Squid Ink Risotto & Chocolate

Squid Ink Risotto

There are two main places to find nightlife in Panama City:  the Amador Causeway and Calle Uruguay.  We chose to spend our first night in the later because it was (a) closer to us in proximity and (b) less touristy.  Amar found a cute Italian-Japanese (yes, you read that correctly) restaurant called Peperoncini right smack in the middle of Calle Uruguay, so we headed over.

The food was good.  We decided to stick to Italian, and I ordered a portabello, paprika and cream pasta, and Amar had a squid ink and shrimp risotto.  We also had some rose wine.  Although I was pretty full after dinner, Amar insisted we have dessert, which turned out to be some of the most delicious banana pie I've ever had!  It was almost like a banoffi pie without caramel topping.

We sat right outside, as the evening was still pretty warm.  As soon as I saw everyone so dressed up on the street, I was happy I had decided to put on a cocktail dress for the evening.  Groups of girls wearing clubbing gear kept walking up and down the street, but were not really going into anywhere in particular.  Some of the groups passed us multiple times, just checking out the scene I suppose.  Across the street from us there was a huge dance club called K'os.  Although it was supposed to be a pun on "chaos", most people in the area didn't really quite get it and called is "kos".  Right next to us was a large white building with pillars, and a sign downstairs called Prive.  Upstairs there was a veranda with a bunch of tables and a few people with drinks.  We later found out that the upstairs area of Prive is actually the infamous S6eis, pronounced "ses" like the number 6 in Spanish.

After dinner we wandered some of the cross streets and saw Sahana (American-frequented biker lounge), Habibi (hookah lounge), and Pure Lounge (Miami inspired lounge).  We ended up at Chocolate Lounge, which had quite a haveli feel, and I strongly suspect was sponsored by Vueve Clicquot.  

Veuve Clicquot sponsored drink table at Chocolate

The drinks were good and the breezes were cool in the outside sitting area.  All in all, a great way to close out our first evening in Panama.  Around 1:30 am, just as people started to really show up, we decided to call it a night and headed back to the hotel.

Our drinks, nearly on fire, outside at Chocolate

Casco Viejo -- and my favorite thing in Panama!

Me looking out on Panama City from Casco Viejo

We napped for a while after reaching the hotel.  I wasn't really into waking up, but we had to.  With only about 2 days on this entire trip to explore Panama City, I didn't want to miss out.  Got up, got dressed and headed down into the main street to catch a cab to explore Casco Viejo -- the old city.

Passing Panamanian China Town on the way to Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo, at least according to Amar, looks a lot like Cartagena, Colombia, but with fewer renovated buildings.  On the ride to the quarter we had to pass through a few shady places.  I had read in our guide book that Casco Viejo was still a "transitional" neighborhood, meaning that the area was starting to undergo renovations, but there are still some parts that aren't that clean or safe.  We had to be careful at all times.  The cab to the Old City was only $3, proving that we had obviously overpaid for our trip from the airport.  C'est la vie.

We wandered around the old city and saw Plaza Bolivar, breath - taking views of the Panama City skyline, and the President's palace.  It was fun to walk around and spend some time in this "transitional" neighborhood.

One of the beautifully restored buildings in Casco Viejo

One not-so restored building

                                            

Having not eating since morning breakfast on the airplane, I forced Amar to take a break from the afternoon sun and go inside Cafe Casablanca for a snack.  I looked at the menu and saw the most awesome thing.  This made my whole trip to Panama worth it!  Fresh juices - freshly made as soon as you order in all sorts of tropical flavors!  Unlike India and other countries that offer them, the water in Panama City is TOTALLY safe to drink!  So drink I did... and wow was it delicious.

One guyanaba, One maracuya, please!

Desi in Panama City

Amar and I were not the only Indians to be in Panama City last week. Actually, there seems to be a huge collection of Indians that call Panama City home, as we discovered when trying to locate a taxi at PTY to get to our hotel. Someone had left a copy of an English language newspaper strewn across the back seat, which Amar promptly started leafing through. Right smack on page two was an announcement about how an upcoming festival complete with parade was NOT a little known Catholic holiday, but rather a ratha yatra festival celebrating the fifth year anniversary of the Hindu temple in Panama City! We briefly entertained the idea of going (just to see!), and then decided against it. We didn't just get off a six hour flight from Los Angeles to come to Panama to meet more diasporic Indians! A trip to the temple may have been auspicious, but I was eager to hit the beach.

Panama City is an interesting place, and Panama earned the nickname as the cross roads of the Americas because of the number of cultures that pass through its borders on a daily basis. The city has a population that contains people of many different origins: native Indians, Europeans, Columbians, Chinese, and Indians from India, to name a few. Many more use the infamous Panama Canal as a means of transportation for goods from different parts of the world. Due to favorable tax rates, and use of U.S. Dollars as currency, lots of Americans are retiring in Panama. It's an extremely cosmopolitan city, and not doesn't have the same reputation of San Jose, CR -- There is so much to do here than just "get out". From the restorations in the Casco Viejo, to the exciting nightlife off Calle Uruguay, I knew that Amar and I were going to really enjoy our first visit to this fabulous Central American City!

Thankfully, the roads weren't crowded on Saturday morning, and we were at hour hotel about 30 minutes after getting into a cab. Unfortunately, the taxi was $27 to our hotel! All the guide books said that this will be the most expensive taxi ride as taxis directly from the airport completely rip you off. Once we checked in, Amar snapped a picture of the view outside our hotel. As you can see, the city is developing!

