Tag: fonda

Old People Ziplining

We recently entertained cousins from Pittsburgh. They were our most adventurous guests to date and we will share a bit of our adventure while they visited. Some of you who follow us on Facebook already know that my personal zipline experience was a disaster. I eluded to the possibility of my sharing that video on the blog. I am sharing my experience and that of Jen (yes she did it), Robert and Bill. I was overwhelmed with pride when Jen came zipping out of the jungle canopy even after witnessing my disastrous attempt. Robert followed Jen, then Bill. I must state right up front that none of us are physically fit teenagers, and probably should not even have attempted this adventure. The line was about a 30 second zip, none of it too far off the floor of the jungle. I will let the 4 videos speak for themselves. Our hosts barely spoke any English which complicated the experience, but overall we thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. They served us a great Panamanian lunch and gave us a nice hike through the jungle which comprised their modest property. Please enjoy the videos. If anyone would like the contact information for Kontraste Adventure, just a few kilometers outside La Chorrera send us a message.

You can safely assume that none of us took a 2nd turn on the zip-line.

We couldn’t resist taking our guests to the Ron Abuelo Rum Distillery and the Bio-diversity Museum, both of which we have explored with previous guests. Please check our archives to find out more about those wonderful tourist experiences. We also took them to the Miraflores Locks and visitor center which was a first experience for us. They have a great museum and an I-Max movie which are a must see for Panama Canal visitors.

A trip to El Valle is another must see for all our guests. We were able to take them to a couple of places that we have not shared before. We also repeated some favorites. We took them to the rim of the volcano for a look down into the valley. We also explored El Macho Falls, which was a treat for all our senses. The sights and sounds of the walk through the jungle were amazing. The waterfall was spectacular and the excitement of the people zip-lining the face of the falls was awesome. Our hike ended at the bottom of the falls where Jen, Bill and Robert swam in the pool formed by the waterfalls. It is ice cold; and I had no part of it.

 

 

We had a busy week while Bill and Robert visited. Both are foodies, and were always wanting to explore the foods of Panama. We went for the Lobster, Corvina, Pipa Fria, and even stopped along the highway for Ceviche. They particularly seemed to enjoy the Fonda experiences. No trip to Panama would be complete without a visit to the beach and pool time.

 

 

We had a great visit and thoroughly enjoyed sharing our home with these crazy guys. Before they left, I am certain they needed a vacation from their vacation. We went full blast the entire duration of their visit. Shortly after they left Jen and I went on adventure of our own to Jamaica. We have vacationed there in the past and it was a pleasure to meet and enjoy some time with friends from the States. From Panama it is an easy 90 minute flight to Jamaica.  We are often asked what inspired our decision to relocate to  Panama. One of our best reasons is that Panama is a great location to explore from. We will always have great things here to share with our guests, however, once we get completely settled we will explore more of the Caribbean, Central and South America. There are hundreds of great destinations within a couple of hours by flight or car.

We never seem to have a shortage of things to occupy our free time. Church keeps us busy and we are finding volunteer opportunities that pique our interests. We have a friend at our church here, Chuck Holton, who is an independent correspondent. His reports are frequently carried by the 700 club and other Christian media outlets. He has spent a lot of time recently on the border of Venezuela where people are starving due to the collapse of the Socialist economy there. His reports are also rooted in mission work and he is always trying to help the native people. A very good friend of ours travelled with Chuck this week through the jungle South-east of here to the border of Columbia. There they set up clinics to provide medical help in five refugee camps. Missions such as these are on our radar, but for now we will be staying right here in our own community where there is no shortage of need. This week the local Rotary Club in association with Rotary Clubs in the States and our church here provided free dental care for many in the community. It was such a humbling experience to volunteer and see the people being helped by this awesome mission.

People waiting for free dental care
People waiting for free dental care

From time to time we are contacted by other expats who are interested in coming to our area. These contacts have always turned into friendships. If you are interested in becoming part of the expat community here in Coronado, make contact with us. We look forward to showing folks around and sharing our experiences. As always, if you found something entertaining or helpful, like and share our blog.

