The Latino Blog

If you’ve ever bitten into a warm, crispy, and fluffy arepa, you know it’s a little piece of heaven. These golden corn cakes are a staple in many Latin American countries, and they bring a fiesta of flavours to any table. But what makes an arepa truly authentic? It’s all about the essential arepa ingredients and how you use them. Today, I’m sharing my insider tips and secrets to help you make the perfect arepa right here in New Zealand. So, grab your apron, and let’s get cook

Arepas are a beloved staple in many Latin American countries, cherished for their versatility and delicious taste. These golden, crispy corn cakes can be enjoyed plain or stuffed with a variety of fillings, making them perfect for any meal of the day. But what truly makes an arepa perfect? It all starts with the essential ingredients. Understanding these basics will help you create arepas that are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and bursting with flavour. Essential

This cheese bread is known all over the world as a classic of any bakery. This delightful creation that is common far and wide in all of Latin America, has various names but they all indicate the same recipe of a tasty bread full of cheese. Some of these names are: Chipa: This is how this cheesy and delicious bread is known in Argentina and especially Paraguay. 2. Pão de queijo: That literally translates to "bread of cheese" from the Portuguese, is how this is known all over

At Latino Foods, we recently discussed in our Newsletter how crucial it is for many customers to find gluten-free foods that maintain the authentic taste of Latino cuisine. That’s why we’ve carefully selected products that are safe for those following a gluten-free diet. These ingredients also serve as the foundation for delicious and traditional recipes. Get ready to discover these recipes and enjoy the finest Latino gastronomy worry-free! The Importance of Gluten-Free Foods

Empanada is a popular snack in Colombia and it is served by most Colombian restaurants and Latin American Restaurants in New Zealand. Many countries in Latin America have different versions of the 'Empanada'. Today, we will share with you a traditional recipe of the Colombian Empanada with this Empanada flour: Ingredients: 1 cup Mezcla lista para empanada su sabor flour 2 ¾ cups of water ½ cup chopped onion ½ cup chopped tomato ½ cup cubed potatoes 1 Garlic clove Oil 1 Lemon

Pan de Bono is a beloved Colombian bread known for its cheesy, soft texture and irresistible flavor. Perfect as a breakfast item, snack, or accompaniment to any meal, this gluten-free delight is easy to make with the right ingredients. Here’s how you can bake your own Pan de Bono at home, with an optional sweet twist of guava paste for those who enjoy a hint of sweetness. Ingredients: Su Sabor Cassava Bread Mix 300g of Costeño Cheese 55g of Butter 195ml of Water Guava Paste

The patacones, also called tostones or flattened Green Plantains, are delicious and so easy to prepare, perfect as an appetizer or as a companion to different dishes. Very popular in Latin American and Caribbean countries, you can find Green Plantain in New Zealand! If you are wondering what to do with Green Plantain, you've come to the right place! Exquisite if consumed alone, delicious with a good hogao or guacamole and as a companion to a good fish, spectacular! A differe

Small Flattened Green Plantain – Ingredients 1x bag of Cheeky Foods Small Flattened Green Plantain Cooking oil Salt Preparation 1) Pre-heat the oil to middle-high temperature. 2) With the help of tongs, place one by one the tostadas in the oil. An splatter screen is advised to protect you from the oil spilling. 3) Leave the tostadas between 3 to 5 minutes each side, depending how crunchy you would like them. No more than 5 minutes per side is recommended as it can dry the to

Have you ever heard about a pasta-free lasagna? If you haven’t, we bring to you this amazing recipe that Latinos and specially Puertorican people love and call “Pastelón”, we are talking about a lasagna that uses the sweet taste of ripe plantains instead of using the traditional pasta sheets. Before we show you how to prepare this unique recipe, you should know that as you can make a standard lasagna with chicken or meat (or both, mixed) you can also use that logic with this

Want an alternative to french fries? Brazil has it! and even more healthy: Cassava chips are as delicious as fries. They are made with cassava, a root vegetable that is high in fiber and vitamins. Cassava chips are also gluten-free and vegan, making them a great option for everyone. Ingredients: Frozen Cassava 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Salt Instructions: 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). 3. Add the cassava

