Hello. If arepas are indeed a corn meal (or more traditionally ground corn) based pancake: - they don't have to be filled with cheese, even though many like it like that. Actually, each Colombian province and even each family has its own recipe, that can differ widely. Some are filled with cheese or egg or meat, some just plain, some are made with ground corn, some with corn meal, some ae made with butter, or pork fat while some only contain corn and water... etc - they are not sauteed but usually grilled over a flame with a parilla (although some versions are then fried like on the Carribean coast) - it is not a favorite of "upscale Bogotá urbanites". Quite the contrary, it is a staple food for the poorest layers of the population in Colombia, even though all social strata might enjoy it.
