Meaty Confession

When I realized that I was going to Venezuela, I knew that staying a vegetarian during two weeks of travel through the country would be a challenge. While there I was faced with the choice of eating an extremely unhealthy diet of fried cheese and cornmeal, or include well prepared and seasoned meat in my diet. Eventually I succumbed to the pleasures of chivo en coco. I think I made the right choice. Chivo en coco is one of my favorite Venezuelan dishes... along with hallacas, pan de jamon, carne mechada and pollo frito. Did you know that chicken in Venezuela tastes much better than in the US? I don't know what to attribute the taste difference to, but chickens in the US taste so bland in comparison.

As soon as I got back to the US I was inspired to cook more Venezuelan food. After all, it wouldn't really be Christmas or New Years in my house without hallacas or pan de jamon, so I made them. Then I ate them. They were delicious. Alan is very happy about my conversion.