I'm always glad when I push myself to try something new, since I never know whether it might become a new favorite.
Lunch is typically the biggest meal here in Colombia. I've noticed that lunch is usually prepared in the morning. People will get up early to prepare their lunch, go to work and then come back, so they just need to reheat it. Everyone usually has at least one hour off for lunch, so most businesses are closed between 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Most people go home to eat lunch, letting them have some time to catch up with their family during the day.
One difference in food preparation is that most Colombian kitchens don't have an oven. Instead, most cooking is done just on the stovetop. This is one reason why panaderías (bakeries) are so popular here. A bakery is the only place to get bread and other baked goods, since people don't typically bake on their own. Another difference I've noticed is that Colombian meals often take a long time to prepare. For example, the lunches that are prepared in the morning often take a couple of hours to prepare. Lentils and beans are also staples, and those require overnight soaking and being boiled for a couple of hours. These cooking methods follow an overall cultural philosophy of patience and taking your time with things.
In my town, food is very connected to the local environment. I live in a farming community, so most of the land around me consists of fincas (farms). As a result, most produce is grown locally. The most common crops include coffee and panela, which is a type of brown sugar.
