A Trip to Guatemala

It's been a while since we've had a guest blogger! Well, here ya go! Sharyl, one of our amazing cooks, had the opportunity to go on a missions trip to Guatemala earlier this year! How cool is that?! Read and enjoy as she shares her experience! ~ Susan

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At the end of June, I had a wonderful opportunity to go on my third mission trip. I have been twice, to the Dominican Republic, but this would be our first mission trip to Guatemala. I went with a Christian-based sports mission organization my boss started in 2009, Athletic International Missions. My sister and brother-in-law went with me. This was their first mission trip and they were somewhat apprehensive, but they needn't have been. They both took to the kids from the get go and since my brother-in-law is bilingual, he was invaluable. The rest of us got by on our limited Spanish and hand signals!

There were 31 of us, all from the Houston area, Tennessee and Virginia. After a direct flight from Houston to Guatemala City, we met up with the rest of our group. We loaded two vans with people and the sports equipment that we had brought with us and headed to our destination. After a somewhat hairy ride of partially collapsed roads and pounding rain, we arrived at our destination in the rain forest mountains of Purulha, Guatemala. The style of driving in Guatemala is wild. They take unbelievable chances in passing, but our driver, as well as our contact pastor in Purulha, took no chances and delivered us to our hotel, safe and sound.

We stayed at Posada Montaña del Quetzal, which was the only hotel in the area that could accommodate our large group. The rooms were very basic - no TV, phone, radio or clock. What was really amusing was that the walls were so thin, you could actually carry on a conversation with your neighbor. My neighbors were my sister and brother-in-law and we did just that!

We got up bright and early Wednesday, excited to meet the kids in the sports camp, who were anxiously awaiting our arrival. We had equipment and volunteers for soccer, volleyball and basketball, which are the big Guatemalan sports. If you know me, you know that I am not very sporty, but you don't have to be! There is a place for everyone to help. There were seven of us who worked with the kids in the Vacation Bible School. That was fun and games - songs, games, coloring and more. The first day, we had about 90 kids and they were a little shy. By the second day, they were hugging us and giving us these little butterfly kisses on the cheek. So sweet! Before leaving each day, we served them lunch of hot dogs with cabbage, mustard, mayo and ketchup on a bolillo, a variation of the baguette. They love their dogs this way. Us Americans? Not so much!

Meals at our hotel were always served buffet-style. A few

A Guatemalan breakfast

things that stood out were that the tables had salt and cayenne pepper only. No black pepper, salsa or jalapenos, which we missed. I have them on my packing list for the trip next year. Breakfast was usually scrambled eggs, but we had sausage once, pancakes once, hash browns twice and corn tortillas at every meal. Lunch was chicken in some kind of sauce, spaghetti or meatloaf with mixed Guatemalan vegetables and soup. Dinner was very similar to lunch. Plantains were served at most meals, as were black beans. Plantains are similar to bananas, but they differ in that they must be cooked before eaten. One would not peel and eat like a banana.

From our hotel restaurant, we could see the hummingbird feeder outside. These hummingbirds were huge. Nothing at all like we see in Texas. I suppose because they stay in Guatemala year-round, they don't expend energy migrating. It was fun to watch these giant hummingbirds. They were so big, we could actually see them.

We went out two nights for dinner. One night we went to Montebello. I had the pollo asado, roasted chicken which 

Tamales

came with rice, salad and soup. To drink, I had the limonada con soda, lime juice with sparkling water or soda. I had several of those on our trip...they were crisp and refreshing and I was so glad to see ice in my glass! We were never served ice at our hotel. A couple of the locals had a soup that came with tamales and I tried one. They were different from what I

am used to because they weren't filled with anything.

Saturday was our last day of camp with the kids. They had gotten to know us and we had gotten to know them. We had over 200 kids and 30 Moms our last day there, which was a little overwhelming, but so worth it. There are always a few kids that really tug at your heart and this trip was no different. There were two little girls that I always looked for and they usually found me first.

On Sunday, we split our group between two churches. My brother-in-law is an Episcopalian priest, so he was asked to give the sermon at the church for our VBS group. It was in a combination of English and Spanish, with someone translating as needed. Before and after church, we handed out suckers and hard candies to the kids. That was a hit for sure!

