Thanks for the grub

Thanksgiving is upon you and the American readers among us will no doubt be busily planning the best way to celebrate the occasion here in the capital. Sure, you could go out and try to find somewhere serving up some traditional grub, but why not put on your own feast for all your hungry American friends and curious others?

This is perhaps the most appealing option for most of those who will be far from home during the festivities, but you might be wondering where you can pick up all the ingredients you’d need to make it as authentic as possible. Well, fear not! For The Bogotá Post is here to help…

So…the bird. As good a place to start as any. Your cheapest option by far is Paloquemao, be sure to shop around for the best price. If that’s a bit out of your way, major supermarkets sell frozen birds, or try organic store Balú (Calle 121 #7a-33), which might also have a few of the other required ingredients. Delipavo specialises in delicious turkey, as the name suggests, and does home deliveries, but you need to order your bird eight to ten days in advance (call 602 4909).

Alternatively, check out the larger Jumbo stores, particularly the Santa Ana branch. While the whole turkeys may be a little pricier than elsewhere, you can take advantage of the range of American products available, including ready-made apple pies and cranberry sauce (sometimes). Rumour has it that some Olimpica stores also stock canned cranberry sauce, and you can also make your own using dried cranberries.

PriceSmart is an absolutely brilliant option for cheap imported goods. However, the catch is that you need to buy a membership, which costs around COP$160,000 for the year (depending on how many trips you make, you should easily make this back).

Other options include Gastronomy Market (Carrera 13 #93b-51 and Carrera 7 with Calle 126), which has a constantly changing range of international products, although you may find that it is less US-centric than the others.

A relative new-comer, The Market, with five locations across the city, is a reliable back-up option or last-minute lifeline, given that it does have a whole host of American products but is fairly expensive.

For your pumpkin pie, pick one up on the cheap from your local fruver and have a bash yourself.

Written with thanks to our American correspondents, Greg Haugan and Christina Hadley Marrero.