CookingDiva

Our tours are designed to provide unique and exotic gastronomic journeys, a once-in-a-life time experience in our country, better known as the "Bridge of the World," where modern life beautifully blends with nature's bounty.

Experience the flavors of the unique and traditionally loved culinary jewels of Panama on a gourmet tour. Our itineraries are designed with the food-lover in mind and include casual cooking classes by international Chef Melissa De Leon and other local professional chefs, tastings, visits to markets, exclusive visits to artisan producers as such as: bakers, cheese makers, coffee plantations, organic fruit and vegetable gardens, edible insects and edible flower farms.

We offer non-cooking options for companions who don't want to spend time in the kitchen. This tour is also perfect for the people who have just made Panama their home, for the tourists, for the locals, high school students and YOU. Tours available in English and Spanish.

Private and Custom Culinary Tours
 
If you want to enjoy a private or custom tour, tailored to your needs, this option is the answer to your prayers. We will design a special edition of any of our tours or a totally unique itinerary to fit your calendar, destinations and activities you want to include. We invite you to consider this option when planning: corporate team-building events, business meetings, business incentive trips, weddings, family reunions and friend gatherings. It will be an unforgettable adventure. Tours available in English and Spanish.

For details of our tours and other services please contact Panama Gourmet.

There is an almost romantic relationship between a cook and the food markets. It is an idyllic, prolific desire to find the veggies, fish, seafood, meats and other ingredients in their most natural environment. We want to talk to them.

Since having a vegetable garden, or raising a few cows in our backyard is not always a choice, we chose to visit the farmers markets, dairy farms so we can have the freshest produce, milk and meats from animals which have been grass feed and raised humanely.

Farmers markets are a traditional method used by farmers worldwide to sell their produce directly to consumers. By avoiding the increasingly industrialized food production, and the broker fees involved in the process of selling those products in supermarkets, the consumer gets the freshest ingredients at excellent prices.

This time we are sharing some photos we took a few weeks ago, while taking a group of visitors in a tour of Panama City’s markets. We had so much fun!

From San Felipe Neri Public Market in Panama City, Panama:

From The Fish Market (Mercado del Marisco) in Panama City, built by the Japanese Government:

Looking for an enjoyable event for your employees or clients? Chef Melissa De Leon, Chef Julio Pascoe & The Tour de Chefs will customize a hands-on Culinary Team Building event to meet your specific needs!

We specialize in creating dynamic learning enviroments that inspire teams to improve communication and problem solving skills. Wether it’s our innovative cooking programs, team learning events, or our more traditional and ethnic cooking classes courses, all the programs use the experiential process to engage participants, enhace learning, and strengthen working relationships.

With the assitance of our professional chefs, team members work together to prepare a gourmet meal in a comfortable culinary setting, and then “break bread” while enjoying their meal together. Prior culinary experience not required! Programs available in English and Spanish.

To request a quotation please e-mail (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)!

We hope to see you here in Panama soon!

Por segundo año consecutivo, la Chef Patricia Miranda, del Restaurante Cerro Brujo Gourmet en Volcan, Chiriqui, será una de las personalidades invitadas a Panamá Gastronómica 2011, en donde este año se resalta la cultura, oferta gastronómica, productos regionales y talento de la provincia de Chiriquí.
El Café-Restaurante Cerro Brujo Gourmet, fue fundado el 26 de noviembre de 1999. Se ha especializado en la preparación de ensaladas muy frescas.  Otras especialidades de su cocina son: los excelentes cortes de carne de res madurada,  cordero, cabrito y trucha.
La primera vez que visité Cerro Brujo fue en el 2008, y me encantó! Fui con mis amigos de Boquete Guide en este tour gastronómico fabuloso, explorando diferentes lugares nuevos para mi.

La cocina de la Chef Patricia, puede catalogarse como “Gastronomía Sostenible”, ha realizado un notable trabajo en utilizar solamente los productos de la región, preferiblemente orgánicos, lo que estimula la producción local y la relación que existe entre el agricultor, el chef y los comensales. Me llamó mucho la atención su bello jardín, en donde ella misma cultivas las hierbas aromáticas que utiliza en sus deliciosas creaciones.