After lunch at our hotel, we packed up and boarded the bus to our two-night stay in the Portola Antigua Hotel. This was the day and a half of relaxation at the end of our trip before we flew home.

For the most part, our meals at the Antigua hotel were also buffet-style, but there were lots of entree items to choose from, as well as dessert, fruit and bread bars. My sister and brother-in-law ordered this wonderful concoction, Tangerine and Mango Parfait. It looked wonderful and tasted the same.

We walked the cobblestone roads to the street market. The

Colorful street market

variety of textiles, jewelry, clothing and Mayan crafts (they are known for their jade, which comes in colors other than green - who knew?) was overwhelming, but fun. We all did our part to support the market!

I told my sister that if we hadn't had this mini respite in Antigua before flying home, a few of us might not have made it. I was being facetious. We were exhausted, but it was a good tired. A few key words define this trip for me - joyful, exhausted and pensive.

My sister was keeping our family in the loop about our experiences. It seems her phone knew where she was. One email she typed “take care” and just after she hit send, she saw that auto correct changed it to “tamale care.” Makes sense to me! Hasta la vista.

Past Sponsorship Leads to Friendship...

Hi Readers! Here's a guest post from one of our awesome past sponsors (who has since become one of our very own 37 Cooks)!  Read all about how Luke Deville, the owner of Teet's Food Store, and 37 Cooks came together for a fun challenge, which led to friendship! ~ Susan

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Grandpa "Teet"

Hey guys, this is Luke Deville. I am the 3rd generation of my family-owned store here in Ville Platte, Louisiana. My Grandpa "Teet" (short for petite) and my Grandma Ruby opened up Teet's Food Store on August 11, 1955. Together they worked night and day to provide the best smoked meats in Louisiana.

In the 1980's my father, Chris, came back to Ville Platte to help Teet run the store and in 2011, I moved back to help my Dad. Today, we have a website and social media accounts. When I launched the website, I was looking for more ways to spread the word besides using Facebook and flyers posted on the doors at the store. So, I went to visit Joe and Jack at Slap Ya Mama to see if they had any ideas on how to spread the word about our online store. They told me about this cooking group, 37 Cooks, and I was like "this is perfect!!"

When I left Joe and Jack, I went online to check out the 37 Cooks website and decided to email them to see if they would like to try out our meats and help Teet's get more exposure. Sure enough, they responded and they were thrilled, probably as much as I was! 

Grandpa Teet, my dad Chris, and me 

After all the ducks were in a row, I sent out meat packages to the cooks who took up the challenge, and within two months there were recipes being posted on their blog and social media accounts. I was so excited!!! I was very impressed with their recipes, because most of them were things that I had never heard of or thought of doing with our smoked meats. My family was also very impressed!

With the help of 37 Cooks, our online store's traffic has increased dramatically. I believe that asking 37 Cooks to help me spread the word about our website has helped with the success of our online store. These guys rock! They are so awesome that they even asked me to become a cook when all was said and done! I am learning so much about cooking and have made great friends! I was able to meet a few of them this past year and in June we had a "37 Cooks 2nd Year Birthday Celebration" in Houston that I was able to attend! This has been a great experience and I'm just beginning!

Adventures in Panama, Part 2

The beach, amazing food and the New York Yankees, oh my! Welcome to Part 2 of Chris's amazing Panamanian Adventure! Grab a yummy snack, something to drink, put your feet up and enjoy!

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After our tour with Ismael, we drove back to the City and met up with our friends for dinner. We chose a place in Casco Viejo called Mostaza's (Mustard's) that was recommended to us. It was a wonderful choice. We had red wine, a beautiful bread basket, stuffed chicken breast (spinach and cheese), pork medallions in a red wine sauce, steak with a butter sauce, and a "spicy" (not at all) Peruvian chicken dish. All delicious. A perfect meal to bid our co-travelers good-bye, as they were leaving the next morning. "S" and I were still going strong, so we hit up Cedros again for a daiquiri, then finished off the evening with a few beers at the Red Lion Pub. Great outdoor seating on a main square in Casco Viejo. Really an awesome place.

