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yaofeng · Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 9:31 am Post subject: Christmas is near

Because I found Ayaca (Hallaca) in the freezer section of the supermarket last night.

dutchdushi · Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:47 am Post subject:

What is Ayaca? Never heard of it.

yaofeng · Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 4:44 pm Post subject:

Apparently you have never been in Aruba during Christmas season.

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1387&bih=948&q=ayaca&gbv=2&oq=ayaca&aq=f&aqi=g1g-sS1g-S1g-sS3g-S4&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1711l3743l0l5774l5l5l0l0l0l0l343l1488l0.1.1.3l5l0#hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=hallaca&oq=hallaca&aq=f&aqi=g4g-s1g-m1g-S4&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=5833l8372l0l8798l7l7l0l0l0l0l287l1270l2-5l5l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=169ef8670b5d34a7&biw=1387&bih=948

Anonymous · Guest

We have been celebrating Christmas in Aruba for years. I have heard of it, but have not seen or tried it.

~Amy~® · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 11:48 am Post subject:

Is it similar to a tamale?

yaofeng · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 1:02 pm Post subject:

Yes. You can say it is similar to Tamales. Being just a stone throw's away from Venezuela literally Aruba is influenced to some extent by that country. Hallaca is vey Venezuelan. As such people make it only during X'mas season, unlike tamales.

The different flavors of hallaca are up to the individual who makes it. The banana leaves and the corn meal stay the same. I had my first hallaca for lunch today. It is already cooked. I put it is boiling water and cooked it for 10 minutes. The ones I picked up in the batch is a little too salty for my taste. It has chicken, pearl onions, and capers. I like those which have raisons.

dutchdushi · Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 3:55 pm Post subject:

Now that I see the pictures, I know the food. In fact, my friend from Venezuela made them for her husbands birthday when we were on Aruba last month. She told me it was food she normally makes for Christmas. Didn't get the name then. They were tasteful and made by a family recipe.