Local amphibious cuisine: Toward the rediscovery of the gastronomic traditions of the palafito town of buenavista, Cienaga Grande Santa Marta, Colombia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the main food sources and traditional gastronomic preparations of the palafito town of Buenavista in Colombia. During the fieldwork, the process of preparing traditional dishes was documented, and the sources of food, cooking techniques and traditional gastronomic preparations were identified to characterize the amphibious cuisine of the palafito town of Buenavista, Cienaga Grande Santa Marta, Colombia. The main findings of this study are as follows. The people in this region eat mainly fish products, cereals, tubers, some fruits and vegetables. Food is prepared in traditional three-stone stoves, and traditional cooking techniques include deep frying, stewing, stir frying, grilling, boiling, and reducing in sugar. Through culinary dialog, new gastronomic preparations were proposed without suppressing the cultural and traditional elements offered as snacks, main meals, desserts and drinks. In conclusion, from food sources to traditional gastronomic preparations and the passing on of culinary knowledge, the amphibious cuisine of the palafito town of Buenavista is characterized by food obtained from fishing and agricultural products purchased from nearby towns. This cuisine, which operates through a system of gastronomic routes, should be disseminated through food tourism and preserved through audiovisual records to value and rediscover this ancestral gastronomic tradition.