Pipa's Beach

On Thursday, we woke early, said good-bye to our friends, and jumped in our rental car to hit the beach. After about a 2 hour drive we arrived at Santa Clara, a nice beachfront

community where the Decamerones Resort is located. If you drive through the resort (restaurants, a casino, condos, and a golf course), you then pass through a little fishing community and keep on driving. When the road ends, you're there. Heaven. Or Pipa's, as it's commonly known. A little beach shack about 20 yards from the water, which has a beautiful black and white sand beach, a couple of resident dogs, two outstanding chef/bar tenders, refreshing drinks, and out-of-this-world food. I went with the shrimp cocktail, which was nice and spicy, with the shrimp mixed into the sauce and patacones on the side, of course. "S" went with the fried fish, which came with the THE BEST coconut rice ever. We asked and were told how to cook both. We haven't tried to recreate them yet, but we should...soon. We enjoyed an awesome, relaxing day at the beach, then returned to the City.

"S" had read of a restaurant that he wanted to try, so that's what we did for dinner. Kind of. Honestly, the cab driver couldn't find the place, so we had him drop us off where it "should" have been, and we walked. And walked. And stumbled upon another cool place instead, "Finca del Mar" (Farm of the Sea.) We snagged a seat outside and were happy. We had some Pisco Sours, a bottle of White Wine, some good garlic bread, and then "S" went for a grilled fish platter (no eyeballs this time!), which was served with plantain cakes (they were sweet, with pineapple mixed in - my Inspiration for my Slap Ya Mama Patacones.) I chose a phenomenal pasta dish...house-made pasta with a creamy tomato sauce and chopped sausage. As in a link of grilled sausage, diced up and added to the perfect spaghetti. Yet another dish to recreate. After our amazing dinner we again ended up at the rooftop bar at Tantalo. Great drinks, great people, great times. What more could you ask?

We took it easy Friday, eventually jumped in the rental car again and headed back to the Amador Causeway for lunch. Drove around, just looking. We ended up at "Leno's y Carbon", which is kind of a local chain (actually, it's a Colombian chain), similar to a Chili's, but cooler - WAY cooler - and on the water. We started with an appetizer of "Nachos" (pretty much out of curiosity.) It turned out to be a base of refried beans with chips placed on top. The chips were drizzled with melted cheese, and the sour cream, guacamole, and pico were served on

Lobster Tails

the side. Not bad, but different. Then "S" went for the lobster tails in a citrus-butter sauce with asparagus and green peppercorns (he won this one!), while I decided to sample the mixed grill fajitas. What can I say? I'm a Texan and wanted to try the local interpretation of a hometown favorite. The result? Very thin, small tortillas (which I liked a lot), bell peppers, onions, and a mix of chicken/beef. This was the only beef that I ate while there (beef is not of great quality in Panama, as it is almost all imported.) They also used a citrus marinade of sorts and absolutely no spices like we would use at home. It was very good, yet different. I'm glad that I tried it, but I honestly think that our version is much, much better!

As this was our last day of vacation, we decided that we wanted to have a special, fancy dinner for just the two of us. During the afternoon we hopped into our car and drove over to scout out Trump Ocean Club, the Panamanian version of Donald Trump's Trump Towers. It's a really beautiful place, right on the water. There are condos and a hotel, a casino, shopping, multiple restaurants, an awesome pool area, a private dock and yacht basin, and so much more. We walked around, took some pics, and stopped in at a few of the restaurants in order to check out their menus and have a drink. We noticed that an area near the pool was being set up for an event. We were thinking that it was for a very high-dollar wedding. Beautiful views, floral arrangements, a huge buffet table. We were "shooed away" when we got too close! Okay, no big deal. So, we made reservations at Barcelona, one of the restaurants, for that evening and went back to the hotel to rest, refresh, and clean up.

When we returned in a taxi later on (a little early, as we wanted to have a drink at another bar before our dinner), we noticed that there were many media vans parked in front of Trump Ocean Club. We were assuming that the wedding we saw being set up must be a really big deal, and we were glad that we had dressed up! We took the elevator up to the floor where the restaurants were located, the elevator opened, we stepped out, and about 40 photographers turned and snapped our picture! It was a Media Heyday! We just kind of smiled and nodded, not sure what to think of it all (I was actually thinking, "OMG, glad I put on lipstick!")

