Arepas with Black Beans, Avocado Salsa and Goat Cheese

I am lucky enough to live in Queens which, I am quite proud to say, is the most ethnically diverse county in the United States. According to Wikipedia, my little neighborhood of Astoria alone has "one of the largest Greek populations outside of Greece, a large Croatian community, and is also home to a growing population of Arabs, South Asians and young professionals from Manhattan." That's right; they gave the young professionals the bold treatment right up there with the Arabs and Croatians. We are apparently an ethnic group. 

This young (ish) professional is extra lucky because she lives next door to an international grocery store. And when I say "next door", I mean it is literally a one-minute walk from my apartment. It's so close, Vin and I no longer call it the grocery store. We call it "the pantry". As in:

"Jenn, do we have anything for dessert?"
"I don't think so. Go check the pantry."
Instead of entering the kitchen, Vin walks out the front door, then reappears six minutes later with a box of crumb cake and a quart of chocolate milk.

This story has a point. I promise.

Like I said, this grocery store is international and has an amazing selection of Middle Eastern, Indian and South American foods. They even sell whole goats and Halal chickens with the heads still on, which I learned by unhappy accident while making a batch of stock last winter. Please do not ask for any details about that story. I'm still trying to repress the memory.

Anyway, without further ado, here is my point and the reason you're staring at pictures of beans piled on top of flat round things. At this grocery "the pantry", there is a refrigerated section filled with variously-sized arepas, which are simple breads made of cornmeal typically eaten in Venezuela. I've always wanted to try them, so I picked up two different kinds and topped them using these delicious recipes from Cooking Light. In case you cannot find pre-made arepas in your grocery, there is a simple recipe for making them at home.

Here is the link to the recipe: Arepas with Black Beans and Avocado Salsa

They're gluten-free, low-fat and so delicious Vin literally banged his fists into the table like a caveman while eating them. In our neighborhood, that's a compliment to the chef, much like a hearty belch in other countries. See how culturally savvy we are?