Among the indigenous peoples who inhabited the current territory of Santander, some belonged to the Caribbean family, others were the Guanes and Chitaras. Each of them cultivated corn, beans, potatoes, and coca, and were engaged in fishing and hunting; a system of trade exchange was established between neighboring ethnic groups.
With the arrival of Spanish settlers in the lands of the natives, they were forced to perform hard work such as herding cattle and agriculture.
During the 19th century, due to the presence of gold veins in Pamplona, besides the Spanish, an immigration from the Old World—including English, Germans, and others—came for gold mining exploitation, bringing their customs and, of course, their cuisine. The settlers developed farming ranches producing sugarcane honey, preserves, cattle, pigs, wheat flour, and cocoa.
As a result, a mestizaje (fusion) occurred in the cuisine, giving rise to exotic dishes with indigenous influence through their spices, vegetables, and especially culona ants, which were part of their protein source alongside game and fish products.
In this region, cooking goat on the grill is very popular; rich stews are also prepared, or the meat is shredded and served with rice. We can't forget the dried meat, which involves salting pieces of beef to then dry and smoke them; fried yuca and pickled onions are essential accompaniments for this delicacy. Also, Santander-style tamales are a delicious dish made with corn, pork, and chickpeas.
Don't forget desserts like the delicious 'bocadillo veleño' (a sweet guava paste) and other sweet treats.