Buenos,

Jen and Greg

 

 

 

 

 

Casco Viejo, Contadora, and The Amador Causeway

Yes, you are about to hear of our awesome adventure over this past weekend. Things at our house have been extremely busy over the past several weeks, so we have to apologize, with explanation, for the lack of recent posts. Shortly after our last post we had a wonderful visit from friends who live in Michigan. We shared some adventures with them that would be a repeat to our blog, but were great never the less. One adventure of note that we have yet to talk about is the Playa de Panama which is just a few short minutes from our condo. The beach is generally quiet and secluded. The best part is that there is a shack at the entrance where you can get a great meal of Lobster or Corvina with Patacones.

Playa de Panama Lobster and Corvina
Playa de Panama Lobster and Corvina

The price for Lobster is $10 and the Corvina is $8. The purveyor usually has ice cold beer for $1, but it is not a problem to bring your own drinks. Once our friends departed, we found ourselves busy dealing with the sale of our house in Michigan. As of now it is scheduled to close by the end of the week. With the sale of our house looming near we have resumed actively looking at homes here in Panama. Last week was the Thanksgiving Holiday in the States. It is just another day here in Panama, however we opted to create our own grand celebration. We shared our meal with new friends from five countries, including Canada, Germany, South Africa, Panama, and The United States. There were traditional and non-traditional Thanksgiving food with Turkey and everyone bringing a dish to pass. We also made sure that the staff here at our condo was fed. A great time was had by all.

This is where we catch up to the present. We left early on Friday morning with our good friends and neighbors to share a weekend adventure. Our adventure started with a stop on the Amador Causeway to explore the Biodiversity Museum.

Bio Diversity Museum, Panama City
Bio Diversity Museum, Panama City

The experience was, without question, one of the most interesting experiences. Readers may recall our previous post T- 21 Days To Departure . In that post we presented research where we found some great adventure destinations. We were able to cross a couple of these destinations off our list, and more, this past weekend. The Bio Diversity Museum was self guided. Each of us had a device that we could listen to, which guided us through the museum in our native language at our own pace. There were also real human guides all along the way who were all multi-lingual. They helped fill in the blank spots and answered any questions. The museum explained how Panama was formed by volcanoes, rising from the ocean which created a land bridge from South America to North America. The result was the convergence of two populations of plants and animals on one single land mass. The museum also helps teach how to live in harmony with the other plants and animals with which we share this space.

Following our visit to the museum we explored the Amador Causeway. The Causeway runs out to the Pacific along the Panama Canal. It is lined with marinas, bars, restaurants, and shops. We located a great fonda where we had lunch.

The Flamenco Marina is just down the way. This is our destination Saturday morning. Our ferry to Las Perlas  (The Pearl Islands) will depart from there. We have round trip tickets for the ferry ride to the island of Contadora where we will spend the day. Following our lunch we found our way to the Raddisson on the Panama canal. We got checked in and took Uber to Casco Viejo. We enjoyed Casco well into the late evening. This was our second trip to Casco. There is so much to do and see that we will entertain friends there for years without ever tiring of it. The Cathedral on the square is being renovated and it is nearly completed. When we were there the freshly refurbished bells were waiting on the sidewalk to be returned to the bell towers. We also toured another Cathedral where there was a scale model of Jerusalem. It was just incredible. Our night ended with dinner then a half block walk to the Presidential Palace. It is Independence month here in Panama and we enjoyed fireworks over the bay near the palace. Panamanian people love fireworks.

Saturday we were up early for our 7 a.m. ferry departure. The Pearl Islands are a string of islands about 1 1/2 hours away by boat. Survivor fans will remember a season of that show was filmed there. We visited Contadora. It was a beautiful beach destination, but not the same island where the popular television program had been filmed. We rented a golf cart on the beach and took off to explore. The island has several restaurants, beaches, a few bed and breakfasts and an airstrip. We enjoyed two different beaches, one of which we did not share with any other people. We all agreed that this was someplace where we could spend a few days. The surrounding islands made for spectacular views.

