Boquete Gourmet Community Cookbook is Here and You’re Invited to the Party!

Many residents and contributors to the new “Boquete Gourmet Community Cookbook” have been anxiously waiting the arrival of the published books themselves. Attendees of Boquete’s Tuesday Morning Market have tasted some of the sweets that are included in the Sweet & Savory Coffee Mates chapter, including Chocolate Truffles and Mounds Drops.

Several recipes are included that have been contributed by Host Chefs participating in Boquete Gourmet’s “Host Chef Program. The world-famous Rumaki first appeared at Don the Beachcomber restaurant in Hollywood, and Host Chef, Greg Henry traveled from Los Angeles to share this delicacy with us here in Boquete. He planned the “ultimate” Hollywood party for students attending his “Golden Age of Hollywood” cooking class, and 3 of Greg’s recipes will appear in the book. Above, Leisure Chef Squirt James assists students in making her unique French bread, see recipe in the cookbook.

Speaking of parties, one chapter is dedicated solely to Fancy Town Parties that have been thrown in Boquete over the past few years. Hosts and hostesses have contributed some of their favorite recipes to the book, you’ll really like making Georgianne and Barry’s Breakfast Casserole. Below, Jane set a lovely party table for a special get-together with friends.

Several Local Charities Helping Others have contributed recipes that connect with some of the good work that is helping to develop lives in Boquete. You’ll enjoy making Aida’s Arroz con Leche and Anayansi’s Empanadas with Ripe Plantains.

One chapter contains many Highland Favorites written by long-term residents and native Boquetenos. The favorite Sancocho Soup is written by my friend Julia, complete with her twist on this old-time Panamanian recipe. This photo is of the otoy she prepared for her soup.

Of course, two chapters are dedicated to coffee, Boquete’s foremost product. Coffee Comes First features dishes made with coffee as the main ingredient. The Coffee Mates chapter includes sweet and savory side dishes to be served with locally grown coffees, such as Bourbon Balls served with Cafe Dos Jefes.

Now, the books are in Boquete and the “Boquete Gourmet Community Cookbook” Signing Party is scheduled. Everyone is invited to the party, which will be held in our Cantina in El Santuario on Wednesday, June 16, 4pm-6pm. All the contributors have been invited to come and to bring their favorite pens to sign books for everyone.

The party will be lots of fun, a chance to taste some of the dishes from the cookbook and to get copies of this first-ever Boquete cookbook signed by the author and many of its contributors. The cost of the book is $8.00 and if purchased at the party, books will include a collector bookmark and you’ll have the opportunity to get books autographed by the contributors.

The party is complimentary, only a reservation is needed by email to boquetegourmet@gmail.com.
Please RSVP as soon as possible.
Hope to see you there,
Cora

World’s Largest Hotel Chain is Here!

In my attempt to find gourmet connections in Chiriqui Province, I found one of the “World’s Largest Hotel Chains”, David’s new Best Western Hotel. It’s a beautiful 7-story remodel of the old El Panama Hotel, that was built back in the early 70’s. Over the years, the old hotel became a bit scary. Then, in the last few months, it morphed into a fine, beautifully-located, modern, upscale hotel in mid-town David.

This wasn’t my first visit to the hotel, I’m returning because it is a friendly, quiet, cool place to have a light lunch. When it first opened, Matt, one of the managers, welcomed us to the very nice bar and reception area. Below, Matt and David are enjoying the waterfall wall in the Wine Bar. They both have much in common, as they each have experience building and remodeling large construction projects, and in solving concerns relating to such projects. A lot can be settled over a glass of wine!

Surprisingly, Matt had read my blog previously, and he was happy to meet David and me “in person”. I must say that Matt was one of most gracious innkeepers I have ever met. He showed us several of the rooms, and he shared his adventures in updating this old building into the “state-of-the-art” facility it is today. All the furniture, decor and appliances were especially designed and manufactured for this hotel.

All modern conveniences are available in the new hotel; 108 luxury rooms, 7 are equipped for physically challenged, Itanello’s Grill and Wine Bar, meeting rooms that accommodate 150 people, a fully-equipped fitness center, lots of secured parking and so many amenities, they can’t be listed here.

The rooms are modern with sleek fixtures, flat-screen TVs and high-quality linens. The color scheme throughout the hotel shows how much the new owners paid attention to every detail, making sure guests find comfort and convenience during their stay in David. The service and quality are up to world standards, as set by the Best Western Corporation.

Chef, Carlos Taylor, prepared grilled ham and cheese sandwiches especially for us. If what you want isn’t on the menu, ask Chef Carlos to prepare it for you. The French fries served with the piping hot sandwich, were the BEST I have EVER tasted, and David agreed!

I would like to include a stay at the new Best Western on a “Gourmet/Jazz Tour of David” soon. Please check back to find dates and details of the “first-ever” Boquete Gourmet’s overnight outing in David. We may be able to spend the day and night at the new Best Western Hotel, enjoy one of Itanello’s gourmet dinners, as well as to attend some of David’s fine entertainment offered after dark.
Keep watching!
Cora

Juan’s Clever Panamaian Cuisine

I asked for an innovative menu for using local Panamanian ingredients for a future cooking class, and Professional Chef, Juan Linares designed just the right dishes to showcase. Chef Juan is seen weekly at the Boquete Tuesday Morning Market serving his delicious soups, chili and regional dishes.

