Funnily enough, while making patacones I was sent a writing request from a top travel magazine. Just a quote about food culture here in Medellín, but HECK YES I can do that.
And do I have a chip on my shoulder about people who slag the food here for being "rustic", "simple", and "not as good as all the other South American countries"? MAYBE.
But Medellín apparently found its way onto a top 20 list of foodie cities, so apparently I'm not *entirely* alone in my love of simple cuisine done right.
Yes! Just as in Ratatouille, Colombia's best cuisine comes from peasant dishes, along with an absolute bounty of local fruits. We have more aged cheeses and meats in North America, for instance, along with other elaborate flavours from preservation, because they're *necessary* for winter. But in Colombia pride in campesino and coastal cultures comes from reliable everyday staples. No "heat" in Colombian cuisine, but you see a whole story of local life in every plate or bowl. 👍🏻