Christmas in Panama is a time for loved ones to come together, hug, and treat each other, but the festivities aren’t complete without roast pork, tamales, and rum punch to toast with. What I love most about Christmas is the food, without a doubt. My favorite dish of the season is tamales, for two reasons: first, they’re delicious and a part of our traditional cuisine. Second, I love planning the gathering and coming together to cook, tell stories, eat, and toast. Now my brothers make it; we always do it Cuban-style with sour orange, plenty of garlic, oregano, and salt. Another traditional Panamanian dish that screams “Christmas is here” is pernil (roasted pork leg). When we’re finished, we share the tamales. We do the same with the rum punch; we all get together to make it, and then everyone takes their bottle home. I spoke with three chefs about their favorite dishes and the memories they cherish most during this time of year: Domingo de Obaldía, owner of the traditional Panamanian restaurant El Trapiche; Elena Hernández, private chef and founder of Panamá Gastronómica; and Francisco Castro, chef of the Panamanian restaurant Mercaito. Three champions of local culinary culture, with extensive experience in the industry. For me, Christmas is synonymous with my grandmother’s recipe for shredded chicken and potato salad. What I love to make most is tamales de olla; I make them with corn masa and traditional sofrito; I add pork ribs that I cook for several hours until they’re tender. Every year I incorporate something different to improve my recipe. I don’t get many opportunities to eat it throughout the year; it’s only available at this time of year, which means it’s a very special occasion. I remember making them with my grandmother and aunts. Now that they’re gone, my family and I get together to make them. My grandmother’s shredded chicken and potato salad recipe is my favorite. The table is dressed in its finest when Christmas arrives. What I love to eat most is pernil (roast pork leg), because it reminds me of my dad. He always pinched it when it came out of the oven, like the good Cuban he was. December is synonymous with gatherings, parties, get-togethers, and celebrations. Rice with pigeon peas, turkey, and potato salad are also essential. We marinate it for two or three days, sometimes we smoke it.