Then I was curious enough to pull a sweet gentleman aside and ask him WHAT was going on. Seems that the NY Yankees and the Florida Marlins were playing exhibition games in Panama the next day and the Yankees were staying at Trump's property. And they were hosting a HUGE Meet and Greet that evening. Not a wedding, the Yankees! Okay, no biggie...

We were asked "who" we were, we told them that we were just normal folks on vacation who stumbled into all of this, and we were given one rule: NO PHOTOS ALLOWED! So, yes, I met some Yankees, I sat and had drinks with a couple of them. I can't name names, but they were people that you would know if you follow baseball. They were very sweet and down-to-earth, and they were pretty darn funny! And their wives/partners...stunning! Definitely a night that I will remember.

We started with a couple of very well done cocktails at Tejas, where we sat at the bar with some of the Yankees. It was kind of a surreal event as we aren't really fans, but we recognized these guys. And there were bodyguards in every corner. As in I went to the restroom, a bodyguard followed me (?!?) and waited outside of the door. I'm not sure what he thought I was going to do exactly, but I guess that's the price you pay for hobnobbing with the famous. Anyway...

We walked through the main lobby (and media circus) to get to Barcelona, the place that we had reserved for dinner. There were not many people there, so we were able to get a patio table. We sat outside, about 17 stories up, looking at the big city skyscrapers on one side, an ocean view on the other...magical. There was live music (a trio with a singer, very nice) and a very pretty garden/patio area. I must say that we saw many of our Yankee "friends" pass through, taking pictures and smoking cigars. I'm still just kind of unsure of what to make of the whole evening. We ended up with a bottle of wine, a couple of salads, some nice bread, a cheese plate, and then a charcuterie platter that came with bruschetta. We split a creme brûlée and a glass of dessert wine to finish it all off. A very nice ending to an awesome trip!

There was one last stop that we had to make before heading home the next day: The Hard

Night view of Panama City from
the Sky Bar at the Hard Rock

Rock's rooftop bar, Sky Bar. We had heard so many great things about this place. I believe that it was about 30 stories up, maybe more. So, we went, had a couple of drinks, took some fabulous pictures, and then declared ourselves "Old Fogies". The music was great, the drinks good as well, but we had a rental car to return and a flight to catch the next day.

Everything went smoothly the next morning, but airport security was insane! We were told that it was due to the Malaysian Jet that went down the week before. To travel back to the U.S., there were 3 separate (full) checkpoints. As in take off your shoes, turn on your laptop, you can't bring food/drink with you. We barely made our flight, as it took almost 3 hours to get to our gate. And we weren't even allowed to bring our unopened water or bag of chips on the plane with us (we had a receipt showing that we had just bought them.) Luckily, they let our coffee beans and other food-centric souvenirs through! The flight was uneventful, it was pouring rain when we arrived back in Houston and when we got home, the first thing that one of the pups did was to jump into the fish pond and swim around out of sheer happiness. Good thing that I love that little stinker. Doggie baths were NOT on the welcome home agenda! But, clean puppies and my own bed were, in the end, the best thing ever.

I had the most amazing time on my Central American vacation. Panama is a beautiful country full of beautiful people, amazing places, and such a rich history. I enjoyed every minute of my time there and hope to return in the future. If you are ever traveling in that direction, please don't hesitate to contact me with questions or for ideas. I hope that you've enjoyed reading about my adventures as much as I've enjoyed sharing them. Thanks for supporting 37 Cooks - and Happy Travels, wherever life may take you!

Adventures in Panama, Part 1

Hi readers! This week, we are so proud to bring you one of our members, Chris.  Earlier this year she had the opportunity to go on an amazing trip to Panama! So, sit back, grab a cup of coffee, tea or an icy cold glass of whatever you like best and let her take you on a virtual tour of Panama!

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I love to travel, as in I REALLY love to explore new places, see new things, meet new people, and try new foods. So, when the opportunity to take a trip to Panama arose in March of this year, I was totally on-board. I thought about it for about 2 hours...then I was online, tax refund in hand, searching for flights and hotels. I'm usually a huge "planner", but this trip was a last-minute decision and I'm so glad that I took the chance.

