Food & Fiambre

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Thu 1 Nov 2012 19:47
Food and Fiambre
 
 
 
 
 
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Soon after we arrived at the kite festival the steam and aromas of so many different foods were upon us
 
 
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These ladies getting the corn on the cob ready before the crowds arrive
 
 
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Hot oil, chicken in and a quick stir with an oar. Marvelous.
 
 
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Pork complete with herbs and spices – even a lime in the mouth
 
 
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Massive sweet biscuits
 
 
 Fiambre
 

On November the first and second, Fiambre is served in Guatemalan homes and cemeteries – a very traditional food eaten every year. Basically a salad, served chilled, and made with up to fifty ingredients. Guatemala is a very religious country, mostly Catholic and celebrates the Day of the Dead (Día de los Difuntos) and the All Saints Day (Día de los Santos) with a great party atmosphere and much joy and laughter.

Fiambre, practiced by local ethnic groups, is also the taking of favourite dishes of dead loved ones to the cemeteries, where all the family eat, sitting by the flower decorated graves.

Historically various family members brought many different foods to the celebrations, eventually they began mixing them together to produce this all-encompassing salad. Fiambre is referenced back to the late 1500’s.

The dish varies from family to family. Recipes are traditionally passed down through the generations and it is customary to share your fiambre with other families and relatives in a street party kind of way. Ingredients usually include numerous sausages and cold cuts, pickled baby-corn, onion, beets, pacaya flower, different types of cheese, olives, chicken, shrimp, sometimes even Brussel sprouts. Part of the tradition is to prepare the salad all together as a family, chopping the vegetables into small pieces, preparation starts the day before.

Main types of Fiambre:

·      Fiambre Rojo (Red Fiambre, with beets)

        Fiambre Blanco (White Fiambre, without beets)

·      Fiambre Desarmado (Deconstructed Fiambre, from the department of Jalapa)

·      Fiambre Verde (Green Fiambre, vegetarian and no cold cuts)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL IT ALL SEEMS TO FIT TOGETHER
 
 

 

 

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