An Anglo Overview of Panamian Cuisine
Day Tour
A historic small city masquerading as a smaller developing nation aptly describes modern Panama. Separating two major oceans, each with its own distinctly different aquatic pantry, this narrow tectonic land bridge contains 5% of the world’s rain forests inhabited by 50% of the globes existing animal and plant species.
This plethora of bicoastal and interior biodiversity, evidenced by the countries cultural, ethnic and culinary differences, makes codifying traditional foodways or clarifying the colloquialisms for indigenous cultivars extremely difficult. The manumission of the Caribbean Africans, brought peoples who spoke English, albeit with over fifty different dialects, to the Atlantic side to settle subsistence farmlands. The Pacific side in turn had long been influenced by the Spanish as they transported sliver from the mines of Potosi, Peru to their Atlantic treasure fleet via Panama City and then home to Spain. These two culinary entourages when fused with the indigenous crops of the interior and tweaked by a well dispersed Pre-Columbian influence created the interesting, if not haute, cuisine of today’s Panama. The dietary transition from homemade/unrefined to convenience/refined foods is just beginning in Panama. Starch like tubers, vegetables and fruits are still culinary benchmarks yet to be supplanted by the darlings of global agribusiness, GM corn and soy, and their minions of feedlot dependant livestock.
This may be one of the few opportunities you’ll ever have to experience a cultures diet before its iconic dishes 
become ossified vestigial tokens only served at holiday rituals and celebrations. Our class will discuss the major and minor starches used to make the fritter-turnover matrix for many enduring Panamian constructs like carimanolas, alcapurrias, tamals, tamales, empanadas and aranitas. In class we’ll prepare and discuss culinary archetypes using Yucca, Name, Otoe, Corn, Banana, Flour and Sweet Potato, several Plantains guises like Tostones, Patacones, Tachinos and Tentacion, numerous Arroz presentations including Paellas, Casseroles, Fried Rice’s and Desserts. A selection of Caribbean dishes embracing Chicken Curry Roti, Patty’s and Corned Beef variations, Mondangos, Sancochos, Chow Miens, Gandules, Lentil and Bean constructs will also be formulated. Then finally we’ll set the table with a sampling of flavorings, condiments and sauces including Recaito, Alcaparrado, Chimichurri and Aji Chombo along with Sofrito and Encurtido.
Three Sisters Global Gourmet Cooking School
