CookingDiva

This is my latest contribution to Global Voices:

End of the year traditions across Latin America are varied, as many include local customs, the preparation of delicious food, and plenty of loud fireworks. This is a collection of how some bloggers spent their holidays throughout the region.

Read the complete review...

Now, learn how to prepare Panamanian Tamales:

The secret to prepare the most flavorful tamales, is to follow our ancestor's traditions and to think of the process as an act of love and preservation of our culture. The tamales are a reflection of our Latin American diversity, and no doubt they are an element that portrays unity among all the Latin American countries, and wherever their people are.

The tamal is a traditional food made from "maize masa", cooked and stuffed with different ingredients that vary from country to country. The materials used to wrap and secure them also change in every culture.

What makes the Panamanian tamale different from others is the filling and the rich "sofrito" that adds not only color, but an unique taste to it. We wrap the tamales in banana leaves and bijao leaves for the flavor.  "Bijao", or "Platanillo", Heliconia bihai L., is a shrub that grows wild in Latin America and the Caribbean. Its flowers are called  "false bird of paradise" and add the exotic touch to the local flower arrangements.

Continue reading and get the recipe now...

Rosca Rey de Reyes Tropical al Café

(Three Kings Tropical Bread with Coffee) Rosca Rey de Reyes, or Rosca de los Reyes, is eaten in México, Puerto Rico, and Portugal on Twelfth Night (January 6^th), celebrated in the Catholic religion as the day the Three Kings arrived in Bethlehem bearing gifts for Jesus of Nazareth. A tiny ceramic doll, coin, or bean may be hidden in the bread, and traditionally the person who finds it throws a party on Candlemass (February 2^nd), or is in charge of preparing the “Rosca” for the following year.

In this recipe we are using coffee to re-hydrate the dried fruits instead of the more commonly used port wine or dark rum, adding an innovative twist to the flavor combinations. Please note that this specialty bread involves a 2-day process, so be sure to set aside enough time for the steps involved. 

In a country that had been hit in the recent years by an overwhelming real estate growth and inmigration, in the midst of it all, the melting pot of races feed their souls with a sence of liberty. The silent manifesto of our always-evolving culture, is to create a nation whose people are originally from all over the world, and while preserving our roots, they tremendowsly contribute to the expression of universality.

Today more than ever I treasure the heritage our ancestors planted in the land of long ago, which now we realize is what saved (some of) us of becoming air minded. Love, honestly and respect for others is the secret, without that we would be murdering the essence of life, what our ancestors used to overcome adversity.

Panama: Feliz mes de la Patria!
November 3: Independence of Panama from Colombia
November 4: Day of the Flag
November 28: Independence of Panama from Spain

A big hug!

Melissa

P.S. Never miss an opportunity to share a meal with your loved ones, because it is the best time to tell stories, and to tell you the truth...it is a great way to learn about any culture!

Now, with a bright spirit of celebration, we are sharing this delicious recipe we have created with the colors of the Panamanian flag: RED, BLUE and WHITE! Hope you like it!

Celebration Tri-Color Shortbread

Ingredients:
• 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour
• 1 cup + 2 TBS butter (I used salted butter) at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
• 5+ drops red food coloring
• 5+ drops blue food coloring
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon anise extract
• 1/4 teaspoon coconut flavouring
• 1 egg white, slighttly beaten

Directions:
1. Sift together flours into medium size bowl.
2. Beat together butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Then, on low speed, gradually mix in the flour mixture until well combined and soft dough forms. Divide the dough in three portions of same size.
3. Knead red food coloring and almond extract into one thrid of the dough. Add more drops of red food coloring if necessary until reach desired shade.
4. Knead blue food coloring and anise essence into one third of the dough. Knead coconut extract into the third half.
5. Flatten doughs into a disk and wrap each separately in plastic wrap, refrigerate until dough is firm.
6. Roll each batch of dough between waxed paper into an even square, 1 inch high. Refriferate on a baking sheet if dough becomes too soft.

7. Remove top piece of waxed paper from one of the doughs, brush with egg white. Remove waxed paper from top of the second dough and invert onto first dough. Remove top piece of waxed paper from the third dough, brush with egg white and invert onto second dough. If the dough is too soft , wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
8. Pre-heat oven to 375 for 10 minutes.
9. Cut dough crosswise into 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick slices. Place slices on ungreased cookie sheets (1 inch apart) and bake for 10 minutes or until edges are light brown.

TIP: if using unsalted butter, add 1/2 tsp salt to the dry ingredients and sift together.
TIP for the HOLIDAYS: to bake some of these delicious and easy to prepare cookies for the holidays, just use green food coloring instead of the blue, and follow directions above.