The Arepa (ə-’rā-pə) is perhaps the most representative element in Venezuelan cuisine. The arepa is multipurpose as it is used as an appetizer, a side dish or a main dish. Arepas can be prepared for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. The arepa varies in cooking technique, main ingredient, color and filling depending on the region of the country where its prepared.
The main ingredient for arepas in its basic form is corn. In the beginning, corn was grinded using a mortar to create the corn meal mix to make arepas. Then came the pre-cooked version of the corn meal, which made the whole process much easier. The most common and internationally recognized brand of Venezuelan pre-cooked white corn meal is the P.A.N. brand, which we simply call “Harina PAN” (PAN flour). GOYA makes another version called “Masarepa”. Another option is MASECA, which makes “Masa Instantanea de Maíz” (Instant corn masa flour).
Harina PAN
Maseca can probably be found either in the flour isle or the ethnic/Mexican food isle at any supermarket. The Goya version, Masarepa, would most likely only be found in Latin American or Mexican mini markets. Harina PAN, unfortunately, can only be found in supermarkets that are near a big population of Venezuelans in the US (like Weston, Florida); in Venezuelan supermarkets or through the Internet. However, I do have to say I found Harina PAN in a little Mexican market located on Eastern Boulevard in Montgomery, Alabama. Perhaps you guys can share any other places you have found Harina PAN. Harina PAN can be found online too, just Google it and several online stores that deliver through the US will come up. I found this one.
The name for the Arepa came from the word “erepa”, which in the native Indian tribe’s dialect of the Cumanagoto People means “corn”. These “Cumanagotos” made arepas in a disk shaped form (much like other corn mix products like Cachapas or tortillas, and even their cooking tools like the budare or comal) to worship the sun and the moon.
Now, arepas are so varied in their aspects that it is good to mention some of the most common ones. One of my favorites, the sweet one, “Arepa Dulce” or “Arepa de Anís”, has sugar and “Anís” (Anise or Pimpinella Anisum – seeds), it is very thin and when fried one side will end up like a bubble separating the skin from the inside dough, great with a very salty cheese. Arepas can be baked, grilled, fried or boiled. With technology now we have what I call the “Toasted Arepa” which is created very easily with the “Tostiarepa” a toaster made specifically to make arepas. Yes, it makes arepas even easier to make than they already are, but to me, they come out very “fat” and the crust could be sometimes too crispy. Only one of these will fill you up quickly. Keep an eye out for arepa recipe coming soon.
Different Arepas
¡Buen Provecho!
UPDATED (Where to Buy Harina PAN): Yesterday I was shopping at the Winn Dixie on Eastern Boulevard & Vaughn Road in Montgomery, Alabama and I happened to see Harina PAN on the International Food isle, next to the Mexican products. I was looking for the expiration date on the package and I noticed right underneath the expiration date stamp it states “Imported by Goya Foods Inc”. It is made by Empresas Polar (Large Venezuelan Company), but these ones I found where produced in the Alimentos Polar headquarters in Colombia. Also states “Very low gluten”, which was not the case in the packages being imported from Venezuela. Just though I’d let you know what I found. Each package cost $3.29. *I think maybe Goya will start to import this product to other locations soon, and hopefully on their website as well.
Where to Buy Harina Pan
I found Harina P.A.N. in one Fairway Market here in Victoria, BC, and was SO excited to not have to travel to Vancouver for it anymore! It’s worth looking around, you never know where you’re going to find it
P.S. I also found Malta Maltin Polar in the same store!
WOW Malta !?!? I have found malta even at the Maxwell Air Force Base’s Commissary here in Montgomery, Alabama, but it’s not Maltin Polar
… I think it’s Goya… It is great to find Venezuelan products when you least expect it 
Could you tell me what Fairways store yoy found it at.
I have not been able to locate it at the ones i have been in.
Thanks
Which Fairway?
You mean that before Harina PAN was gluten-free whereas now it is not? Does that explain why the dough is much gooey now than before? Thanks and great blog. Keep it going
Denisse,
Before the package stated “Gluten Free”, and those last packages I had bought DIDN’t state it, so I really couldn’t tell you if it is Gluten Free or not. Maybe some are and some aren’t. I just moved back down to South Florida and will probably update this post with locations to buy Harina PAN down here. I will go purchase and research as soon as I get setled in, and maybe I’ll ask the local supermarkets if they know about the Gluten Free situation.
