Chocolate is to Switzerland as Haribo is to Germany as Apple pie is to the USA, so what sweet is to Panama? A breathtakingly beautiful country rich in biodiversity, pristine beaches, great surf, mountains and rivers to explore, and a canal that created a shortcut for the world, food is not the main attraction here.
Don’t get me wrong, the coffee is phenomenal and their traditional dishes like arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) and pollo guisado (saucy chicken) are enough to make your mouth water and tummy growl out of hunger but what about their dessert, what satiates the sweet tooth here?
Though cacao grows really well in a tropical climate like Panama, it’s not chocolate. Of the 500+ tons of cacao produced in Panama, 70% of the cacao is exported to places like Switzerland so they can continue to dominate the world chocolate scene. They’ve got a rep to protect.
In the interior of Panama, sustenance living has been the traditional way of feeding the family for centuries. What you can grow, is what you eat. The family unit is as strong and deeply woven as I have ever seen in a culture where everyone takes part in creating the delicious foods served every day.
In a place where electricity is unreliable and expensive, many families still have never had it hooked up to their homes. With solar power becoming easier to acquire, more and more families are able to tap the suns resource so power is becoming more available every year.
That may not sound like a big deal at first because you can get by without A/C, no need for heating, and nobody misses the news, but can you imagine not having a refrigerator in your home? What about a freezer? No power means limited food storage. So what does that mean for cooking? It means you eat fresh food without packaging and preservatives, each meal made from scratch, from the garden and the yard. Unreliable power means no microwaves, no electric stove. There is propane however, many people are accustomed to using a “fogón,” the wood fired stove the family cooks over which is still quite common in many homes.
Now, if you’re like Ryan who loves mint chocolate chip ice cream, or my uncle who needs a constant stream of cookies, or maybe like some of our past guests that called a state of emergency when we ran out of lime pie, you might be wondering what’s for dessert? All children crave sweets as do most adults so where there's a craving and a will…there’s always a way.
If you’ve ever driven the remote countryside of Panama, undoubtedly you have whipped out your Spanish dictionary to translate some of the handwritten signs you see hanging in front of one’s home. Like, “hielo” (ice), or “huevos” (eggs), but what about “duros”, or “cocada.” Those are two of the most common sweets you can randomly buy from someone’s house and they are delicious!
Duro means hard or strong when translated directly but “duros,” are locally known as a popsicle. Made with freshly squeezed juice of mango, lime, pineapple, nance, or tamarind, then mixed with cane honey and a bit of water and frozen in a small plastic baggie makes for an incredibly refreshing cool treat on a hot day with natural sugars to boost your energy. Delicious, fresh, and the perfect price for kids to fulfill their need for sugar and energy. Simply bite off a corner of the bag and eat it just like a popsicle.
So, if you’re lucky enough to have both power and a freezer, selling duros is not only a kind of sweet public service, it’s a way to supplement the cost, and a great way to stay social in your neighborhood.
Cocada translates to coconut but it is so much more than that. It’s a sticky, rich flavored cane honey mixed with shredded fresh coconut, cinnamon, and hand pressed into a ball to chomp on. Makes my teeth ache just thinking about it but it also makes the kids eyes glow with the pleasure of a promise of this filling, incredibly sweet treat.
The honey is made from a traditional horse drawn trapiche (mill), then slowly cooked over the course of two days to reduce it to honey. This is the source of sweetness for many a Panamanian kitchen and they have learned how to use it well. This honey can be stored all year until the next harvest needing no refrigeration. There are many sweet treats made with this sticky delicious honey but cocada and duros are just two of the favorites.
Next time you see a sign for duros or cocada you know what to expect so go ahead, put on the brakes, and get out of your car to give it a try. You won’t be disappointed but you will love the exciting cultural exchange as that family shares their homemade treat with you topped off with a huge smile and pride to share their world with you.
Your Friends in Morrillo,
Cari and Ryan Mackey
Owners and Hosts
Morrillo Beach Eco Resort
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