Go to Home

Categories

 

the spoils of semana santa

last weekend, while i was sipping abuelo, and awaiting final judgment on my balcony, alex returned to her family in arrijan to celebrate semana santa (easter week). traditionally, all work stops at this time of year. panama city becomes a ghost town. churches fill up with the faithful. there are even painful reenactments of christ’s crucifixion in the streets. almost everyone returns home to commune with their families, feast, and chat with someone called dios.

i don’t know what this dios character said to alex, but when she finally came back, she was proudly carrying a large container of chicheme. she said she picked it up for me in chorrera, at el chimchemito, a fonda (small store) that’s locally famous for selling comidas tipico (native dishes).

never heard of chicheme? chicheme’s a beverage made by pounding, and then soaking maize (corn) overnight. then it’s cooked until soft. boiled milk is added. the mixture’s allowed to cool, and finally, vanilla, cinnamon, honey, or cane sugar are thrown in.

chicheme a lumpy drink. it has the same consistency of cold corn chowder. that might seem off putting. it was for me. but then i asked myself - what would jesus do? he try it of course. you should too. it won’t resurrect the dead, but i assure you, it tastes fantastic. chicheme’s a meal in a glass. and it costs only 75 cents.

bonus tip - i think i’ve created a new drink. i’ve discovered chicheme’s good with a little rum added. i think i’ll call it the cojito. and it’s just the thing after you’ve spent a hot day watching jesus get flogged in the streets. just remember to stock up on booze before the stores close for semana santa.

Filed under: Food and Drink6 Comments

 

sometimes it’s too much

breakfastofchampions

people think i make this stuff up. so i’ve decided to take more photos to document my daily horror. i tell ya, there’s some freaky shit going down in panama city. for example, this morning i caught my girlfriend drinking coffee at the dining table as if she owned the place.

if that wasn’t bad enough, her coffee mug was infested with chunks of queso blanco. alex says it’s a local custom. panama produces some of the finest coffee in the world. and the natives season it with white cheese.

now i adore panamanian coffee, cheese, and i’m rather fond of my girlfriend, but together? it’s too much. one of them will have to go.

UPDATE: after sober reflection, i’ve decided not to give up coffee.

Filed under: Food and Drink12 Comments

 

Cakes and Rum

“calle alberto navarro, senor.”

“como no, mi reina.”

porcubalibre

mi reina? bastard. i’ve been in his taxi only seconds, and already he’s hitting on my girlfriend. he’s smooth, i’ll give him that. and handsome, in a swarthy way. but his rig’s all twisted, knobs are missing, widows are frozen open, the steering wheel’s rusted and partially crushed. read more»

Filed under: Food and Drink, Tropical Life3 Comments



MEET SEXY LATINAS: Write them, love them, loose everything in an ugly divorce.



State Marijuana Penalties