There is so much more to share, and we are feeling a bit guilty that we have allowed so much time to pass between posts. We hope that you all have enjoyed our pictures from this weekends adventure. We are preparing for special guests this next week from the States, and there are a couple of great new adventures planned for their visit. We are committed to sharing those in a little over a week. We are hopeful that we may, also be able to share more about our pending home search here in Panama. We wake every morning feeling thankful and blessed to be retired in such a beautiful place. Please like and share our blog to keep us out there. The new rules at FaceBook are continuing to drive us crazy. We will post a link, but they seem to block our ability to share as we used to.

Blessings,

Greg and Jen

La Laguna

When a friend suggested that we take an excursion to La Laguna we were chomping at the bit to take a ride. From our condo it was a 45 minute ride to a very secluded mountain lake. The place was described as Jurassic Park in Panama. We agreed that the place was really cool but not a place to entertain our visitors. It was a great place for a hike and quiet solitude. There were very few others there, possibly because of the need for four wheel drive to reach our destination. At the end of the day we agreed that the best part of it was the ride up there. On our return to civilization we stopped at a housing project nested on the mountainside which was too cool not to explore.  Sante’ Fe was in the possibility of places we could want to live so we took a look. We could build a new home for slightly more than buying a condo on the beach. This turns out to be a no brainer for us. We have decided that we are beach, rather than mountain people. Enjoy the pictures of this adventure. We had magnificent views of the ocean from the mountain housing project where we looked at lots. It seems that everything about Panama leaves us awestruck and amazed. Every day is a new adventure even if we never leave the condo. The weather here is always interesting and never a disappointment, even when it rains. It is rainy season here now but we rarely have more than a few minutes of rain. Most days we have plenty of quality beach or pool time.

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Our view from Sante’ Fe. This is the road leading to the lots.

We have discovered many great places to enjoy a meal. Unfortunately we rarely take pictures of our experience. We are dedicated to doing better at this. One of the best meals is right here at our condo. The chef at La Terrazas Del Mar is truly amazing. We have been there several times without a bad experience. We do, however, find the fondas the most fun and always cheap. On Sunday we enjoyed the fonda outside our gate. We will return often as we can eat there cheaper than cooking at home.

 

Traditionnes De La Terra. The fonda outside our gate
Chulita, arroz, frioles, ensalada, and plaintain $5
chickens wander in the dining room

We also have found a great place where the half pound burgers are less than $5. They have birds and a great patio dining area.

This guy chatted us up while we ate
His friend nearby was very pretty
The parrot hung out in a tree nearby

Our best find was one afternoon we took off for a beach lunch. The lobster was pricey, but well worth the trip. It rained while we enjoyed a special lunch under a bohio.

Jen had a lobster split and steamed in garlic butter.

When we are not eating we enjoy our church and have volunteered to teach English to the local community. We have 4 students each and have just completed the 4th week of this awesome outreach. We both feel like we are not quite qualified for this, however it provides us a degree of satisfaction as we see the progression of these wonderful students. They are so anxious to learn and they are all learning to communicate with the many North Americans who live in this community. We are becoming active in the church and look forward to church on Sunday morning as well as Bible study. Our pastor is a great communicator and our knowledge of the Bible is growing. We both feel that Gods purpose for moving us here is buried in the details.

We are looking forward to a visit from friends in less than 2 weeks. We love to share our adventures, and hope that we can show them a great time.

For now we will say adios and leave you with a great picture of a recent sunrise (the feature picture). We cannot express enough how awesome the weather is here. As we wrap up this post we are sitting on our balcony watching a storm come across the horizon.

A storm moving in

She Bought The Sombrero

Our days seem to be shorter and shorter as we passed the half way point of our adventure. On Tuesday we made the journey to Panama City, Tocumen International Airport to pick up our good friends. On the way we stopped at an outlet mall and checked out the best places for values on everything from home improvements and furniture to appliances, clothing and pharmaceuticals. We retrieved our friends grabbed some dinner and headed back to Coronado. Since they arrived we have had the best time taking them to share some of our favorite adventure places and great places to eat. We have also had ample time at the pool and even got in a few games of cards.