If you are wondering what to do with Harina PAN in New Zealand, the famous arepa has more than one way to be prepared! This fabulous Latin American dish has a lot of variations and ways to be prepared, depending on the type of cornstarch to the ingredients that you may add to the preparation. Today we bring you the speciality of the Caribbean and Pacific shores of Colombia: Arepas de Huevo! A perfect breakfast option or a snack that everybody loves that consists in frying a c

Arriving in a new country it's not easy, neither is adapting to a culture, language and lifestyle that isn't yours. However, those are not difficulties when you want to get ahead and look for better opportunities in life! And the Argentinian Mariela Porrini is a vivid example that shows us that working hard is worth it if you do what you love. We got the opportunity to hear about her arrival to a country as isolated as New Zealand and we are sharing her amazing story with all

Simple, delicious, and useful in a thousand ways: The tortilla is a staple of Mexican cooking, they have been around for centuries, yet few know just how “traditional” this traditional treat is. “Tortilla” comes from the Spanish word for “little cake.” The Spanish named the tortilla after it was brought over to Europe from Central America. However, in parts of southern Spain, a tortilla is made of chickpea meal and is crips, thin, and fried. Although they look very similar to

A staple food in both Colombia and Venezuela, Arepas are a very special type of corn cake that is crispy on the outside but soft and creamy on the inside. If you’re Colombian or Venezuelan, you’ve ever travelled there, or if you’ve become interested in these countries cuisine's, you’ll know that arepas are as varied in their styles as they are popular! Not only are they delicious, but arepas are also a fantastic alternative to bread for those with dietary restrictions. In the

(Recipe for approx 4 people) Reina pepiada is a zesty chicken and avocado salad. Literally meaning “curvy queen”, reina pepiada was named after Susana Dujim, the first Venezuelan international beauty queen. Arepas - Ingredients 2 cups of corn white flour Doñarepa Flour Harina PAN Harina Su Sabor 2 Cups Water 1 ½ tsp Salt Butter optional Preparation 1) Add 2 cups of Corn White flour to a medium bowl and pour in 2 cups of water and 1 ½ tsp of salt. Using hands or a wooden spoon

(4 people) Arepas - Ingredients 2 cups of corn white flour Doñarepa Flour Harina PAN Harina Su Sabor Chiva Arepas 2 Cups Water 1 ½ tsp Salt Butter optional Preparation 1) Add 2 cups of Corn White flour to a medium bowl and pour in 2 cups of water and 1 ½ tsp of salt. 2) Using hands or a wooden spoon, knead the mix until forming a soft and smooth dough. 3) Roll into balls and gently press down until forming the arepa shape. Once your arepas are done, cook them in hot pan until

1. QUESO ¡Todos sabemos que los MEJORES BUÑUELOS se hacen con Queso Costeño! Ahora puedes encontrar el queso costeño para tus buñuelos en nuestra tienda virtual aquí. No olvides que al ser un producto fresco, este se despachará en modalidad nocturna y llegará a tu domicilio en un plazo inferior a 24 horas. En su defecto, puedes utilizar queso feta y/o queso fresco. La combinación de estos dos quesos da a los buñuelos colombianos ese sabor único que les da el queso costeño. Al

Arepas - Ingredients 2 cups Flour Doñarepa Flour Harina PAN Harina Su Sabor 2 Cups Water 1 ½ tsp Salt Butter optional Preparation 1) Add 2 cups of Corn White flour to a medium bowl and pour in 2 cups of water and 1 ½ tsp of salt. 2) Using hands or a wooden spoon, knead the mix until forming a soft and smooth dough. Roll into balls and gently press down until forming the arepa shape. 3) Once your arepas are done, cook them in hot pan until golden brown, 5

The “Arepa de Choclo or Chocolo”, also known as cachapa, chorreada, jojoto corn, or sweet corn tortilla, is a delicious traditional dish in Colombia, Costa Rica, Venezuela and Ecuador. Its preparation is similar to a pancake, or a common arepa, except that it is not made with wheat flour, but with sweet corn. We have imported to New Zealand the sweet cornflour mix ready here. It is usually accompanied with peasant cheese or curd They are a delight in every way and perfect for