Melado is syrup that is popular in Colombia. It is used with some of our traditional desserts and it is made with panela.
What is panela? Okay, panela is a product that is made with sugarcane, it is sweet and brown, it is sold in blocks or grated and the flavor is similar to brown sugar. However, panela has a lot of vitamins and minerals and is supposed to be good for you. In Colombian it is used in a drink called “agua de panela”, which literally means “panela water”. It is also used to sweeten coffee, chocolate and to make desserts. Agua de panela with lime is used by a lot of grandmothers in Colombia to help with flu symptoms.
La panela is also popular in other countries and is known by many different names. In Central America it is known as (papelón), Mexico (Piloncillo), Ecuador, Perú and Bolivia (chancaca). Read more…
Achiote is also known as annatto seed and is used to give a yellowish color to food. Some people use it instead of saffron as a food coloring. Achiote can be found in Latin supermarkets and in some American grocery stores.
I adore cilantro and a Colombian kitchen isn’t complete without this delicious herb. Cilantro has a distinct flavor that can make this a love it or hate it herb. Colombia is not alone in its love of cilantro and use in most kitchens around the country. Other countries such as India, China, Mexico and many other Latin America countries also cook regularly with cilantro. 
On those days when I feel homesick, it doesn’t mean I don’t like living in the United States and being an American citizen, but just that I miss my family and friends a lot. Those are the days that I will go to the closest Latin market and crazy or not, I go to the Colombian food aisle and feel like I am home. Just the other day I was walking in the supermarket looking for some 
Let me begin this post by saying that I really wish I owned an ice cream machine, but I don’t, so I used the David Lebovitz method, “