Según la Chef Patricia Miranda, Gastronomía Sostenible: Es simplemente cuando los cocineros, nuestros comensales y los productores agropecuarios de nuestra área vamos de la mano, a un ritmo armonioso, y disfrutamos mancomunadamente con la naturaleza de uno de los mayores placeres de la vida: la comida!
Esta comunidad permite que el comensal reciba un platillo hecho con productos frescos y sanos. Así mismo, el productor obtiene un precio justo por sus productos y el cocinero reduce sus costos al obtener un producto que no ha tenido que asimilar costos de procesamiento, empaque, refrigeración, transporte y almacenamiento.
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Hace poco visitamos el recien renovado Mercado del Marisco en la Ciudad de Panamá, y aquí compartimos unas vistas para que se animen a visitarlo. Esta es una de las paradas obligatorias en los tours culinarios en la ciudad, ya que es maravilloso ver la interacción de la naturaleza-pescadores-restaurantes que preparan la comida fresquita para la venta. Igualmente fresca es la oferta de pescados y mariscos recien pescados, y a buen precio para llevarse a casa.
Si están próximos a visitar nuestro precioso país por vacaciones o por evento corporativo, no duden en escribir a (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) con los detalles de su evento.

Gastronomic Tours - Culinary Tours in Panama City: Today we are sharing a pictorial tour of the Fish Market in Panama City. I am happy to inform that changes have been done to the surrounding area, and now there are plenty parking space and half a dozen more places selling fresh ceviche to the public! This is fantastic, nothing freshest than that…For more information on Tour de Chefs and our Culinary Tours, Team Building Events please (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)!

Fresh Oysters $2.50 US per 8 oz jar - Ostras Frescas $2.50 frasco de 8 onzas!

It has been a long time since I last surrendered to the fragrant aroma of the delicious “Bienmesabe.” It was not because I was on a diet program or something absurd like -that-, it was because it is an uncommon Panamanian dessert prepared less and less mostly in the counrtyside. It takes almost a day to prepare in a wood stove, stirring constantly. But, the result is fantastic, delicious and such an unique flavour.

It is prepared using fresh raw milk from happy caws, rice, raspadura (panela) and spices. Cooking it at low temperature for long hours, stirring with a wood long spoon makes the trick for this sweet. Then, we make rounds using a leaf called “bijao” which we use for covering rices or stews, and desserts of course. We place the small round on top of a piece of bijao and let it cool completely before eating. Although I would easy devour a few warm if I am around. LOL!

But, what is the panela?, where does it come from?, and what can we prepare with it? Good question! ...I knew that your fancy would be triggered by my almost inadequate suspicion of your panela ignorance. Right? Do not take it personally, because you are not the only one. I know that it is a sad situation to be in, but I promise you will get over it. Well,...if you stick with us at least until you finish reading this post Tricky huh? Read the CookingDiva on Raspadura now!

First I found it at the “Mirador” going to the town of Volcan, about 45 minutes from Boquete. Then, I discovered at the Bus station in David a few days ago when I dropped off some friends that were visiting in town. Oh my my dear sweet tooth, I am so glad I have it haha! It was difficult to take the time to take the photos, but the end came when my tastebuds danced of pure happiness!

Afortunados los que hemos probado “Bienmesabe”! Pasaron muchos años desde la última vez que mis papilas disfrutaran de la textura única de este postre tradicional Panameño, y no fué porque escogiera privarme por seguir una dieta absurda de esas muchas que he hecho en mi vida, sino porque cada vez este dulce es más escaso.

El procedimiento para prepararlo es largo, toma casi un día de cocimiento en fogón de leña, revolviendo constantemente con un cucharón de madera de mango largo para no quemarse el cocinero.

Se prepara utilizando leche cruda, arroz blanco, raspadura (piloncillo, panela) y especias. El cocinarlo por largas horas a fuego lento es el secreto de la textura y sabor único de este dulce. Luego de alcanzados textura y sabor buscados, se coloca una porción en “circulos” hechos con una hoja proveniente de una planta llamada “bijao” que se utiliza en la cocina tradicional Panameña para tapar arroces y otros platos, incluyendo postres por supuesto! Al utilizar esta hoja, lo cocinado adquiere un aroma único ahumado.

Para los que visitan la provincia de Chiriquí, podrán encontrar venta de este delicioso dulce en el “Mirador” casi llegando al pueblo de Volcán, al igual que en la terminal de autobuses en la ciudad de David.

Que tengan una dulce semana!
Chef Melissa