This overview of Colombia was prepared by Jeannie Lafleur while a General Business student in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Introduction
Colombia is officially known as the Republic of Colombia. A population of 45 million people gives Colombia the 29th largest population in the world and the second largest in South America. Pandebono is a type of bread made from cornmeal, cassava starch, cheese and eggs. Pandebonos are originally from the Valle del Cauca. Colombians eat panadonos during “El Algo” or “the something”. “El Algo” is kind of like high tea only Colombians like to drink coffee or hot chocolate with their baked goods.
Country Information
· Geographic Facts
Here are three geographic facts about Colombia:
1. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil, to the south by Ecuador and Peru, to the north by the Caribbean Sea, to the northwest by Panama, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean.
2. Colombia is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region of the world subject to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and is dominated by the Andes Mountains.
3. The savanna of the Llanos, part of the Orinoco River Basin, and the jungle of the Amazon rainforest comprise over half of Colombia’s territory, but make up less than 3% of its population.
· 3 “Serious” Facts
Here are three serious facts about Colombia:
1. In 1948 a bloody conflict, La Violencia, was sparked by the assassination of liberal leader Jorge Eliecer Gaintan.
2. In 2008, there were several reports of officers in Colombia killing civilians. The officers were claiming these civilians were insurgents or criminal gang members. This was considered to be caused by intense pressure and incentives such as time off, extra pay, and promotions for registering combat kills.
3. On Monday July 19th 2010, U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton congratulated Colombia on its two hundred years of independence, on behalf of U.S. President Barack Obama and the American people.
· 3 “Fun” Facts
Here are three fun facts about Colombia:
1. Colombia is third in the world for producing women’s lingerie.
2. 20% of butterfly species are found in Colombia.
3. Colombia derived its name from the man who discovered America, Christopher Columbus.
· A “Potpourri” Item
Here are two unusual facts about Colombia:
1. Colombia does not have particular seasons. This is because Colombia lies close to the equator. It experiences sunlight all through the year, and you can feel tropical heat on the coasts or snowfall in the mountain areas.
2. In Bogota, the capital of Colombia, A museum dedicated to laziness was opened.
Food Information
· Recipe
Ingredients:
(12 pandebonos)
· 2/3 cup cassava starch or yucca flour
· 1/4 cup precooked cornmeal or
· 1 cup Mexican queso freso or Colombian quesito
· 1 1/4 cup feta cheese
· 1 large egg
Directions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a food processor, place the yucca flour, both cheeses and masarepa. Process until well combined. Slowly add the egg in while the food processor is running.
Read more in Columbia
« Traveling to Cartegena
3. Once the egg is mixed in well enough, divide the mixture into 12 or more equal size portion depending on how big or small you prefer, shaping them into balls.
4. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden on top. Serve warm.
Source:
http://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/pandebono-colombian-cheese-bread
· My Kitchen Story
The hardest part of this project did not actually take place in the kitchen, it was finding the ingredients. First I went around to the local grocery stores with no luck. Then, I drove thirty minutes to Folsom, LA to a Mexican grocery store, again with no luck. The man at the Mexican grocery store in Folsom gave me directions to two other stores around Abita Springs, LA which is around twenty minutes from Folsom, LA. The first store I found had the masarepa and the yucca flower, but it did not have the Mexican queso freso or Colombian quesito. By the time I made it to the second store he gave me directions to, it was closed. So then I went to the closest Super Wal-mart which was in Covington,LA (another 10-15 minute drive) to get the feta cheese and to see if just maybe they had any of the other ingredients I needed. I left Wal-mart with only the feta cheese. I was still in need of the Mexican queso freso or Colombian quesito cheese to have all the ingredients. The next day, I headed to Abita Springs, LA (a 20 minute drive from where I live) again to go to the store that was closed the day before. Luckily that store had the Mexican queso freso I needed. While walking to the car my boyfriend asked, “what are you smiling about?” I simply said, “I am just so happy I found this cheese.”
When I got home I started putting everything into the food processor. My boyfriend, Carlos, was also in the kitchen making our dinner for the night. He then started messing with the food processor and it just quit working. I was so upset I told him he better get on the phone and starting asking someone to borrow their food processor. He kept fiddling with it and it started to work again. I was so relieved. It was a breeze from there on. I started rolling the mix into balls and then put them into the oven. Before I put them in the oven Carlos took two of the balls I had rolled out of the pan and deep fried them. We both really liked them that way. Once the pandebonos I had put in the oven were ready I made Carlos, my dad, and a friend of the family, who was outside picking figs, taste them. Everyone seemed to like them, so I was pleased. Carlos and I decided the next time we make pandebonos we are going to add diced jalapenos for a little extra flavor.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To contact the author of “A Taste of Colombia: A Recipe for Pandebonos (Colombian Cheese Bread)”:, please email w0274745@selu.edu or jean70427@gmail.com.
BIOGRAPHY
David C. Wyld (dwyld.kwu@gmail.com) is the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a management consultant, researcher/writer, and executive educator. His blog, Wyld About Business, can be viewed at
http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/. He also maintains compilations of his student’s publications regarding management concepts (
http://toptenmanagement.blogspot.com/), book reviews (
http://wyld-about-books.blogspot.com/), international foods (
http://wyld-about-food.blogspot.com/).
AN INVITATION TO WORK WITH US, TODAY!
If you enjoyed this publication, why not make one of your own with us! Are you a college or university student from anywhere in the world who would be interested in publishing your work in an edited online journal appropriate to your topic? Such a move can help put muscle into your resume and make a great impression on potential employers and graduate schools (and needless to say – and perhaps most importantly in the age in which we live – likely be the first thing that companies/universities view about you when “Googling” you)! If so, we can help you get that first publication for free (and more if you desire)! Visit Wyld Publishing Services (
http://wyldpublishingservice.yolasite.com/) for details. We can work with you to publish your quality essays, research articles/papers, reviews, etc. – and even audio and visual media and PowerPoint presentations – given our network of edited publications and relationship with publishers around the world who want to work with you and your work. Contact us today to get your work published at
dwyld.kwu@gmail.com.
Read more:
A Taste of Colombia: A Recipe for Pandebono (Colombian Cheese Bread)
++++++++++++++++++++++
