Sharing the Culture of Panama with the World!
2023
2024
Panamanian Cuisine
History
Among the historical vestiges of our natives are highlighted Spanish writings showing the diversity of food in the homes of the caciques, including meats of hunting and of course, a diversity of fish dried in the sun, that were part of the delicacies of indigenous royalty, so stripped of their kingdoms. This shows us that the richness of the land and the sea gave the first settlers of the isthmus gastronomy worthy to study and to emulate in our days, not only in order to rescue recipes and procedures, but also to value those who gave our name to our Country in its dialect.
Foreign influence
It all started when people from Spain arrived in Panama in 1501. With them, they brought their meals from Spain. The Spaniards ruled in Panama until 1821. As a result of this many meals in Panama influenced Spain.
Later many Chinese arrived in Panama as Labor for the construction of the railway in the 1850s. Then when the railroad was finished the Chinese stayed to live in Panama leaving their meals and customs in Panama. As a result of this, there are many Chinese restaurants in Panama, especially in Panama City.
The gastronomy of Panama is the result of the historical influence in the country, its gastronomy is very diverse because we are influenced by different cultures, such as the Hispanic, the African, the Afroantillana, the American or the Amerindian, and of the native peoples of the isthmus. Along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, the diet consists of main coconut, seafood, root vegetables, and tropical fruits.
The Caribbean coast has mainly indigenous and afro-Antillean communities. This leads to more traditional methods of cooking, such as over fire and with all-natural ingredients. The afro-Antillean influence has also brought in more spicy food in some areas. Long before August 15th, the day when the Ancon steamer sailed it for the first time, there were events that left traces in the country's culture and, of course, in its gastronomy.
Later many Chinese arrived in Panama as Labor for the construction of the railway in the 1850s. Then when the railroad was finished the Chinese stayed to live in Panama leaving their meals and customs in Panama. As a result of this, there are many Chinese restaurants in Panama, especially in Panama City.
Panama, being a country of service for which people from many parts of the world travel for thousands of years, has influences of Spanish, French, Oriental, Chinese, Arabic, Italian, Greek, Cuban, Venezuelan and still may be that I remain To mention others, including Colombian cuisine, as some of their recipes were adopted by the Panamanians before the separation of Great Colombia and the construction of the Canal.
When the construction of the canal began by the French began to arrive at the Antillean peoples and introduced their ingredients, such as curry, ginger, cinnamon, and brad of smell, which give a very special aroma and flavor to the dishes of your region. The French made the culinary art of the Isthmus more, deodorized, applying the great cooking technique for the elaboration of a good dish.
America's famous fast-food franchises were introduced with the Americans. Burgers, hot dogs, and French fries delight, despite propaganda against junk food, because they like the palate of most Panamanians and those who are not but live or visit the country.
Panamanian dishes are characterized by the high consumption of rice in different forms and preparations, as well as soups, being the Sancocho the most popular. Other inputs and ingredients are maize (corn), plantains, chicken, meat, fish, and shellfish, with which various dishes and frying are prepared. The roots and tubers have a preponderance in the diet of the Panamanian, highlighting cassava, yam, Ñampí, Otoe, and to a lesser extent the potato. Despite the small extent of the country, the great cultural diversity of the isthmus makes it possible to identify some regional variants.
In Panama are abundant delicious seafood like lobster, the spider crab, and the octopus, as well as the fresh fish of the area among which are the Guabina, the seabass, the snappers and, are specially prepared for the Caribbean, with coconut sauce and even ceviche.
In Panama, at breakfast time, frying is common, including corn tortilla, fried yucca, meat, and pork. For lunch, rice is almost always consumed with meat, beans, and vegetables, or soups. For dinner, you will enjoy something a little lighter and faster, depending on each family. The consumption and supply of fresh fish and seafood is an advantage, as the country has an Atlantic and peaceful coast, which makes it a very large variety.
Settled mainly in the province of Colón, have left to this day the tradition of the cod, fish in marinade, fried fish, ceviche, the rice with coconut, or the gaucho of shellfish, which is like an asopado rice and very well seasoned.
The fried plantains, which here are called heels, were also started in the province of Bocas and Colón because it was where most of the Antillean peoples lived.
To this day, all these dishes mark the culinary identity of Panama, which also received the direct influence of American culture.
During the construction of the Canal was developed the consumption of large shellfish such as spider crab, lobster, octopus, prawns; and fish like Guabina and meagre, which were prepared with the Caribbean species and with great acceptance in the kitchen, ceviche, and Greaves.
It is very gratifying for tourists and locals to choose between sushi, Italian pasta, Argentinian meats, Greeks, Cuban cuisine, or any other offer that is obtained in a night out for dinner in Panama. But certainly, this great gastronomic offer required a formal base and a serious structure. This is why Panama inaugurates its first private cooking schools and recognized by the Ministry of Education in the decade of 2000. Today there are nine institutions between universities and technical institutes that are doing the commendable work of graduating quality cooks.
Thanks to all these influences, the Panamanians have changed their way of eating and diversifying the gastronomy, which also makes this land a pleasant place to live.