Depicting Memories

Passport & Plate - Arequipe

Colombia | Wednesday, March 12, 2014 | flickr photos

Ingredients
Recipe makes 1 cup of arequipe.
1 Liter of whole milk
1 cup of sugar

 

How to prepare this recipe
1. In a large sauce pan, combine the whole milk and sugar.
2. Bring milk and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. Stir constantly until mixture thickens (takes about 30 minutes).
4. When the mixture is a light beige color, remove the pan from the heat.

 

The story behind this recipe
My family is a true mosaic of different backgrounds –Brazilian, Palestinian, Chinese and Italian. My Mom´s cousins married people from abroad. Her Mom married a Chinese man. Then, she married a third generation Italian. Nonetheless, our Colombian heritage on our great-grandmother’s side unifies us. During our upbringing, two Colombian passions brought us together: listening to joyful “vallenato” and enjoying mouthwatering “arequipe”. Being Costa Rican, I am aware “arequipe” is also known as “dulce de leche” –milk candy. However, in our family we agree to disagree. Homemade “arequipe” is creamier, whiter and incomparable to store-bought confection.
Furthermore, this treat evokes memories of my great-aunt. She is the only Costa Rican daughter of my great-grandmother. Despite of that, she was the only one that was interested in keeping up with Colombian cooking. She would prepare “arequipe” for special occasions, such as Christmas celebrations, her mom´s birthday or when family members came to visit from foreign countries. As an 8-year old, I used to delight taking tablespoons of this dessert. Likewise, she would take my aunts from overseas and me on day trips to Cartago –countryside known for its foggy landscape and early Republican architecture- in order to purchase whole milk to make the kickshaw from scratch. I still recall the trips as a highlight of my mid-term vacations.
Thanks to my family´s boundless enthusiasm for food, I have come to appreciate rituals surrounding its consumption. Delicious aromas and flavor are the outcome, but choosing ingredients, knowing tricks and enjoying as a group are just as important. I have a keen interest in familiarizing with Italian traditions, since, even though they are part of my heritage, my family did not keep those customs as vivid. I have an eager interest in exploring my ancestor´s culture because I will marry shortly and I Iong to transfer my family´s passion for food along to new family.