On Thursday we took them for an adventure to Valle de Anton. It was our second visit and we wanted to hit a few of the places we missed the first time and share the wonderful mountain destination with our friends. Our first stop was Hotel Campestre where the world famous square trees grow. We thought, based on our own research, that the square trees were growing near the hotel and we could spend a few minutes to check it out. Once there, we found the path to the square trees and paid the admission of $5 each. We embarked on the path for the short hike which turned out to be too difficult for our friend. The hike was nearly 45 minutes of steep, and often difficult terrain. Our hosts dogs accompanied us with only two of us completing the entire journey to the one square tree. The hike through the jungle was beautiful, however it would be easy for us to consider this stop a tourist trap. We are sharing the pictures of the square tree hike below and hope that all of you will draw your own conclusion. At the end of the hike we had the great treat to see a sloth. It was high up in a tree near the hotel. We couldn’t get a great picture even with a zoom lens.

Following the square tree adventure we took off for the butterfly habitat. All of us enjoyed our visit there.  The $5 per person price of admission was considered to be fair. The tour was guided and very informative. We learned that there are over 1500 species of butterfly in Panama with over 1000 in Valle de Anton. Our guide told us that the definition of Panama is abundance of species and the butterflies certainly prove that out. We will spare you the details of life-cycle of the butterfly and all of that, but we did want to share with you some of our pictures.

By the end of the butterfly tour we were ready for lunch. It seems that the fondas and restaurants in Valle de Anton may be geared more to the tourist business. We had a wonderful fonda lunch, but the price was almost double what we have paid for similar food at other fondas.

After a brief discussion, we decided to save the orchid exhibit, zoo and reptile house for another adventure. The girls wanted to return to the mineral springs and mud bath, while the guys wanted to make the hike up to El Macho Falls. We talked about the mud bath in the post from our first visit to El Valle so we will tell a little about the El Macho Falls. The hike was short and beautiful with difficult terrain and suspended bridges. The guy at the gate gave us walking sticks which proved very helpful. This is a hike that most people could do with no problem, and well worth the effort. There is a zip line through the canopy but it wasn’t open when we were there. I imagine that it would be great fun to zip line down from the top of the falls. We hiked up through the jungle and the falls were magnificent. When we returned to the base of the falls there were pools of cool mountain water where we took a quick dip to cool off. From there it was a short hike back up to where we parked. It was only about 5 minutes by car back to where we left the girls at the mineral springs and mud bath. We are sharing pictures of the El Macho Falls hike below. The video is only a few seconds long to give you the sounds of the moment. We were not allowed to film or use video equipment at the pools, but we were the only ones there, so there is a couple of pictures. I imagine that clothing is optional at the pools (we took our dip in swim suits). There is a 3 sided wood screen where people can change.

Pool at the bottom of El Macho Falls

We picked up the girls at the mineral springs/mud bath and made our way to the market. Jen bought the hat and we browsed through. The treasures and vegetables were nearly the same on Thursday as our original visit on Sunday. You may recall that the market at el Valle de Anton is called the Sunday Market. We were relieved that vegetables would be available every day.

It was time to head home. We had a message from an agent who would be available to show us through one of our top choices for a permanent retirement home. We wanted the opinion of our friends, so we made the stop. Rio Mar Pacific Tower is a beautiful, newly constructed 24 story (48 unit) condo. We looked at a 2 bedroom and a 3 bedroom unit and it is hard to not love this place.

Balcony of Rio Mar 18th floor 3 BR

It just may be a little above our comfort zone for price. It does include underground parking, a deposito (storage locker), 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, large laundry room (accommodates a full size washer and dryer), and appliances. We will share a couple of other top choices with our friends before they go back to Michigan.

We have been working on this post for 3 days now, and could go on for much longer. We will wrap it up here, though, because we do not want to ramble. Thank-you for following along. Once again, we want to express our gratitude for the kind comments. Please catch up, if you missed anything, by clicking on the archive links. We are pleased to have our blog and any portion shared. There has been time when we have shamelessly borrowed content from others. We consider it an honor when people enjoy our content enough to share.