Panama is a beautiful country with a very interesting history. The people are genuinely sweet, and they have a certain place in their hearts for us Americans. It all goes back to the construction of the Panama Canal, when there were so many Americans living and working daily with the local Panamanians. Almost everyone that you talk to in the Panama City/Canal area has a story of how their family was involved with the Canal building. It was actually very eye-opening to me, as I knew "of" the Canal, but I had never really understood the impact that we had on the country overall.

Panama City skyline

I made the trip to Panama with my Hubs, "S", and another couple. We flew from Houston to Panama City and were pretty much based out of P.C. for the duration of our trip. The other couple was actually in PC on a business trip, so we split up quite often and "S" and I did our own thing. The arrangement was awesome, as we could go and explore, do what we wanted, then all meet up for dinner and drinks. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott near the Multiplaza Mall. Not "authentic", but comfortable by U.S. standards. The mall is a bit upscale, but it had everything that you might need, including a drug store and a grocery store.

We flew into P.C. on Sunday and made a beeline to Tony Roma's. It was right by the hotel, we were starving, and we wanted a drink to start our vacation off right. We sat at the bar and had a nibble. It was just like it is here in the States, except the menu is in Spanish. They were nice and included pictures, so you knew what you were getting. Also, in Panama you can use your money from the States. The U.S. Dollar is equal to the local currency, the Balboa. American dollars are used, American coins are accepted, but any change you receive (coins) may be a mix of the two. The coins are pretty much exactly like our coins, same denominations and sizes, but not American.

Sunday evening we hired a cab and went to check out the Amador Causeway. This is an area near the Canal that was created by stacking up the dirt/sand/dredged material that was displaced when digging the Canal. It is a string of islands, all connected by one major road. There are walking/bike trails on either side of the road (and water/ocean) and there are shopping and eating areas on most of the islands. There is also a yacht basin and a branch of the Smithsonian located here which is dedicated to the marine life in the area. Here's a cool fact: The Panama Canal runs large vessels through from one side to the other in the morning. In the afternoon, the direction is reversed for large vessels. At night, the Canal opens up in both directions to allow smaller ships through at the same time. All vessels that pass through are charged based on weight. Pretty neat, huh?

We asked our cab driver for a dinner recommendation and he took us to a place out on the last island called Bucanero's. We sat on a lovely patio and feasted on fresh seafood - salmon, shrimp scampi, curried prawns, and grilled octopus (the octopus was perfection on a plate!), all washed down with some unique adult beverages (the Mango Daiquiri was outstanding!) Then it was off to the Hard Rock Casino for some Black Jack and Slots. Not too bad for a first impression!

Monday morning came quickly, and the four of us jumped into a cab and headed over to Casco Viejo, the "old" part of Panama City. We walked around, took some pictures, saw a beautiful cathedral and did some shopping. Then we were hungry! We stopped in at Tantalo's, a cool little place that has a restaurant downstairs, hotel rooms above (this is where we are staying on our next trip!), and a rooftop bar that is open at night. For brunch we had quite a few good things. An omlette with a local type of bread (similar to Native American Fry Bread), and a grilled 3-cheese and bacon sandwich. OMG, that grilled cheese was a marvel! It was made with local cheeses, so there is no way to duplicate it here, although I've tried. Also, the coffee here was outstanding.

Large barge passing through the Panama Canal

We managed a quick trip to go and see the Canal. We had been told there was a restaurant overlooking the Canal that would be a great place to dine. The restaurant itself had been rented out for a private event, but we were offered a table on a patio for drinks and it was amazing. We got to see a large barge passing through, got some good pictures, and enjoyed ourselves immensely. We were lucky enough to be visiting during the 100th year anniversary of the Canal being built.

While strolling around that morning, we happened upon a restaurant called Diablico's. They advertised authentic Panamanian cuisine and it looked really cool, so we decided to hit them up for dinner. We went with the Lechon (a pulled pork dish in a tomato sauce of sorts), a Bisteak (beef steak, in a similar tomato-based sauce), a Ropa Vieja (my golden standard of Latin American cooking), and a fried fish. All were served with rice, beans and

Fried fish, Panamanian style!

tostones/Patacones (deep fried, smashed plantains.) It was wonderful, but be forewarned - fried fish around these parts means head-on, eyes staring at you! The other lady in our group had ordered the fish, and she ended up trading "S" for his Lechon. She couldn't handle the presentation of the dish! Luckily "S" was more than happy to trade. So, we all had a fine dinner, Panamanian style. 

