What is the gastronomic essence of Colombia? What does Colombia taste like? Aside from the famous Colombian agricultural products such as coffee, sugarcane, flowers, corn, bananas and others, describing the cuisine of this South American country in a paragraph would not do justice to its great gastronomic diversity. Culinary preparations Each region and section has a unique identity with combinations of aromas, flavours, textures and experiences that reflect the history of a vast, multi-ethnic region. It benefited from its natural wealth, geography, and diversity of its thermal floors.
These preparations, techniques and cooking habits were the basis of the research conducted by Edwin Rodriguez from Bogota, a chef with 25 years of experience, who brought Colombian gastronomy to the signature cuisine proposal of his restaurant. QuimbayaLocated in Madrid, Spain, it received one star from the Michelin Guide for Spain and Portugal 2022 and one star from the Repsol Guide 2022. Both awards have been renewed in 2023.
Quimbaya Born 10 years ago with the idea: “There is no avant-garde without tradition”, bringing the concept of Colombian food to a contemporary, creative and very personal interpretation by Chef Rodriguez, who took his inspiration from the Quimbaya civilization: the people who inhabited the area Colombians from Central Cauca and/or Eje Cafetero From 12,000 years ago until the colonial era, who were artists and masters of ceramic cutting and goldsmithing.. Perfection, detail and art in Quimbaya, plus centuries-old traditions from each region Colombia Reflected in the list Quimbaya.
The Quimbaya Experience in Santa Marta
As part of Marriott Bonvoy, the loyalty program of Marriott International, a two-night stay at the Santa Marta Marriott Resort Playa Dormida An experience like no other Quimbaya From Madrid to the capital of the province of Magdalena.
Experience for more than 6 hours QuimbayaIntroduction with a titled list essenceIt contained 10 steps and more than 20 preparations, through which we visited the different regions through unique flavours, accompanied by pairings: From Champagne to craft beer to Masato, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
“The essence passes through those flavors that it carries Colombians remember traditions“While visitors from other countries will discover the unique gastronomy of this country that will definitely make them fall in love with it,” with these words and toasts, Chef Edwin Rodriguez began a sensory experience, which can be enjoyed in the kitchen. , just like in a restaurant in Spain, to enjoy minute by minute the preparations, techniques and work of the Colombian chef and his team.
The menu started with some combinations: cassava arepa and bandebono (cheese bread made from cassava starch and typical of Valle del Cauca province), accompanied by panela butter (a type of unrefined sugar) and hogao, a sauce made from tomatoes, long onions, garlic and oil).
After that, we moved to the Pacific region when the chef served some snacks of mussels, coconut and contadoro (a fruit from the Amazon basins, also very popular in the province of Valle del Cauca), and moments later, we continued to serve the best of the worlds. Northeast with sautéed meat, arepa and cilantro.
The night continued with standouts from the Colombian Caribbean coast such as cay ay (mashed bananas, a variety of green bananas) and choclo (sweet corn).
To end the snack section, we travel to the Colombian capital with a spoonful of empanada, with Colombian chili foam. Without a doubt, this was one of the dishes that caught the attention of many at the tables, due to the combination of textures and aromas of a typical fried empanada with corn dough, filled with mashed potatoes and meat.essence Continue with the Caribbean tradition with shrimp ceviche and clean cake, an ancient preparation made with corn dough, although there are also variations with pawpaw or yucca paste.
This has given way to menu entrees featuring, on the one hand, fish from the Colombian seas, such as yellowtail tuna, accompanied by patacon and sesame seeds, and, on the other, pork dipped in corozo (citrus fruit) sauce. From the Colombian Caribbean) and accompanied by coconut rice, a preparation very typical of the coastal areas of the country.
The main dishes arrived and the Pacific appeared with octopus on chontadoro and pepian (a stew or mashed potatoes with roasted peanuts, onions, tomatoes and garlic, typical of the Cauca province), then gave way to the region from the eastern plains, with grilled meat, accompanied by squash capon, also known It is called squash or zucchini, but it is prepared as a soup with cheese, protein, broth, garlic and paprika.
Before getting to the desserts, the chef served an “exotic” drink inspired by the ancestral and aphrodisiac, a typical drink of the Colombian Pacific region, but in a spoonable version with a mixture of coastal whey and tree tomato, a sub-tropical fruit.
Dessert comes with a selection of typical Caribbean sweets, such as dulce de leche curta, cocada, and dulce de mame (fruit of the sapote family), paired with coffee from the Sierra Nevada, grown and processed by indigenous communities in the Caribbean. North of the country: Arhuacos, Huas, Cojes, and Cancuamos.
More jewelry from Sierra Nevada
In addition to the Quimbaya experience, the Marriott Santa Marta Resort Playa Dormida has more touristy activities throughout the seasons with beaches, plants, a pool and an excellent location to explore and learn more about Santa Marta.
Likewise, in gastronomic terms, year-round visitors enjoy the hotel’s starred restaurant: 1525, Directed by Colombian chef Alirio Rodriguez, who serves an international menu all day, but has a strong focus on typical Colombian food.
On the other hand, the hotel also has its own restaurant Kaye, Focused on cuisine from northern Colombia, with special activities on weekends, such as live music and private parties.
(You can also read: Sierra Flavors: A Journey of Aroma and Flavor)
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