For now, Buenos Dias,

Greg and Jen

 

 

We are about to experience Carnival full blast.

We have been hearing for several days that Carnival in Panama is quite an event.  As I was writing our last post, Carnival began to sound like a winter storm in Michigan. The stores run out of supplies, there is no gas and traffic is at a standstill. Carnival starts officially today and ends on Tuesday night. That’s a 4 day party across the entire country. Many people here call it a drunk-fest and “no place for children”. You all can probably imagine the kind of Mardi Gras type stuff that will be going on. We understand that yesterday they turned all the lanes of the Trans American Highway to head out of the city for a period of time so that all the people could get to their weekend homes. The condo we are renting is owned by an American, but most in this building are owned by Panamanian people from Panama City who come here for vacation and weekends. It seems that the building is full now and the party here will be mild compared to elsewhere in the country. We are comparing it to our home on an inland lake in Michigan where a large percentage the properties are owned by non-residents. We only see them on the weekends and 4th of July. This week is like the 4th of July; they call it high season here.  The fireworks started on Thursday night. We think it must have been some kind of kickoff celebration.  Needless to say, we will be staying put here until Wednesday morning. We went out yesterday morning to pick up a few last minute supplies and driving here was like demolition derby/gridlock.

The main reason we went out yesterday was to go to our 1st meeting with our Spanish tutor, Jasmine. We were interested in learning more Spanish and Jasmine came highly recommended. Jasmine was all business, and our 1 hour session was packed full of important Spanish that we are to learn before next time. We are already finding it helpful, and are attempting to converse with one another as much in Spanish as possible. The Spanish here has a bit of its own Panama flare and most people here know a little English which gets mixed into conversation. The more we get away from the tourist area the less English speaking people we find. While we were out, we also filled the car with gas and picked up our passports from the courier. We found them stamped with our multiple entry designation. This will make customs easier, because we will be allowed to go through the line with residents. We can also enter and leave the country on a 1 way ticket. Tourists must have a return ticket when entering the country or they will not be allowed through customs at the airport or any check point at the border. Once a person gives up the tourist designation they are required to get a Panamanian drivers license. That process starts at the American Embassy in Panama City and ends at the local version of the Department of Motor Vehicles. We both have appointments at the American Embassy 1 week from Wednesday in the early morning so that we will hopefully complete the requirement and have our drivers licenses by the end of the day. The last stop of our excursion was to grab a few last minute supplies. We were literally scared to try to pull into the grocery store. The street out in front and the parking lot were gridlock. We ended up at the corner grocery by our condo. We have compared it to a 7-11, but by no stretch of the imagination is it a typical American curb store. We found it to have an ample supply of anything a person may need and fairly priced. We thought that the vegetables were even better there than the grocery store in town. We wanted to stop for lunch, however that stop was as equally frightening as the grocery store situation.

We have shared our research on the Fonda and even visited one earlier in the week. We learned that the translation for Fonda is food. These eating establishments intrigue us and we love to try them. There is one at the end of the street by our condo and it is our new favorite place to go. We can walk there and it is tasty, cheap and friendly. Our first experience with it was Wednesday. The offerings were Pollo Fritas (fried chicken) and Pollo Salsa (broiled chicken with Salsa). There was also some kind of boiled meat that we did not try, and Sopa (soup). The soup offering was Sopa de Costella (rib soup). We did not try it but others around were eating it and it looked good. All meals come with rice, beans, salad, and plaintain. Jen had the fried and I had the salsa chicken, we both had bottled water and our bill was $9.60.

After we took care of our groceries we walked down for lunch yesterday and had a similar experience. Jen again had the fried chicken and I had the Cinta Guisada (steak stewed). The steak was tender and delicious like swiss steak. We brought our own drinks and our bill was $7.50. Don’t let anyone tell you it is expensive to eat out here. You must be open to new experiences, and ready for adventure. We will try this place for breakfast soon, and let you all know how it goes.

