What goes into the healing power of an ‘Encanto’ arepa? A Colombian chef reveals its magic
(CNN) — “You just healed my hand with an arepa con queso,” Mirabel Madrigal tells her mother, Julieta, in the movie “Encanto,” while holding a cheesy arepa — a round corn cake. “I healed your hand with love,” Julieta replies. “Encanto,” which won the Oscar for best animated feature this year, follows the magical Madrigal family who all, except for Mirabel, have superpowers. While the film’s themes are based on family and love, its foundations are rooted in Colombian culture, which includes spotlighting the arepa as an essential part of its cuisine.