Guatemalan Food: Caldo de Pata

The caldo de patas stew or stock is made with muscles and bones from the lower legs of either pork or cow, as well as belly, head and other such entrails along with potatos, carrots, güisquil (chayote), elote (maize/corn) and ayote or chilacayote (squash and/or sweet squash). The caldo de patas can be blanco or rojo (white or red); the red takes its color from tomatoes and chiles primarily.

Caldos (stocks or stews) are among the most popular dishes from the Guatemalan cuisine. I believe most of caldos have pre-Columbian origins and caldos are quite possibly some of the best remaining samples of the Mayan cuisine.

The diners inside el marcado of Antigua Guatemala are the last bastion of the Guatemalan gastronomy. Inside the market, one can still find authentic and exotic Guatemalan foods such as caldo de pata, or even morcillas [blood sausages]. I have taken upon myself to document photographically all the rare and exotic dishes from the Guatemalan gastronomy before they disappear. Disappear? you ask, well let me explain.

For worse, if you ask me, Guatemala is undergoing a westernisation of food supply, which basically means lots U.S. fast-food chain restaurant that only serve lots of fat, carbohydrates and sugar, as well as lots of processed food inside the supermarket. Even though genetically-modified organisms, GMOs, are not legal in Guatemala yet, it does not mean we don’t have foods with GMOs in them since we import lots of processed foods, oils, etc. from the U.S.

If you would like to understand the direction that the food supply in Guatemala is taken, watch the film Forks over Knives available on Netflix.

Forks over Knives
2011 Film
7.7/10-IMDb
61%-Rotten Tomatoes
Researchers explore the possibility that people changing their diets from animal-based to plant-based can help eliminate or control diseases like cancer and diabetes.
Release date: May 6, 2011 (USA)

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