Before Panela: The Indian Origins of Cane Sugar
Read articleAug 2026 · 4 min readThe block of panela in a Bogotá kitchen and the lump of gur in a Punjabi one are the same invention, separated by two thousand years and one ocean.
The Magazine
Stories that have been cooked
Food history from Colombia and beyond — the dishes, markets and rituals behind our tours. Written by our guides and researchers.
Read articleWelcome to the Delicious World of Hot Cocoa in Colombia
Read articleMay 2024 · 4 min readTrace the journey of hot cocoa in Colombia — from its ancient roots and colonial elite status to the humble chucula and the rise of coffee.
The Legendary Arepa de Huevo: A Taste Worth the Trip
Read articleMay 2024 · 6 min readFrom Sephardi empanadas to Luruaco's famous festival, the story of the egg-filled fried arepa that rules the Colombian Caribbean's street corners.
Sancocho — A Flavorful Fusion of Colombian Traditions
Read articleMay 2024 · 5 min readSancocho is Colombia's treasured soup child — a fusion of Iberian, African, and local traditions. Trace its journey from colonial working camps to the heart of every family reunion.
Chucula — The Magical Transformation of the Ordinary into the Extraordinary
Read articleMay 2024 · 5 min readChocolate was once a luxury reserved for aristocrats — until creative Colombian farmers mixed cocoa with toasted grains and created chucula, a comforting drink passed from generation to generation.
Bandeja Paisa: A Dish Built on History
Read articleMay 2024 · 4 min readThe Bandeja Paisa didn't exist until the mid-1900s — but its story starts with native beans, gold settlements, and the arrieros who hauled goods across Antioquia's mountains.
Ajiaco: A flavorful journey through time
Read articleMay 2024 · 8 min readAjiaco is Bogota's iconic soup, but its story stretches from the Caribbean to the Andes. Discover how conquest, class, and creativity shaped Colombia's most comforting dish.
Colombian Exotic Fruits: A Guide to Paloquemao Market
Read articleAug 2026 · 4 min readColombia is one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth, and nowhere is that easier to taste than the fruit aisles of Paloquemao. Here's our fruit-by-fruit guide to what to try — and how to eat it.
The Paipa Pilgrimage: A Cheesy Tale of Traditions
Read articleMay 2024 · 8 min readLegends, cattle rushes, and long mountain roads shaped Paipa cheese, Colombia's beloved semi-mature 'Cheese of the Republic' from the Boyacá highlands.
The arrival of coffee in the Americas
Read articleMay 2024 · 5 min readCoffee crossed the Atlantic through botanical gardens, smuggled seedlings, and revolution. In a few decades, French and Dutch colonies became the world's leading coffee suppliers.
Guava Paste: A Taste of Velez
Read articleMay 2024 · 5 min readGuava paste is one of Colombia's most beloved confections. Trace its journey from a Sephardi quince recipe in Ancient Spain to the artisan factories of Velez, Santander.
Chicha and Coins: Spain's War on Colombia's Corn Beer
Read articleMay 2024 · 10 min readChicha, the saliva-fermented corn drink of the Andes, survived centuries of Spanish prohibitions, fines, whippings, and even a national ban — and it's still being sipped in Bogotá today.
Arepas: The Delicious Latin American Corn Flatbread
Read articleMay 2024 · 4 min readColombia and Venezuela both claim the arepa as their own. Trace this beloved corn flatbread from pre-Hispanic griddles to its dozens of modern variations.
A Currency of Sweetness: The Journey of Panela
Read articleMay 2024 · 5 min readFrom Columbus's sugar cane to trader saddlebags, panela's journey through colonial Colombia turned a humble sweetener into a currency of its own.