Why go
Ajiaco’s chicken, several kinds of potato, corn and guascas distinguish it from other soups sharing the same name elsewhere in Latin America. A tamal offers a steamed, leaf-wrapped alternative. Learning these terms makes a menu more useful than relying on a list of restaurants.
The full story
Ajiaco is closely associated with Bogotá. The soup combines chicken, several varieties of potato, corn on the cob and guascas, the herb that gives it a distinctive flavor. Cream and capers are customary accompaniments. Ajiaco elsewhere in Latin America can describe quite different dishes, so the Bogotá version is worth recognizing on its own terms. A Colombian tamal is steamed in a plantain-leaf wrapper. The preparation described in Bogotá’s cooking includes rice, meat or chicken, chickpeas, carrot and spices. Open the wrapper to reach the filling; it is part of the cooking method rather than something to eat. For something sweet, look for figs with arequipe, strawberries with cream, postre de natas or cuajada con melao. These offer different combinations of fruit, dairy and sweetness rather than a single signature dessert. Canelazo is a hot highland drink made with aguapanela, cinnamon and aguardiente, so its warming character also comes with alcohol.