Wowww! Our traditional Christmas dish consists of Hallaca, Ham Bread (Pan de Jamón), Chicken Salad and Baked Pork Legs.
The hallaca is a rectangular cake made with pre-cooked corn flour that looks a bit like a Mexican tamale, and has a filling of beef, chicken and pork stew, along with vegetables, and its ingredients and cooking method may vary according to the region. All this is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in boiling water. It contains products from Europe, Africa and the American continent, which represents the cultural and ethnic diversity of Venezuela.
While the Pan de Jamón is an elongated bread stuffed with smoked ham, bacon, olives and raisins, which can be prepared with bread dough or puff pastry dough.
As for the January 14 activity in my city, Barquisimeto, it is something that I cannot describe in words... it is a spiritual experience that you have to live in person sometime in your life.
That hallaca sounds very yummy. The Pan de Jamón sounds good too but I don't like olives nor raisings 🙈 Maybe I could try it if there is a version without them haha.
If someday I go to Barquisimeto, Venezuela, I'll make sure to go by January 14 so I can live that experience, although I'm not a very religious person and I don't like crowded places 🤭