After dinner, our friends returned to the hotel, but "S" and I wandered around the area and found a local little gem of a bar called Cedros. They serve "Gringo" food (pizzas and hamburgers) and keep U.S. sports on the TV. We just had a few drinks. I must say that Panama has the BEST daiquiris that I've ever tasted. Then we wandered along a few blocks more and found Tantalo's again. We were pointed to the rooftop bar, and man...what awesome views! And drinks. And views. Did I mention the views?!? Spectacular!!!

On Tuesday morning, "S" and I decided we wanted to find an authentic Panamanian breakfast/brunch. Oh my goodness, be careful what you ask for! We had searched online for ideas and only found one place that advertised itself as a "brunch" place. So, we grabbed a taxi and told the driver where to go. He had never heard of it. Now, this is either a shining example of how friendly the people in Panama are, or it shows how much they appreciate it when foreigners speak their language (I speak fluent Spanish.) Or, maybe this guy was just super nice...

The sweet guy pulled over, called his wife and had her Google the place. He then called to get directions and they were closed. A brunch place that didn't open until noon! Since we were starving and, well, already kind of just winging it, we told him to take us to a place where the locals eat breakfast. And so he did. 15 minutes later he pulled up to a place with a really cool patio. Guess what? Closed! So, he thought for a minute and then we were off again...

We drove through a few neighborhoods and got a glimpse of the "local" lifestyle. We eventually landed at a place in one of those neighborhoods, called Bon Vivant. The neon sign in the window said "Open", but it looked like there was nobody there. Well, at this point what did we have to lose? So, we paid a whopping $5 (plus a generous tip) cab fare and were dropped off in "No-Man's Land." We walked inside, and the place was absolutely beautiful. Hardwood floors and an upscale cheese and meat case. Over in the far corner there was one large table occupied by about eight loud and obviously drunk men, all talking and singing - in Italian! Quite a bizarre moment. "S" and I just looked at each other and tried not to laugh.

The owner (yes, one of the loud Italian guys) jumped up to greet us. Why, yes, they were open, but none of the staff had yet arrived. So, we were offered a complimentary drinks while we waited. We went with the coffee rather than wine, but I was starting to wonder if wine wouldn't have been better. We sat on the patio (it was a great people-watching perch) and waited. We eventually got our coffee and a menu, although still nobody was there to cook for us. About 30 minutes later, a waiter appeared. "S" ordered a Chef's Speciality Pizza, and I had an Argentinian sausage sandwich with an avocado cream sauce and roasted red peppers. And wine. We had totally earned a glass of wine at this point! It was all very, very good. The pizza had some odd (to us) toppings - Italian cold cuts, corn, artichoke hearts - but it worked.

When we had finished, we hailed a cab back to the hotel. This was when we learned about cab sharing. If there is room for four in a cab but only two are in it, guess what? You will stop and pick up other passengers. Like it or not, you might have company. And you might have to drop them off first, even though you were in the cab first. And you might pick up other passengers. And a 5 minute ride will become a 25 minute ride. But, it's all an experience.

Tuesday afternoon we all visited Panama Viejo. We saw the ruins and visited a market that

Panamanian masks

is run by the native tribes of the area. Then we went back to Casco Viejo to the French Market, which is located outside of the old French Embassy. There is a huge statue with a rooster on top (the rooster is a symbol of France), a beautiful panoramic views of the city and the ocean, and a really cool open-air market. The market is one big walkway covered in pink bougainvillea, with locals selling their crafts. That evening we hit the Hard Rock Hotel for dinner and drinks and the people-watching was fantastic!

On Wednesday, we grabbed some coffee and bagels from the hotel and rented a car. Now, some people will think that we are crazy. Or brave. Or stupid. Maybe all of the above. But, being used to Houston traffic, speaking Spanish, having seen the main routes when in taxis, having GPS and two physical maps in hand, we did it. Not for the faint of heart, but not impossible either. We did get lost in a Barrio before getting out of town, and yes, two police officers on motorcycles jumped out and waved machine guns at us. No Biggie, but a Surprise to say the least!  But, they actually got us back on to the main road, and we made a beeline for the countryside.

