Maria Carolina Guilarte, a dentist turned home chef, is carrying on a beloved Venezuelan tradition. In her Northwest Side home, she’s preparing *hallacas*, a festive Christmas dish, for family and friends. The process, unfolding across a long table transformed into a makeshift assembly line, sparks a friendly debate: are *hallacas* essentially the same as Mexican tamales? Guilarte firmly asserts their distinct identities: “An *hallaca* is an *hallaca*, and a tamal is a tamal.”
The making of *hallacas* is a labor of love. Guilarte meticulously explains the process, detailing how she mixes the corn dough, incorporating achiote for color and texture, and carefully rolling the filling—chicken or beef, peppers, capers, raisins, and olives—into banana leaves. Each family, she notes, holds its own unique recipe. This culinary ritual reflects her journey as a Venezuelan immigrant. She arrived in Chicago about four years ago, fleeing the economic collapse that has driven nearly 8 million people from their homeland. In Venezuela, she was a dentist, but in Chicago, she’s channeled her heritage into a catering business, using recipes passed down through generations of her family. She fondly recalls large family gatherings where younger children cleaned leaves, teenagers chopped vegetables, and those over 40 took on the task of sautéing and assembling the *hallacas*.
Now, mostly on her own, she prepares the dish in her home, surrounded by a smaller, yet supportive circle – a friend from Venezuela and her teenage children. The preparation is tinged with bittersweet nostalgia. Guilarte reflects on the stark contrast between past and present, remembering Christmases in a more prosperous Venezuela two decades ago, where abundant ingredients were readily available. She contrasts this with the current reality where many Venezuelans back home struggle to afford even the simplest festive meal.
Her passion for Venezuelan cuisine extends beyond *hallacas*. While politely disagreeing on the origins of the *arepa*, she firmly asserts its Venezuelan heritage, despite its widespread association with Colombia. Guilarte’s *hallacas* are more than just a dish; they are a tangible link to her homeland, a testament to her resilience, and a celebration of tradition amid a new life in Chicago.