CookingDiva

I am not sure when shaved ice was first introduced to our country Panamá, but going back on history it could had been during the railroad construction days when hot, exhausted workers needed a way to cool off.  They would shave a block of ice with a hand plainer and flavor it with juice.  The concept has stayed the same but the process has changed a bit in some places.  Nowadays, it is still commonly found sold in shaved iced stands or “carrito de raspao,” and also it’s being offered in its “gourmet” presentation made in a machine to shave the ice finer and faster.

Although I have not tried the gourmet version, I was told it’s sold for up to $3.00 each in some new spot in the Causeway zone in Panama City. The most common version, a delicious kind of “colorful street food” costs between $0.35-$0.75 each, some of them still use the original flavor recipes from long ago.

A couple of weeks ago I finally had the time to visit one of my favorite spots in my country Panama: the (republic)...excuse me, the province of Chiriqui in the highlands of Panama, sharing beautiful land with our neighbour country of Costa Rica. The photos posted today were taken there. Yummy Shaved Ice, 0.35 each…had two though! 

If you have not been there yet, well, what are you waiting for?

Enjoy now the pictorial delight, you can lick the computer screen under your own risk! LOL

Big hugs from the tropics to you and your loved ones!

Chef Melissa

This year has been an amazing journey and I have already been given so many gifts and am so very, very thankful. The New Year looks busy, as well with trips planned…I will keep you posted on my schedule, promise!

Many, many thanks to everyone for their support. I wish everyone a safe, healthy, and Happy Holiday Season.
Now it is time to share with you a traditional, well loved drink from Latin America…The secret will be yours!

By now you know I am a flower nut, and the hibiscus family is in the top of my list. Can not hide it! So, my goal today is to help you understand that certain flowers are not only for decoration, they could also be in your salad and satiate you thirst with an invigorating, magically sensual brew. Do I have your attention now? Good!

The names: you know something, I think that you have probably enjoyed this flower already. The list that follows contains many vernacular names that refer to the very same subject of our post today.

Roselle or rozelle, sorrel, red sorrel, saril, Jamaica sorrel, Indian sorrel, sour-sour, Guinea sorrel, Queensland jelly plant, lemon bush, rosa de Jamaica, flor de Jamaica, Jamaica, quimbombó chino, Florida cranberry, oseille rouge, oseille de Guinée, sereni, agrio de Guinea, viña, viñuela, vinagreira, curudú azédo, quiabeiro azédo, zuring, carcadé, bisap, and hibiscus flowers—and there are more!

The nutritional and medicinal properties of the "saril" are widely known in many places of the world. It is most commonly consumed as an iced tea for the warm days, or as a hot tea during the cold months. In many countries of Latin America such as Mexico, Panama, Brazil and Guatemala, the infusion made with the calyxes of the exotic flower, dyes the water with an intense red color and is the most popular summer drink.

How to prepare it:

We are very proud of our internationally famous method of serving fish tidbits. A mixed assortment can include squid, octopus, scallops, clams, lobster, crab as well as longorones, a black shellfish similar to scallops. You can use what you have available or what you like the most…, what insures a variety of textures and flavors. Now three recipes by The Cooking Diva: Conch Ceviche from Ecuador, Ceviche de Pescado, Panamanian Style, Fish & Octopus Ceviche with Pineapple and Golden Raisins.

El ceviche es uno de los platos más característicos en Latinoamérica: además de lo delicioso y nutritivo, puede llegar a ser muy colorido y con rasgos peculiares en cada país. No discuto sus orígenes, como se que hay quienes juran que nació aquí o allá, lo cierto es que en muchos de nuestros queridos países del continente Americano existen costas, y abundante cantidad de peces. En Panamá nos bañan las aguas del Atlántico y el Pacífico, y así mismo un arcoiris de pescados y mariscos incomparable, todos frescos y a muy buen precio si sabemos donde comprarlos.
Durante los años que viví en México, fue un deleite la variedad y frescura de los ceviches, con decirles que regreso a los mismos lugares para probar esos manjares cuando tengo la oportunidad. En Ecuador y en Perú fueron también inolvidables las experiencias. Aun recuerdo la primera vez que probé el “ceviche de concha” en Quito, Ecuador…delicioso, preparado con cerveza.
Para los amantes de este plato, aquí compartimos algunas recetas utilizando como base el “ceviche de pescado”, las mismas son excelentes para prepararlas cuando nos ha quedado ceviche de alguna fiesta y no sabemos qué hacer con él, aquí les damos unas ideas creativas para utilizarlo!
Les mando un abrazo y Buen Provecho!

Ceviche

Ingredientes

• 2 libras de filete fresco de corvina o bacalao (que la carne sea blanca y sin piel)
• sal
• 1 taza de jugo de limón fresco (12 unidades aproximadamente)
• 1/2 cucharadita de sal
• 1 diente de ajo pequeño, picado finamente
• 1 ó 2 ajíes chombos, sin semillas y picados muy fino
• 1/4 taza de apio picado
• 1 cucharadita de cilantro picado
• 1 cebolla morada mediana, picada (aprox. 1/2 taza)
• Para servir: 6 hojas de lechuga romana (1 para cada plato), y tomatitos cherry (opcional).

Procedimiento

Cortar el filete de pescado en cubos de 1/4 x 1/4 pulgada. Remojar los cubitos de pescado por 1 hora en agua ligeramente con sal (refrigerar durante este tiempo).
Este proceso se hace para suavizar un poco la carne. Escurrir el agua por completo.
Colocar el pescado escurrido en un bol y combinar cuidadosamente con el jugo de limón.
Agregar la sal, ajo, ají chombo, cilantro, cebolla, apio y refrigerar de 12 a 24 horas.
Para servir: colocar la lechuga en boles individuales o en un plato grande para servir. Colocar el ceviche en el centro y decorar con los tomatitos cherry.
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