We have been guilty of not taking many pictures. We wanted to share a couple of more photos on the roof. It is absolutely beautiful up there, and where we will be spending the majority of the next 4 days.

 

Our next Session with the Spanish tutor is Wednesday. Thursday we are planning to head to the Azarro Peninsula about 2-1/2 hours to the West and South. This will be our 1st official adventure excursion.

The most important thing we have learned is:  me gustaria el cuenta por favor (may I have the check please). That is the simple Spanish lesson for today.

que tengas un buen sabado!

Greg and Jen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Meats at the Fonda

In our previous posts we learned that the Fonda will have sopa, and possibly a variety of meat offerings. Carne (meats) are typically served asado (grilled or roasted), or frito (fried). Hey, we just learned a couple of new words in Spanish. We suspect that in Panama you may also find Pescado (fish) as a meat offering, due to its availability. Panama is considered to have excellent sea food. Sea bass can be found in many places and will usually be served grilled or ceviche (raw and marinated in lime juice). Our daughter is a great fan of ceviche, and I believe that we will muster the courage to give it a try. Ceviche can be found in Panama made from all types of seafood, including octopus and shrimp.  At the Fonda, you will be served arroz (rice) and frijol (beans) along with your carne. If you are lucky your plate may also have a roasted plantain which is considered a staple.

panama ceviche

We fear that the recipe and food thing may get old for some of you, so we will move away from it next time and begin looking at our possible destinations to explore on our visit this winter. Let’s review our Spanish for today. Carne are meats. Asado is roasted or grilled and frito is fried. Pescado is fish and ceviche is raw seafood  marinated in lime juice. We are all ready to check out the Fonda and try the native foods of Panama.

Thank-you for sharing our Panama adventure. Please, remember to like share and comment on our blog.

Sopa en la Fonda (Soup at the Fonda)?

We have explored the breakfast offerings; now lets see what’s for lunch. We know from previous posts that most fonda’s will have a sopa offering every day. Sopa is the Spanish word for soup. Wow we learned another Spanish food word. Sancocho or sopa de mariscos are a couple of sopa’s popular in Panama. Sopa de mariscocs is seafood soup. We searched the internet for a great recipe for this, and can imagine that a typical fonda in Panama would have something similar to the recipe below. Seafood in Panama is plentiful. The fishermen sell their daily catch right on the beach near our condo so we will definitely be giving this recipe a try.

sopa de mariscos

Sopa de Marisco Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 red bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 1⁄2 white onions, chopped
  • 1 poblano pepper, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
  • 1 1⁄2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1⁄2 cups chopped tomatoes
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 teaspoons saffron threads
  • cilantro
  • 1 dozen fresh muscles
  • 1 lb fresh shrimp, with shells and heads on
  • 2 large clusters snow crab legs or 8 salt blue crabs
  • 2 -3 fresh white fish fillets
  • 1⁄2 lb fresh scallops and or 1⁄2 lb fresh squid
  • garlic sea salt
  • 4 cups fish stock

Directions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot and add onions and red peppers.
  2. After they have softened a little add the poblano pepper, jalapeno, garlic and saffron threads.
  3. Let soften a little and add the tomatoes and heat through.
  4. Place all of this in a blender with the cilantro and puree.
  5. Return to  pot and add the fish stock.
  6. Heat to boiling and salt to taste.
  7. Add mussels, shrimp, fish and top off with crab legs or blue crabs.
  8. Cover and heat up to near boiling again.
  9. Add scallops and cover for just 2-3 minutes.
  10. Serve in bowls garnished with cilantro.

The second sopa that we have decided to talk about today is sancocho. Panamanian Sancocho is considered Panama’s national dish and it can be made using a variety of ingredients depending what you have on hand. The fonda may make a version like the recipe below using chicken and other ingredients on hand. In Panama you will find that the sancocho is not spicy like other parts Latin America. The Panamanian people prefer less kick than Mexico and Columbia. Just like the U.S. chicken soup is considered to be a cure for all that ales you. This one looks like a soup we would make using fresh chicken and vegetables that we can buy at the farm market.

