Sancocho, the typical family barbecue in Panama
Are you a foodie addicted to exotic flavors? Ehm, word of mouth.
Unfortunately for the "foodies", gastronomy is not among the greatest attractions of the region. Central American cuisine is characterized by simplicity and bare ingredients , without the aromatic complexity of that taste champion that is its northern neighbor, Mexico . Ask any fan of Central America about what to eat in Costa Rica or Panama, and will probably reply, laconically, that rice with beans: the famous spotted rooster, base and culinary center from breakfast to dinner.
However, the bad reputation is not entirely deserved. The curious foodie will find variations and typical dishes in each of the countries, from fluffy tortillas stuffed with cheese and meat to steaming chicken and cabbage stews.
Don't let your trip to Central America turn into a daily visit to the yellow "M" (although if you decide to follow that route, it won't be difficult to find it) and take an amazing gastronomic tour from Guatemala to Panama , gallo pinto optional.
El Salvadoran tortillas
TO OPEN MOUTH
Let's start with the basics: the wheat tortilla , foundation and accompaniment par excellence of Central American gastronomy. This great sufferer lends herself to being fried, folded, inflated and various other contortions, to the taste of each national stove.
In Nicaragua, they fill it with mozzarella and onion in their famous quesillos ; in El Salvador, they inflate them based on pork crackling and beans to make them the adored ones pupusas.
Do you want more options? Hondurans fold them in the style of Mexican Quesadillas , stuffing them with avocado, cheese, plantains and meat, to make your shot ; Belizeans spread them with beans and vinegar , and refrigerate them to turn them into Garnaches.
When it comes to tortillas, the sky is the limit.
Making tortillas in the streets of Nicaragua
THE GARRISON
Another element that neither chefs nor Central American mothers forgive in any dish is the male banana . Don't be fooled by their appearance: they are not fruits, but tubers, and its flavor is much less sweet than that of its doppelgänger, the banana… although there are few chances that you will taste plantain in its natural state.
In Panama, they will serve you in mashed balls made over and over in the pan : the Petacones , as simple as unforgettable. Of Costa Rica to the north, the accompaniment par excellence of Central American gastronomy is served as Tostones , thin slices with a crunch that the bagged chips would like for themselves.
Plantain
THE MAIN COURSE
Ready to travel to the past? Your nose does not deceive you. That steaming plate that comes from the kitchen smells suspiciously like the one your grandmother made you on Sundays, and not without reason. Stews, powerful and comforting, are one of the main axes of Central American gastronomy.
The ingredients, fresh and undisguised, coincide in almost all countries: potatoes, onion, tomato and some kind of protein, from chicken to shrimp, they are served in a homemade broth that will make you miss Sundays with the family.
Don't panic if you have a sudden flashback when trying the Sancocho in Panama , the old indian in nicaragua or the pulique in guatemala : The traditional Central American stew hides under many names.
A mix of pleasure in Costa Rica
THE SWEET NOTE
If there is something that unites Central American palates, it is their taste for sweets: the dessert cannot be missing in any of the meals.
The three milks cake , a cake made with condensed milk and cream, enjoys multiple nationalities and you will find it on menus from Nicaragua to Guatemala.
in Belize, coconut is king ; don't miss it combined with banana (the fruit, not the tuber) in their famous banana cake. Coffee fan? Head to El Salvador and ask a semite, a coffee cake with guava jam the one you will think about for weeks after your trip.
In the mood for something more familiar? Rice pudding and flan , first cousins that we enjoy on the peninsula, are appreciated throughout the continent.
A word of warning: Central Americans have a known sweet tooth, and their desserts reflect it. Don't feel bad if you can't finish your piece of tres leches cake; it happens in the best families (not Central American).
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pork crackling