Merienda
Encyclopedia
Merienda is a light meal in Southern Europe
(particularly Spain
), Latin America
, and the Philippines
. Usually taken in the afternoon or for brunch
, it fills in the meal gap between lunch at noon and dinner, or between breakfast and lunch. It is a simple meal that often consists of a piece of fruit, cookies, yogurt, and other snack
s paired with juice,chocolate, coffee, spirits, and other beverages.
It is typical for Argentines
to go to a cafe to have merienda. A typical order consists of tostada
s served with dulce de leche
(a typical Argentine caramel-like spread) and jam. The fare is accompanied by café con leche
(coffee with steamed milk) and orange juice. North Americans may relate this light meal as a type of "second breakfast."
In the Philippines
, merienda (Filipino
: meryenda or minandál) refers to the light meals that would otherwise be referred to as brunch
and afternoon tea. Merienda taken in the early evening just before dinner is referred to as merienda cena.
In Catalonia
, the Valencian Community
and the Balearic Islands
, it is known as berenar in Catalan
. It is commonly eaten with pa amb tomàquet
and a few slices of cured ham. Simplicity is typically key as the meal is not meant to spoil one's appetite for the proper dinner.
In coastal parts of Croatia
it is called marenda, a meal eaten between breakfast and lunch. Usually it is a light snack, like sandwiches or toast, eaten during work break.
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
(particularly Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Usually taken in the afternoon or for brunch
Brunch
Brunch is a meal eaten between breakfast and lunch. The word is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch.-Origin of the word:The 1896 supplement to the Oxford English Dictionary cites Punch magazine which wrote that the term was coined in Britain in 1895 to describe a Sunday meal for "Saturday-night...
, it fills in the meal gap between lunch at noon and dinner, or between breakfast and lunch. It is a simple meal that often consists of a piece of fruit, cookies, yogurt, and other snack
Snack
A snack is a small portion of food eaten between meals. The food might be snack food—items like potato chips or baby carrots—but could also simply be a smaller amount of any food item.-Snacks and health:...
s paired with juice,chocolate, coffee, spirits, and other beverages.
It is typical for Argentines
Argentine people
Argentines are the citizens of Argentina, or their descendants abroad. Argentina is a multiethnic society, which means that it is home to people of many different ethnic backgrounds. According to the , Argentina had a population of 36,260,130 inhabitants, of which 1,527,320, or 4.2%, were born...
to go to a cafe to have merienda. A typical order consists of tostada
Tostada
Tostada is a Spanish word which literally means "toasted". It is used in Latin America to name several different traditional local dishes which have in common the fact they are toasted or use a toasted ingredient as the main base of their preparation. There is a gender difference between "tostada"...
s served with dulce de leche
Dulce de leche
Dulce de leche is a thick,creamy, caramel-like milk-based sauce or spread.Literally translated, dulce de leche means "sweet from milk". It is prepared by slowly heating sweetened milk to create a product that derives its taste from caramelised sugar. It is a popular sweet in Latin America, where...
(a typical Argentine caramel-like spread) and jam. The fare is accompanied by café con leche
Café con leche
Café con leche is a Spanish coffee beverage. More similar to the Italian caffe latte than to the French café au lait, café con leche is a coffee beverage consisting of strong or bold coffee mixed with scalded milk in approximately a 1:1 ratio...
(coffee with steamed milk) and orange juice. North Americans may relate this light meal as a type of "second breakfast."
In the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, merienda (Filipino
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
: meryenda or minandál) refers to the light meals that would otherwise be referred to as brunch
Brunch
Brunch is a meal eaten between breakfast and lunch. The word is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch.-Origin of the word:The 1896 supplement to the Oxford English Dictionary cites Punch magazine which wrote that the term was coined in Britain in 1895 to describe a Sunday meal for "Saturday-night...
and afternoon tea. Merienda taken in the early evening just before dinner is referred to as merienda cena.
In Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, the Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
and the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
, it is known as berenar in Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
. It is commonly eaten with pa amb tomàquet
Pa amb tomaquet
Pa amb tomàquet or pa amb oli is a simple and typical recipe in Catalonia, Majorca, the Land of Valencia and in some other places that were at some point under the domain of the Crown of Aragon, such as Italy and Malta.Pa amb tomàquet or pa amb oli consists of bread — optionally toasted — with...
and a few slices of cured ham. Simplicity is typically key as the meal is not meant to spoil one's appetite for the proper dinner.
In coastal parts of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
it is called marenda, a meal eaten between breakfast and lunch. Usually it is a light snack, like sandwiches or toast, eaten during work break.