Las Lajas, Panama

Posted on March 2, 2024 by blbarker2

Friday morning, February 16 we drove about 2 hours and twenty minutes to Las Lajas on the Pacific coast to a house Kirt and his family had rented for the night.It was a lot hotter there compared to Boquete and hardly any breeze. the house was not air conditioned but the four bedrooms were.

Everyone disappeared into their air conditioned rooms except for Sela, Ariana and myself – we became Ariana’s gymnastic students and she was teaching us the balance beam as Sela shows below – basically Ariana tortured us for hours.

Arjelis’s friend Carolina, her son, daughter and daughter’s boyfriend joined us at the beach. They were a lot of fun to talk to and be around. Her daughter and daughter’s boyfriend were doing their residence at a hospital in Boquete. Carolina is also a doctor, but because she came from Columbia she can not practice in Panama.

It’s Saturday morning and we head back to Boquete soon – it was a good, fun trip.

Blacken Salmon with Creamy Grits

Posted on February 29, 2024 by blbarker2

Blacken Salmon

Creamy Grits
– 1/2 Cup yellow grits – I use the organic yellow grits from the bulk section of Earth Fare
– 1 cup of whole milk plus some extra for thinning
– 1/2 tablespoon of butter
– Pinch of salt
– a little cream cheese
Put the yellow grits, butter and 1 cup of milk in a small pot – slowly bring to a low boil stirring constantly.
Reduce heat to low and cook 5 to 8 minutes adding more milk or water if the consentience is to thick.
When the grits are soft and tender add the cream cheese and stir to incorporate.
Serve and enjoy.

Buckwheat Bread
– 250g of All purpose flour
– 50 g of organic buckwheat flour –
– 100g of Sprouted Spelt Flour
– 1 Tbsp – brown sugar
– 1-1/2 tsp salt
– 1 package of instant rise yeast
– 1-1/4 cups of water
– 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
Mix all of the dry ingredients together, add the tablespoon of EVOO to the 1-1/4 cups of water, stir the water and EVOO mixture with the dry ingredients – cover and place in a warm area to rise for 5 or 6 hours.
Pre-heat oven and dutch oven to 450.

Instapot Recipes

Posted on February 24, 2024 by blbarker2

Instant Pot is an all in one: a pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, saute pan and food warmer. I have the small 3 quart Instant Pot and I don’t use it for a lot dishes but I do like for the following;

Hard Boiled Eggs
– Prepare the Instant Pot by adding a little water to the pot and placing the steam rack on top.
– Place the eggs on the steam rack and secure the lid.
– Select Manual and cook at low pressure for 6 to 7 minutes (I do 6 minutes because I like a little softer hard boiled egg.
– Once cooking in complete, use a quick release. Let the eggs cool for 30 seconds then immerse in ice water.

Long Grain Brown Rice
– Turn Instapot on Saute, drizzle a little olive oil on the bottom
– Add 1 cup of brown rice and a pinch of salt – stir to combine
– Add 1-1/2 cups of water to the pot – stir
– Secure the top, cancel saute and select manual pressure.
– Select high pressure for 18 minutes.
– When cooking in complete use a natural release.

Steel Cut Oats
– Turn Instapot on saute, drizzle a little olive oil on the bottom
– Add 1 cup of oats and a pinch of salt – stir to combine
– Add 1-1/2 cups of any nut milk (Soy, almond, Oat etc) to the pot – stir
– Add 1-1/2 cups of water – stir
– Secure the top, cancel saute and select manual pressure.
– Select high pressure for 8 minutes.
– When cooking in complete use a natural release.

Panama – Cenizo, Quetzal and more …

Posted on February 16, 2024 by blbarker2

We returned home from the Las Lejas around 1PM on Saturday and were expected at Rudy’s house around 2 PM for dinner. Rudy, a family friend, lives part-time in Boquete with his aging mother and part-time in New York. They have a small coffee plantation and a beautiful house high in the mountains above boquete.

We left Rudy’s house around 8:30PM and drove to Carolina’s house, that she and her, architect, husband designed and built. They were having a small party and had invited us – seeing the house with the meditative garden was a real treat – the house was beautiful.

The next morning, Sunday February 18, Sofia, Sela and I went to a meditative yoga class that was being held in the upstairs space of the Morton Bakery that we had gone to a couple of days ago. After the yoga class we went to the market district of Boqueta to shop – Arjelis father and cousins were coming over for dinner.

After we got home from shopping Sela and borrowed one of Kirt;s cars, the Nissan Pathfinder, and went out to lunch and procured 3 roasted chickens for dinner that night. On Kirt’s recommendation we went to this little place on the river – it was good.

Cenzio and Quetzal
The next morning Monday, February 19, Arjelis, Sela, Sofia, one of her friends, Cristhian, Roco and myself went on hike. This trail was full of pipes bringing water down from the mountains to a treatment plant for Boquete. Even though this is habitat for the Quetzal a sighting is rare – but Cristhian sighted one and pointed it out – what a beautiful bird.

CERRO LA PIEDRA DA LINO TRAIL – BOQUETE, PANAMA

Posted on February 15, 2024 by blbarker2

Thursday, February 15
1.7 miles up and back – 1,062ft elevation gain.

After we got home from the bakery and shopping Cristhian, a distant cousin of Arjelis, with his girl friend, Rocio, and his brother Denzell stopped by the house for a visit, (They hadn’t been by in years). After talking for a while they asked Sela and I if we wanted to join them on a hike – and of course we said yes. We met them at 2PM and loaded into the back of Cristhian’s rustic Toyota Land Cruiser. After putting the vehicle into 4 wheel drive we managed to get up a very steep part of the road to the beginning of the trail – is was only going to get steeper from here.

It took Cristhian only a few minute to cut and shape trekking poles for Sela and I with his very sharp mascette – which helped a lot. There were however, certain points along the trail so steep we needed ropes to help us up – it was fun and exhilarating – and our 3 guides were very kind and patient.