Gourmet Pizza, Part 3

I completely admit this isn't the most appetizing picture.  The most awesome thing about this pizza is that it's a little bit unexpected.  The first time I ever tried fresh corn on a pizza I was sitting in a cafe on the the strip adjacent to Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro.  It was so delicious I kept thinking that I have to try this at home but never did. 

Anyway, I came across a great recipe for a corn relish, made a few edits, and decided to give it a go as a pizza topping.  A few other things you can do with this:  (1) use it as a relish on fish, (2) add a few tortilla chipas for an indian - inspired twist on chips and salsa, or (3) fantastic pizza topping!

Ingredients

1 can whole corn kernals
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 serrano chili,  chopped (de-seed to reduce heat)
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp chaat masala powder (careful with this ... it can get spicy)
1/2 lemon, juice
salt, as needed

1) Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

2) Use as relish for fish, topping for pizza, or pair with tortilla chips for an awesome chips and salsa treat!

Gourmet Pizza, Part 2

A classic Pizza made at home!  The traditional Margarita Pizza has been around forever!  And it's simple and delicious.  Just tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.  Since I was making so many different pizzas and didn't want to invest in 3 different cheese, I still used mild, white cheddar.  I also added tomato sauce, because I just love the stuff. 

Ingredients

Pre-made pizza crust

Tomato Sauce

Cheese - any kind

1 small tomato (roma is best)

3 to 5 basil leaves, shredded or torn

salt / pepper to taste

1) Preheat oven according to directions of the ready-made pizza crust.

2)  Pre-warm crust for about 2 to 3 minutes in warm oven. Spread tomato sauce onto a pre-warmed crust.

3) Top with cheese, as desired. Top with tomatoes and basil. 

4) Cook in oven according to directions on ready made crust package.

5) Remove from oven. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6) Slice with pizza cutter and serve!

Gourmet Pizza, Part 1

As you all know, I'm a pizza addict. With the economy in its current state, my husband and I have been reluctant to engage in our weekly "order in pizza" night. When did the price of pizza go up so much? On the east coast I used order a large pizza for around $10 or less. Something is going on out here, because it's much more expensive now. I think the only place I can find a $10 is at Costco.

Anyway, we still decided to have pizza night last weekend, except I was in the kitchen making the pizza! The advantage of making pizza for pizza night is that you can make a variety of smaller pizzas. We had three different kinds: BBQ pizza, Spicy Corn pizza, and Tomato-Basil pizza.

When it comes to the crust, there are a couple of things you can do:

1) Go to your local pizzeria and offer to buy some pizza dough directly from them.

2) Buy frozen dough from the grocery store.

3) Purchase a ready-made crust from the grocery store.

For my BBQ pizza, I chose option 3.

Ingredients

Ready-made Pizza Crust

Cheese - any variety you like (I used mild, white Cheddar)

1/4 Red Onion, sliced in rings

1 - 2 tomatoes, sliced

BBQ Sauce (any variety you prefer)

Pizza / Marinara Sauce

Grilled chicken (optional)

Grilled Tofu (optional)

Cilantro

Salt / Pepper to taste

1) Preheat oven according to directions of the ready-made pizza crust.

2) Mix 1 part BBQ sauce to 2 parts Pizza Sauce. This is important! If you use only BBQ sauce, the pizza will be extremely salty and unpalatable. Pre-warm crust for about 2 to 3 minutes in warm oven. Spread this sauce onto a pre-warmed crust.

3) Top with cheese, as desired. Top with red onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. If desired, add grilled chicken or grilled tofu.

4) Cook in oven according to directions on ready made crust package.

5) Remove from oven. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6) Slice with pizza cutter and serve!

Imported Ethnic Foods; Ethnic Fare, but Buyer BEWARE!

Not the happiest note, although when I was reading this article, it seemed eerily familiar. Hard to believe it was written in 1986. There are a few places I shop where the same is still true today.

Please be careful when you buy your ethnic groceries. Always be sure to check dates / expiration, and confirm storage temperatures. If something looks messy or wrong, don't buy it!

Imported ethnic foods; exotic fare but buyer beware
FDA Consumer , Dec-Jan, 1986 by Chris W. Lecos

The scene is a familiar one for anyone who has ever shopped in an ethnic food store. The shelves are stacked with a variety of exotic, packaged goods one would not find readily--if at all--in a huge, neat, fluorescent-lit supermarket, and many of the products are labeled in the same foreign language being spoken by the store's operators and most of its customers.

There is an unknown number of such stores in the United States today. Some have been in operation for decades--a legacy from immigrants who brought to this country their distinctive cultures, including their food preferences. Others are more recent, sprouting in urban areas populated by the waves of new immigrants from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and other areas.

Many of these stores are small, family-run operations. Their patrons are not only immigrants and their U.S.-born offspring, but also other Americans whose appetites and curiosity are whetted by the cuisines of foreign countries.

Until recently, ethnic food stores generally did not attract much attention from local health inspectors. No outbreaks of food poisoning that could be linked to the products sold there had ever been reported, and the number of customers was usually small, compared to supermarkets and other high-volume food stores.

Now, this is all changing. In a recent memorandum to state health officials, FDA's Division of Federal-State Relations warned that random inspections by the agency in various parts of the country had uncovered an "unacceptably high rate of defects" in many improted, packaged foods that were earmarked for sale through ethnic stores and restaurants. To protect the public from the potential health hazards those defects pose, FDA has developed a 10-point program that includes fostering federal-state efforts and increased surveillance by the agency itself of foods coming into this country.

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