When I received the list of local ingredients Juan needed to use for the class, I found most of them were available in Boquete. How to use them to make a full-course dinner for Juan’s cooking class seemed a mystery to me. These are vegetables I see every day in the many markets in Boquete, but I couldn’t identify them by name. So, I asked for yucca by name, and the shopkeeper pointed to yucca. Same for plantains, raspadura, guandu and chayote.

I found the prices varied greatly, depending on which market I visited. It was interesting to find many of Juan’s vegetables on the bottom shelves in most markets, in unmarked bins. The blocks of raspadura were also found in among the vegetables. I usually pass up the things in the bottom bins, because I don’t know what they are or what to do with them.

That all changed last night.

Juan arrived in my kitchen a couple hours before the class was to begin. He quickly sorted, peeled and prepared many of the ingredients for the dishes he had planned to present. He began with the Guandu Dip and the Platanos Chips for dipping.

The Frozen Papaya Smoothie with Ginger Root and Light Rum went exactly right with the appetizer. After a smoothie, most of the students wanted to help with preparing yucca, chile powder, adobo and chayote.

Students brought their favorite knives and Juan demonstrated his expert knife skills to an eager group of onlookers, then everyone got into the act, even me.

As you look at these photos, do you see how much fun Juan had watching his students prepare “fancy” Panamaian foods? They stir-fried Chayote and Shrimp and made Yucca Bunelos with Raspadura Sauce. We all enjoyed the evening, thanks so much to Juan for sharing his very clever ways of using common, inexpensive ingredients to make a full-course, delicious, nutritious and beautiful dinner.

Most all Juan’s recipes for using these local ingredients will be included in the new “Boquete Gourmet Community Cookbook”, to be released next month in Boquete. Look for it soon! Cora

Red & Orange Sauerkraut – Very Nice!

Last month, David and I traveled the new road to Volcan, on the other side of the volcano, and found some beautiful and fresh produce to bring home with us. We bought 3 large, red cabbages and 50 pounds of carrots! You can read about what I did with some of the carrots in an earlier blog.

Oh, yes, I used up all the carrots. I also researched how to make sauerkraut. Then, I carefully sliced the cabbages very thinly, added some grated carrots, and made the most delicious sauerkraut we have ever tasted!

Handmade Red & Orange Sauerkraut

3 large heads of cabbage, red or green, finely shredded
3 cups carrots, finely grated
1 cup salt
large crock, jar, or plastic, food-safe bucket
round, “cover-plate” to fit inside the fermenting container
large, clear-plastic, food-safe bag
dish towel as final cover

Remove outer leaves and any undesirable portions from firm, mature, heads of cabbage and wash. Cut into halves or quarters and remove the core. Use a food processor or sharp knife to cut the cabbage into thin shreds. In a large bowl, thoroughly coat the shredded cabbage and grated carrots with salt. Let the salted cabbage stand for 20 minutes to wilt slightly.

Pack about half the salted cabbage mixture firmly into a large, clean crock, jar, or plastic food container. Several local bakeries have white, food-safe buckets for sale that work perfectly for this purpose. Using a wooden spoon, pound down on the cabbage mixture firmly until the juice comes to the surface. Pack the remainder of the mixture on top of the first half and pound down again.

Insert the “cover-plate” into the plastic bag and partly fill the bag with salty water. Twist the top of the bag and wrap with tie-wrap to seal. Set the bag inside the container, making sure the plate rests firmly on top of the cabbage. The bag seals the cabbage from air, yet allows for fermentation.

This photo shows the bucket I used and the white plate inserted into a clear, plastic bag, which was the cover. Drape the entire container with a clean cloth that matches your kitchen decor, a dish towel works fine. The amount of water in the plastic bag can be adjusted to give just enough pressure to keep the fermenting cabbage covered with brine. Keep the sauerkraut on your kitchen counter, so you can look at it every day or so. Wipe off any mold from the bag or sides of the container with a folded paper towel, lift out the bag, stir the kraut, press down and return the bag to the top of the kraut. No need to change the water inside the bag. You’ll love the aroma in your kitchen as your cabbage ferments!

Fully fermented sauerkraut, which takes 4-5 weeks, may be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator for a few months, or it can be frozen in sealed freezer bags. If the finished kraut seems too salty, rinse with clear water just before using. You may like to add a bit of sugar to the kraut while heating to serve. You will find more sauerkraut variations in “Boquete Gourmet Community Cookbook”, coming in June.

This kraut is especially good served with Berard’s bratwurst, “Chorizo de Ternera”, Dijon mustard, and garlic mashed potatoes. This menu makes a “fancy dinner party”, as Martine and Mark hosted recently in their lovely home high up on a mountainside, overlooking Boquete.

Recipes for using sauerkraut are easily found on the internet. Enjoy this easy, nutritious and delicious dish, especially when made with Boquete’s plentiful, fresh, firm and beautiful cabbages, and served with an ice-cold bottle of Panama’s Cerveza Balboa.
Very nice, indeed!
Cora