 

Sancocho-Recipe

Panamanian Sanchoco Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 chicken, cut into pieces
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 Tbsp fresh oregano (2 tsp. dried)
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 4 Tbsp cilantro
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 pounds of starchy vegetables (otoe, name/yams, yuca/cassava, green plantains)
  • 2 ears corn, broken into 1″ pieces
  • salt

Instructions:

  1. Season the chicken with the garlic, oregano, and pepper.
  2. In a heavy pot, brown the seasoned chicken in the oil over a medium flame and allow to sweat.
  3. Set a little cilantro aside for garnish at the end. Add the rest of the cilantro, onion and water. Make sure water covers the chicken.
  4. Bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, peel the root vegetables and cut into bite-size pieces.
  6. After chicken has simmered for 20 minutes, add the root vegetables.
  7. Cook until everything softens, about one hour. Keep adding water so the veggies stay about an inch under water.
  8. Add the corn and cook 15 minutes more, until corn is tender.
  9. Stir in salt to taste.

After the sopa there will be a meat option. We will explore the meat options and how they are prepared next time. We hope that all of you will some day be fortunate enough to visit a Panamanian Fonda and taste the flavors of Panama.

Let’s review our Spanish lesson. Today we learned sopa de mariscos is seafood soup and sanchoco is soup that can be made with a variety of ingredients; probably chicken in Panama. Our Spanish vocabulary is rolling.

Thanks for checking back, liking, and sharing. Try these recipes and let us know what you think. Are you ready to prepare authentic Panamanian cuisine? We have come to the realization that the vegetables and meats available may differ from what is available here in the U.S. These posts are preparing us for an awesome adventure.

Breakfast at the Fonda?

In our previous post we talked about the typical offerings for breakfast at a Panamanian fonda. Our research finds that you will enjoy hojaldres, tortillas, empanadas, huevos, and friojoles, along with fried chicken and meat for breakfast. The Spanish word for chicken is pollo and meat is carne. It will not be long before you will recognize these two words, as when talking about food in future posts we will be referring to all food by their Spanish names. Huevos, friojoles, and tortillas are all commonly known in English as eggs, beans, and tortillas. By process of elimination that leaves two common breakfast offerings that may be a mystery to some of the readers:  hojaldres and empanadas. Hojaldres are Panamanian fried bread. They are a bit like a fritter, however, they are made without yeast and dusted with powdered sugar. Hojaldres are usually eaten in one or two bites and are very enjoyable with a cup of great Panamanian coffee. We would like to share the recipes for Hojaldres and Empanadas below. Making the dough is time consuming so most fondas will make the dough the day before and store it refrigerated until the morning.

Hojaldres Recipe

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 3 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sifted powdered sugar

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk the milk, 3 tablespoons of oil and the egg. Pour the mixture into the center of the dry ingredients, stirring in with a spoon.

Knead the dough until it turns into a ball that doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl. Adjust consistency with a bit more flour or a bit of water if needed.

Once the dough has formed a ball, turn it out on a floured counter. Knead until the dough is elastic and soft.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for a least two hours.

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it by hand into a long rope about 2 inches in diameter.

Heat oil to a 2-inch depth in a large straight-sided skillet. Oil is ready when a pinch of dough sizzles and bounces immediately to the surface.

Pinch off 1 1/2-inch sections of dough and flatten them to your desired size. Some cooks like to flatten them thin then roll them up, but that method tends to retain more oil.

Drop the dough into the oil and wait for the pieces to rise to the surface, about two minutes. Note cooking time, turn the pieces over and cook the other side.

Drain the hojaldras on a cooling rack and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

 

Empanada Recipe

Dough:

  • 4 ounces of butter, plus more for brushing tops
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 6 Cups all-purpose flour,  more if needed

Filling:

  • 1 pound beef chuck, cubed or coarsely ground
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil, for sautéing
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 2 ounces diced chorizo
  • ½ pound potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
  • 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • Generous pinch cayenne
  • Beef broth
  • ½ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
  • ¼ cup chopped pitted green olives

Preparation:

Put 1-1/2 teaspoons salt in large mixing bowl. Melt butter and dissolve salt. Cool to room temperature.

