used in the region since ancient times, to make a flour base for bread.

Adding cheese on the inside, a delicious new food was created. This staple continues to be enjoyed throughout the country as both a snack and a breakfast food, where it’s commonly enjoyed with coffee.

This cassava and cheese-based bread is a great example of how a once-humble food can become a beloved symbol of a country’s cuisine. Be sure to try it on your next trip to Brazil!

The post Pao de Queijo is Brazil’s Favorite Bread appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Venezuela is arguably the king of arepas, and people there often eat them with simple ingredients such as cheese or even plain.

Did you know that there is, however, a special variety of arepa that is filled with all kinds of goodies, making it more of a meal than a snack food?

Pabellon arepas are a Venezuelan favorite that are a mountain and a half of food. Consisting of a traditional corn arepa filled with various ingredients which are common in the country, you’ll find the best of Venezuelan in these delicious treats.

These massive arepas are filled with marinated and shredded flank steak, fried sweet plantains, black beans, and a bit of crumbled white cheese.

They are a perfect representation of the savory and sweet goodness that can be found in Venezuelan gastronomy. The savory shredded beef combined with the heartiness of the beans, the sweetness of the plantains, and the creaminess of the cheese makes for an arepa that you will definitely fall in love with.

The post Pabellon Arepas are a Venezuelan Favorite appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Check out the places where this special food is still popular and widely-enjoyed today.

Spain

As the birthplace of the empanada, it’s no surprise that Spain is still a popular place to enjoy empanadas. This food enjoys hundreds of regional variants, from seafood empanadas in the country’s north to a vegetarian “pisto” option with sauteed veggies in Castilla.

Argentina

Argentina is absolutely in love with empanadas, which are typically oven-baked until golden brown. These treats are often served during the Easter and Lent periods of the year when they are filled with ingredients such as tuna.

Philippines

That’s right: you can find empanadas in Asia too! The Philippines, which was once ruled by Spain, continues the empanada tradition even now as a geographic anomaly. The Filipino version is commonly deep-fried and contains ingredients such as ground meat, potatoes, and vegetables.

The post These Countries Go Crazy for Empanadas appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

This food, whose literal translation to English is “cheese bread,” is an incredibly popular snack that has gone from a regional treat that was enjoyed during tough economic times during Brazil’s period as a Portuguese colony to a staple food of the country’s cuisine. 

The city of Ouro Preto in Brazil’s Minas Gerais region was the birthplace of this food. It came about in the 1700s when the region grew exponentially due to the discovery of gold in the area, leaving a food shortage.

Resourceful residents turned to starch from the cassava root, a common tuber that has been used in the region since ancient times, to make a flour base for bread.

Adding cheese on the inside, a delicious new food was created. This staple continues to be enjoyed throughout the country as both a snack and a breakfast food, where it’s commonly enjoyed with coffee.

This cassava and cheese-based bread is a great example of how a once-humble food can become a beloved symbol of a country’s cuisine. Be sure to try it on your next trip to Brazil!

The post Pao de Queijo is Brazil’s Favorite Bread appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Venezuela is arguably the king of arepas, and people there often eat them with simple ingredients such as cheese or even plain.

Did you know that there is, however, a special variety of arepa that is filled with all kinds of goodies, making it more of a meal than a snack food?

Pabellon arepas are a Venezuelan favorite that are a mountain and a half of food. Consisting of a traditional corn arepa filled with various ingredients which are common in the country, you’ll find the best of Venezuelan in these delicious treats.

These massive arepas are filled with marinated and shredded flank steak, fried sweet plantains, black beans, and a bit of crumbled white cheese.

They are a perfect representation of the savory and sweet goodness that can be found in Venezuelan gastronomy. The savory shredded beef combined with the heartiness of the beans, the sweetness of the plantains, and the creaminess of the cheese makes for an arepa that you will definitely fall in love with.

The post Pabellon Arepas are a Venezuelan Favorite appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.