CookingDiva

The images that usually spring to mind when someone says “Latin America” have to do with gorgeous beaches and rain forests, hot cities and spicy food, exotic fruits and sometimes the well kept secret quality rum. So if I started talking to you about wine and Panama,  you might think I’d had too much of the aforementioned rum. Not so…

On March 30, 2009, Wines of Argentina took over Panama City. Marina Beltrame, the director of the Argentinean School of Sommeliers, gave one of the most enlightening talks about wine pairing I have ever attended.

Marina is as famous as you can imagine, including starring her own show about wine at “El Gourmet” (http://www.elgourmet.com), but she is as down to earth and loving as you could dream. It was a delight to learn about service from her years of experience, it was enchanting and at the same time surprising how could we learn new things every day. She talked about “El Arte del Maridaje y el Servicio del Vino.” You might think that because I am a professional chef, this talk was not for me…wrong! In fact, I think that the chefs, restaurateurs, wine aficionados and other attendants, enjoyed this day the most.

Hugo Sabogal was there too! He is the master mind behind http://HugoSabogal.com Wine Media and Marketing and El Espectador , he manages in Latin America and the Caribbean, the marketing of “Wines of Argentina ,” which involves most of the wineries from Argentina.

The Panamonte Inn & Spa and Chef Charlie Collins Present a Night Celebrating Gastronomy and Wine

If you love gourmet food and fine wine, please be our guest at the first of this year’s Food & Wine Festivals on Saturday, May 26, 2007 at the Panamonte Inn & Spa.

Renowned Chef Charlie Collins and a visiting star chef from Panama City will be joined by El Sommelier’s Wine Specialist Juan Carlos Canavaggio, who will expertly pair select wines with each course.

The first festival theme is: French Cuisine Reinterpreted -- Latino Style

Some of the finest French dishes will be reinterpreted using local ingredients and classic French techniques. Guest pastry chef Edna Cochez, the chef-owner of Bistro Express, a catering company in Panama City, will delight guests with fresh French pastries and breads, and create a mouthwatering special dessert.

Cocktails and Hors D-Oeuvres will be served at 7:15pm in the Cocktail Lounge. Guests will be seated at 8pm for a 5-course gourmet dinner that begins at 8:15pm. Foie gras with sweet potato croquette and lobster poached in cilantro butter are just two of the exquisite dishes that will be served.

The price per person is $45.00 plus tax & gratuity.

Reservations are necessary, please contact the Panamonte at (507) 720-1327, or (507) 720-1324, or email us at reservation@panamonteinnandspa.com.

The Panamonte will host its second and third festivals on August 25 & October 13.

Para obtener la información en Español siga leyendo...

Just imagine your shock after following the trace of green plantain's skins all over the house, only to discover that your little Hannibal the Cannibal has eaten the plantains you planned to cook for dinner. I missed that how-to-live-a-wonderful-life class where they talked about having a Basset Hound as a companion. Do not get me wrong, ...they are the most loving creatures. But, they are libertarian anarchists with droopy sad eyes that would make you cry and hug them before the thought of a sweet, caught-you-red-pawed spanking (...with a feather) crosses your mind.

Today, hoping that your beloved pet didn't eat your plantains, we have one delicious and easy to prepare recipe for you: Plátanos en Tentación (Drunken Plantains with wine and vodka). If you are plantain crazy, check out my previous post: Patacones 101 - Tostones (EN/ES) Twice Fried Plantains!

Traditionally, "plátanos en tentación" are prepared with rum or vanilla here in Panama. I still remember from my childhood the "red" saucy plantains which were prepared with strawberry soft drink. I don't have the foggiest idea of where that culinary inspiration came from!

In Colombia they are cooked in coconut milk and served with cheese (queso costeño) and a drizzle of molasses. In Cuba they are prepared with brown sugar, white sugar, spices to taste and a hint of dry white wine (called "vino seco," although it tastes more like vinegar to me!). There are many more variations of this dish from country to country in Latin America, which one is your favorite?

It was great news when I discovered a more adventurous way of preparing it during my latest trip to the South American Wine Country. It was at the "Los Cerros de San Juan Winery" in Montevideo, Uruguay where we experienced it in a scrumptious delicate sauce made with red wine, vodka and fruit juice. Lovely.

This winery is one of South America's oldest wineries, it has been operating since 1854. Walking through its many ancient cellars, I found myself lost in time. The unique aromas, perfuming the trapped air with such peculiarity, have been engraved in my memory...in slow motion, to make sure I would never forget them. How could I if by the end of my wine trip in Argentina and Uruguay last year, I felt like a ghost traveling without barriers of time or distance, the paradise we know sometimes as the perfect winery?