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This morning I woke up, tired, I’ve only worked 3 nights this week at the restaurant, but in a row, plus I’m 30, plus I haven’t worked out in like forever (don’t kill me Vivek!) and I’m sleeping less and less.  Anyways I woke up, only thing I could have, water, Siggi’s Yogurt, then green apple salad, I stumbled on a box and almost passed out.

Loved the box & packaging! <3

I called *The* boy: “Hey what’s with the box?”

He responds: “JC you told me you were getting a box with goodies from some Spanish place, some guy you keep mention that he is sweet, Kali or something”

*I dropped the phone, went for my lovely knife (I got it in Oregon) and stabbed that box out*

The boy on the line: “JC? Hello? I guess you opened the box” – chuckles and hangs up.

Queso Tetilla from Galicia

The box arrived in great conditions, as I open, I see cheese, chorizo, oil, vinegars, fig sweets, tuna, did I say chorizo?  I pushed the damn salad I was eating, and was about to go wild opening all the goodies, then decided this deserves Spanish wine as well, but’s only 1 pm right? but I’m off and it’s a Friday right?

No I am not going to eat all by myself (I guess) haha! I will bring them goodies and prepare a mini-feast at my sister’s house in Chantilly, with the family, I can’t wait to try the tuna on a salad or with pickled veggies, and the cheese, and… I go check email “…JC we forgot to ship the turrons!” *I clean my tears” (you know christmas and hannukah are coming, whatever of which you celebrate you can send… I don’t mind turrons laters! (hint) *coughs* =P

Ortiz Bonito del Norte Tuna in Olive Oil

Herdade do Esporao Portuguese Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Chorizo Cantmipalo by Revilla & Crismona Pedro Ximenez Wine Winegar

So I shall write with more time after I tried all of these lovely food goodies I run for a shower, my friend Diana is about to pick me up, we got a baby shower babeh! and Greek is the theme, hopefully they will let me do pictures and I shall share with you my simple Ladopsomo Recipe! (waves to Athens in Panama!).

Thanks Kalimar!

¡a comer!

Chef Melissa “La Cooking Diva“,  invited me to one of her classes at the Culinary Arts Academy in Panama, this class was a level 1 for a group of friends who work together, so the fact that it was not a group of students made it very interesting.

I arrived ealier than the Chef  so I went for a walk on that nice area, when I came back Melissa also arrived and showed me the 2 dishes and 1 dessert she was going to work with the students.

This is for the Plantain Pie with Chorizo

Ingredients for the Arroz con Pollo

I really liked her system of writing on the board the dishes and students choosing where they wanted to work, for some reason I ended up with the Plantain-Chorizo Pie & I was thrilled (you all know how much I love plantains)

Everyone going through the Prep List divided per dish

I wish I could have recorded this class and not just done photos, every single student has a marvelous personality, and the little fellow you will see on this next picture, he behaved so well, I mean as well as a kid can behave around knives and kitchen toys haha, trust me if I was him I don’t think adults could have cooked a thing with me around.

The little fellow

Student chopping Pimentón Verde

Chef Melissa & students stirring the pot of the Arroz con Pollo

This is the Sweet Plantain Pie, with chorizo & Queso Fresco

It was amazing all the stories, the jokes the comments mostly on football, you know world cup 2010!

Deboning the chicken for the Arroz con Pollo

The kitchen layout for this class was pretty comfy, huge tables, a nice organized pantry, the Academy provides a good environment for these students, having said that a class with Chef Melissa could be informative & fun at the same time, I wish I could have gone to many others but it will be a must once I go back to Panama.

The delicious Arroz con Pollo

Student using his creative skills, it shows you that cooking is an expression of art

This Pie, was my favorite, the perfect combination of chorizo, the queso fresco & the sweet plantains, it brought me from sweet to salty, quite tasty!

The wonders of Phyllo Dough, just this simple recipe brought so many ideas to all the students, and even the little fellow mentioned how much he wanted cheese & ham inside of  it instead of an apple strudel ha!

It was a lovely happy Thursday night with Chef Melissa and her group, they were really warm and cheerful, I can’t believe they came straight from work, so much energy and enthusiasm, this class is the best therapy anyone can have for stress.  No yoga, no running, no swimming or watching movies, grab a recipe, bunch of ingredients and let your mind and hands do the rest.

You know, some people cook for a living, some because they have to, and some others choose to cook just because, the reason doesn’t matter as long you always, always enjoy your time in the kitchen.

¡a comer!

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