Gradually stir in flour with a spoon until dough comes together. Knead for a minute or two on a floured counter, until firm and smooth. Add more flour if needed. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. This can be done the night before.

Make the filling: Season chopped beef generously with salt and pepper and set aside for 10 minutes. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium heat. Add beef and fry until nicely browned, stirring throughout to keep pieces separate.

Add onion and chorizo. Keep turning mixture with a spatula until onion is softened and browned. Add potatoes, garlic, and thyme. Stir well to incorporate. Season again with salt and pepper and let mixture cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in tomato paste, and cayenne, then a cup of broth. Turn heat to simmer, stirring well.

Cook for about 10 more minutes, until both meat and potatoes are tender and the sauce coats them. Taste and adjust seasoning for full flavor. Stir in scallions and cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Divide chilled dough into 1-ounce pieces and form into 2-inch diameter balls. Roll each piece into a 4 1/2-inch circle. Lay circles on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.

Moisten outer edge of each round with water. Put about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each round, adding a little chopped green olive. Wrap dough around filling to form the empanada, and press the edges together. Fold edge back and finish by crimping with a fork.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place empanadas on an oiled baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Brush tops lightly butter and bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

You should get about 3 dozen Empanadas

Empanadas can be filled with many different toppings. Search on the internet for other creative topping ideas. We will try these with Pollo, la carne de vaca (beef), and fruta.

Let’s review…We have learned a couple of more Spanish words, and we won’t be hungry. Empanadas are like a pasty here in Michigan and Hojaldres are like a donut. Next time we will explore the lunch offerings at the fonda. Please enjoy these recipes and let us know what you think. As always, stay tuned in, like, share and take this journey with us.

 

Today we learn our first and possibly most important Panamanian word FONDA

The dictionary defines Fonda as an American actor. That’s not quite what we were thinking when we said “most important”. In Panama a fonda is a small roadside stall restaurant that offers Panamanian food. These are small open air food stops that are usually only open for breakfast and lunch. They are known for their low prices and authentic Panamanian food. The establishments usually prepare their offering early in the morning and when it is gone they close. The reason we thought this most important is because one has to eat. Finding a cheap meal that we don’t have to prepare ourselves has always been high on our list of important. My research tells me that most meals at a fonda will be under $4 including water. Tipping is not customary. Fondas rarely have alcohol, however there are a few where you will find Panamanian beer. Fondas do not have menus. If you’re lucky there will be a chalkboard listing the 3-4 offerings and price. Go early because as the day goes on the offerings will become less and less until they’re gone. A typical breakfast at a fonda may include hojaldres, tortillas, empanadas, huevos, friojoles, as well as fried chicken and meat. Do not panic if you do not recognize some of the menu. It is our goal to break the Spanish lessons down to small easy to learn pieces. A typical lunch will start around 10 am. There will almost always be a soup option such as sancocho or sopa de mariscos. Most fondas will have a meat option such as pollo or carne. These will be served either asado or frito. Most options will be served with rice or beans. Stews are another option at most fondas.

Jen and I are planning to immerse ourselves into the culture of Panama, so we are anxious to try some of the native foods. Visiting the fondas, as we explore, will be one of the way that we accomplish that goal. The other will be to find recipes of native cuisine and try to make them ourselves. While in Panama, we will need to understand enough Spanish to know what we are eating and buying in the store. Many people in Panama speak English, but appreciate an effort at Spanish by the visitors. Future blog posts between now and our arrival in Panama, in February, will have daily Spanish lessons, interesting facts, and recipes that we will try.

Today we will share a simple recipe for a popular Panamanian side dish, Tostones. Tostones are chunks or pieces of green plantains thoroughly fried. They can be enjoyed much like we enjoy french fries. People eat them with ketchup. They may also be eaten much like potato chips.

As we wrap up for today, think about the 2 new Spanish words you learned…fonda (a place to eat) and Tostone (french fries or potato chips). Please check back often for more fun stuff.