Curacao Foods That Will Make Your Mouth Water

Curacao may be known for its gorgeous beaches, much like any other place in the Caribbean, but it also boasts one of the most vibrant cuisines in the region, and that is saying a lot since it is located in an area with a ton of great cuisines such as Jamaican and Cuban.

According to USA Today, Curacao food takes influences from a myriad of cultures, including African, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Jewish, and many others. Often, the country surprises many with the variety and flavor of its dishes, which many still do not know about.

5 Curacao Foods You Might Want To Try Out

When it comes to Curacao cuisine, there are plenty to choose from as it is very diverse given that it has taken influences from all over the world. We have chosen five dishes that are certainly our favorites from this rich and diverse cuisine, and they are:

Bitterballen

This dish best exemplifies the Dutch influence in Curacao and these cheese-filled vegetable balls are served everywhere in the country, This dish has been part of the country for hundreds of years and is often described as a deep-fried ball of gooey beef or vegetables and is typically served with mustard for dipping.

The dish itself is often served as a mid-afternoon snack with some beer. It is also typically eaten with some sausage.

Papaya Stobá (Papaya Stew)

This stew is made up of stewed papayas, meat, and pigtails and is absolutely one of the most popular dishes in all of Curacao. Papayas are one of the most abundant fruits in the country, and according to Curacao.com, this dish uses that abundance well as the fruit's sweetness balances the flavors brought by the salted meat and pigtail quite well as it has been described as a "delicious sweet and savory dish you never thought was possible."

Arepa Di Pampuna (Pumpkin Pancakes)

If you are looking for a traditional Curacao breakfast though, Arepa Di Pampuna, or pumpkin pancakes, may be for you. It uses the local "pampuna dòl di webu," the so-called "egg yolk pumpkin" as its base and is known to be a great way to start the day in the Caribbean country. It is also served as street food so if you missed breakfast, you can still get these scrumptious pumpkin treats.

Keshi Yená (Stuffed Cheese)

When it comes to Curacao's signature dish, though, many consider it to be keshi yena or stuffed cheese. This also brings out the country's Dutch influence as it is literally stuffed cheese imported from the Netherlands, one of the world's biggest cheese producers, and fills it with meat, chicken, vegetables, or dried fruits. These are then wrapped in plantain leaves before being cooked.

Oliebollen

Of course, we shall end things with a dessert and yet another Dutch-influenced dish known as Oliebollen, which is a deep-fried sweet dumpling that is covered in powdered sugar. In other words, this is a sort of a Dutch donut and in Curacao, it is usually eaten around Christmas and New Year's Day.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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