MW
I found it at Food City in Tempe, Arizona
Alessandra,
Thank you for sharing with the rest of us… I hope other readers near Temple, Arizona now know where to get their Harina Pan :
MW
You can find harina pan in Vancouver, bc very close to my home ^^ there’s also a small food store on Fraser and 48th that sells specifically Venezuelan find and has Malta polar ^^ I missed the taste of that drink for so long bad have finally found it
Rose,
Thank you for sharing this location for buying Harina Pan in Vancouver.
MW
I got a bag of this at The Oriental Market on Western Blvd. in Jacksonville, NC. One side of the store is Oriental foods and the other side is Latin/Spanish foods. On the bag the best before date is Sep 13 11. Does this mean Sep 13 2011 or Sep 2013, and 11 is the day? See what I mean?? For some reason I thought they switched the numbers. Please help me out
Is it good or not.? ? 
Dear Barbarainnc,
As far as I know, dates are either Month / Day / Year, or Day / Month / Year. The year always goes at the end. I think that the date on the package is September 13th 2011.
Did you buy this recently? If so I would return it to the market and demand a refund, or ask if they have more Harina PAN that is not expired.
Thank you for the question, and thank you for sharing.
MW
PAN Harina is available in Calgary, Alberta at Unimarket. There’s a few locations I believe but I found it at the one on 50th Ave SW. It’s even on sale right now for $2.50 a bag (if you buy in groups of two I think).
Paige,
Thank you for the comment, and thank you for sharing with everyone where to find Harina Pan in Calgary.
MW
Any chance it is organic?
Chelea,
Thank you for visiting my blog, and thank you for the comment. That is an excellent question.
The website defines organic as “produce and other ingredients [that] are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation.”
Way back in the day, Arepas were made from scratch. Meaning people would boil the corn, then peal it, and soften it. They would wash it really well and remove the corn husk. They would grind the corn in the grinder and thus obtained the most organic and raw version of “Harina P.A.N.”
Then, when Empresas Polar’s engineers invented, commercialized and patented a new way to create the dough to make Arepas (by creating Harina P.A.N) the process was simpler, faster, and mass produced. It was probably organic and gluten free as well. The Harina P.A.N. package used to state that it was Gluten Free. However, now Empresas Polar has other products that contain wheat, oats, and/or soy. Therefore, their package states “May contain traces of Wheat, Oats, and/or Soy.”
They have also refined and enriched their dehydrated precooked white cornmeal, by adding ingredients like iron, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and folic acid.
Iron is good for you, but not too much iron (one serving of Harina P.A.N -3 tbsp- has 10% of your daily value).
Niacin is Vitamin B3, which is good for you; it aids in the formation of red blood cells. It also lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and increases HDL (good) cholesterol. Also know as niacin, nicotinic acid, niacinimide, nicotinic.
Thiamin is Vitamin B1, which is a safe vitamin; it adds minute amounts of nitrate.
Riboflavin is Vitamin B2, which metabolizes fat and proteins and produces enzymes essential for transporting oxygen to cells.
Finally, Folic Acid is a synthetic version of the b vitamin folate. This b vitamin is essential for the development of red blood cells and nucleic acids in the body.
Organic products really vary from store to store, and especially from country to country. I think it is up to you what you consume and introduce to your body.
Harina PAN is made out of corn, but the process is complex and mass produced in a factory. But it is not the worst product out there. I really think it is up to you to decide if it is organic enough for you or not
MW
Dear all,
Although the information hereabove is useful. I need to inform you that harina pan is made of genetically modified corn imported from the U.S. Since the late 90′s. Google it to see for yourself. Furthermore in Europe there is a law stating that when a product has GMO or additives it should be mentioned on the package. Great was my surprise when I saw that it was indeed a GMO product. I am now looking for an organic solution but the harina pan is not what it was when I was a child and my venezuelan mom made the arepas for me.
Clara,
Thank you for visiting the blog and for sharing the information with the rest of us. Do you happen to have a link to share with us in regards to this information? I know that the Harina P.A.N. may be produced in different locations and distributed through different companies as a partnership with Empresas Polar. Therefore I believe that each location that imports Harina PAN may receive different ingredients in the product. That is why I found some packages were Gluten Free and some were not. Maybe it is the same case for the genetically modified corn.
MW