Bolivian cuisine

Bolivian cuisineis the indigenous cuisine ofBoliviafrom theAymaraandInca cuisinetraditions, among otherAndeanandAmazoniangroups. Later influences stemmed fromSpaniards,Germans,Italians,French, andArabsdue to the arrival of conquistadors and immigrants from those countries. The  traditional staples of Bolivian cuisine arecorn,potatoes,quinoaandbeans. These ingredients have been combined with a number of staples brought by the Spanish, such asrice,wheat,beef, andpork.
Bolivian cuisine differs by geographical locations. In Western Bolivia in theAltiplano, due to the high, cold climate, cuisine tends to use spices, whereas in the lowlands of Bolivia in the more Amazonian regions, dishes consist of products abundant in the region: fruits, vegetables, fish andyuca.
Bolivian cuisine has been influenced by theInca cuisine,Aymara cuisine,Spanish cuisine, and to a lesser extent the cuisines of other neighboring countries, likeArgentinaandParaguay. European immigration to Bolivia is not as common when compared with other Latin American countries, and while German, Italian,Basqueand other cuisines have influenced the cuisine of Bolivia,Spanish cuisineremains the primary influence.
Foods
Sauces
Drinks
Sweets in Bolivia use typical sweeteners like honey andsugarcane.Manjar blancois a common ingredient used as a filling in place ofdulche de lechefor regional variations of traditional desserts likealfajores. Sweet fruits likebananas,guava,coconut,passion fruit, andraisinsare commonly used, especially coconut which features in numerous dessert preparations likecocadas,budín de coco(coconut pudding) andpastelitos.
Some local fruits like theachachacome from theAmazon, while others still are native to theAndes. Known as "custard apple" in English, thecherimoyafruit, believed to be native to theAndes, is commonly used to make ice cream and other sweets.Mark Twainonce described thecherimoyaas "the most delicious fruit known to men".
Helado de canelais a type ofsorbetflavored with cinnamon.Tawa-Tawasarefrittersweetened withmiel de caña.
Bunuelosare fried sweet fritters commonly eaten for breakfast with a sweetened beverage calledapimade withmorochocorn, cinnamon, milk and sugar. Another breakfast food is the Andean fruittamarillo, a common ingredient forcompotes,marmaladesand assorted desserts.
Although a Bolivian breakfast can be very rich, most Bolivians start their day simply with a black coffee (cafe tinto) and a piece of bread. A typical Bolivian breakfast is a piece of bread, often a marraqueta, paired with butter and jam. This is often referred to as "The Classic Bolivian Breakfast"
Almuerzois the most important meal of the Bolivian day, so much so that daily life tends to revolve around it. Long lunches are traditional throughout the country, so businesses and shops often close between the hours of 12 and 2 pm, so that the workers have time to return home for lunch. A typical Bolivian lunch would consist of several courses, including a soup, a main course of meat, rice, and potatoes, then a dessert and coffee.Lunch is taken at a leisurely pace and is traditionally followed by a nap, the oft-citedsiesta.
Bolivians observe an afternoon tea break similar to those in England. Usually the tea breaks take place around 4 and 5 pm atsalones de té(tearooms). These tearooms often double as bakeries so that tea and pastries are enjoyed together.Cups ofblack teaare usually taken withbiscuitssuch asgalletas Mariaor more traditionalhumintas. Often, Bolivians drinkcocaor herb tea when not having black tea.
Dinner is a lighter, much more informal affair than lunch that typically takes place at usually 8 pm or later. Dinner in Bolivia can be considered in a very similar way to Breakfast, and it is common to end the day with a traditional Bolivian soup.