Pumpkin flan

  Hi, how are you doing? Today's recipe is very simple, perfect for this time of year when pumpkin is the star. After Halloween and while getting ready for thanksgiving, this flan is ideal as a final touch for any dinner or family meal. The crystallized lemon is a plus of decoration and flavor, and …

Panamanian Johnnycakes

My most recent incursion into the Panamanian cuisine are these delicious johnny cakes or journey cakes. My mother had already told me about them before, but I've never tried them and have to confess that I could not stop eating them. They are typical from the province of Bocas del Toro, one of the most …

Johnny cakes panameños

Mi más reciente incursión en la cocina panameña son estos deliciosos johnny cakes o journey cakes. Ya mi madre me había hablado de ellos alguna vez, pero nunca los había probado y he de confesar que no puede parar de comerlos. Son típicos de la provincia de Bocas del Toro, una de las zonas más hermosas …

Lemon cookies, Summer cookies!

In Spain they have the barbarous custom (I have always thought so) that on your Name day or your birthday  you are the one who pays and invites!!! (isn't it ironic?) Well, these cookies were made for my husband to invite his colleagues on his (and mine) Name day, June 24th, St. John's. Do you …

Prawns with recao verde cream

Today's recipe tastes like Panama. I'm quite sure that if you are Panamanian, when you try it, you'll give me the reason. When I was a child and living in Panama, the recao verde was bought at "Sr. Santos", in the vegetable stall on the corner of my street. Many years later, the stall is still there, …

Mini strawberry cream tarts

Hi! After weeks with my kitchen "closed for renovation" I’m finally back with these delicious mini tartlets filled with pastry cream and fresh strawberries. The recipe is from the wonderful book Bake with Anna Olson. I love to watch her cooking programs, and couldn’t wait to try some of her recipes. The result is spectacular. …

Egg braided bread

Merry Christmas! Here is a sneak peek into our Christmas Eve dinner. We had prawns and foie gras as starters, then turkey with ciabatta and roasted chestnuts stuffing (for the vegan in the family I made a delicious sweet potato curry) and an apple tart (pie) for dessert. Everything was delicious, the family was happy, we sang …

Blueberry coffee cake with vanilla glaze

Last week was Juanfran's birthday. To celebrate  we had diner at Real cafe Bernabeu, a very nice restaurant located inside Santiago Bernabeu stadium, with views over the field.  Unfortunately there was no game, so the stadium was empty, but about 50 screens allowed us to watch the match from every angle possible while enjoying a …

Chicken rolls with spicy tamarind sauce

One of the things that I brought from Panamá this summer was tamarind pulp. I know that I can buy tamarind here in Madrid but it is so expensive…Besides, it was a present from my mom, so what’s not to like! Normally the first thing that comes into mind with tamarind are sweets. You can …

Plantain tarts

Also known as plantit tat or plantitá, today’s recipe has West Indian roots, as many of our traditions do. Panamá is really a “melting pot of races”. People from around the world came and went through our frontiers, many stayed and made of Panamá their home, enriching this country with their own culture. That’s why …