Exit roads are not well-marked (if at all!), and if you happen to miss your exit, you will drive 10-15 miles before finding a turn-around. And the speed limit signs are in KM, not MPH. So you are allowed to drive 100-120 KMPH. That was fun, seeing the speedometer hit 120!

We drove to a small mountain community called El Valle de Anton. We had some good leads in terms of food, but for some reason many places were closed on Wednesday. We puttered around, looking for a good meal and we decided on a small mom & pop place on the main road through town. No name, just a lot of cars outside of a house with an open-air patio. We had a couple of beers, then "S" ordered the steak with potatoes and I had the fried chicken. This was probably the MOST authentic meal of our trip. His steak was pounded flat and doused in jarred, minced garlic. Potatoes turned out to be frozen French fries. My chicken was indeed fried, but no batter. Only skin and a few feather plumes remained. I ordered the "bananas" as a side, which, of course, were patacones (smashed and fried plantains). No problem there, but I did wonder about the ketchup packets that I was given. Bananas and ketchup? Was I missing something here?

After lunch, we hit the road and found the local "zoo." We also found Ismael, a local teen, who gave us a tour of the zoo. The zoo was originally a rehab area for a well-known veterinarian. Before that the property had been a loquat orchard. Very interesting. And we got to see the infamous Golden Frog, which is on the endangered list. And there was a chicken coop. To provide food for the other animals. No biggie to us, but folks with children, you have been warned!

After the zoo, we let Ismael take us on a tour. We saw some amazing waterfalls and an honest-to-gosh sloth. Just hanging out. We saw a sloth. Our lives are now complete. Really, it was very cool! Then he took us up to the top of an inactive volcano where we could see the whole town and the surrounding valley. Awesome. Just awesome.

Watch for Part 2 of  "Adventures in Panama" coming soon!

New feature here at 37 Cooks!

Welcome to a new feature here on the 37 Cooks Blog! From time to time we plan to have a "guest blogger"! How cool is that? And while we love sharing our recipes with you all, our guest bloggers will be sharing other stuff! You see, we realized what an interesting bunch we are! We have someone who taps their own maple trees, someone who can teach us all a little something about gluten-free living, and some of us have taken amazing trips and are able to take us on a virtual tour of some of the many places visited. You might even see a feature or two from some of our past sponsors! We are thrilled to kick off our new feature with Matt "Cake Daddy" Baird! He's a very talented guy and you will love his story! ~ Susan

Here I am working on my brother's wedding cake!

I’m Matt Baird (a.k.a. Matt the Butcher; a.k.a. Cake Daddy), a member of 37 cooks. I was flattered to have been asked to write a guest post for our blog! While I love to cook, I’m a butcher by trade and I love answering some of the meat-related questions from my fellow 37 Cooks. I’m also known in some of my food circles as “Cake Daddy”, as I like to decorate cakes (mostly for my family now) but, I used to sell them as a side business. I was asked about how “Cake Daddy” came to be. Most people seem pretty surprised when they discover that I decorate cakes! A big, bald, old guy, covered in tattoos, ridin’ his Harley, that bakes cakes???

I started baking birthday cakes about 35 years ago, when my kids were toddlers. They were just plain, round, two-layer cakes from a boxed mix with canned icing. Of course, when the kids were toddlers they loved that I made their birthday cakes! As they got older and learned to read, they would pick out a special cake that they wanted for their birthday, from the cake decorating books I had lying around. So, I had to practice…a lot! Eventually, as I got to be fairly good at baking and decorating cakes, word got around the small town that we lived in. I started making cakes for friends, and the cakes kept getting a little more fancier (for lack of a better word.) I had a friend that was getting married and he didn’t have a lot of money, so we made a deal. I would make his wedding cake if he bought all of the pans and let me keep them in exchange for the cake. The cake turned out pretty nice, if I do say so myself, and I decided to start selling them to make a little extra money.

Fast forward to my daughter Chrissy’s wedding. I knew that I was gonna make her wedding cake, and I also knew that it would have to be spectacular, no ifs, ands, or buts! Talk about stress! We decided on a nice three-tier cake, but Chrissy was worried that there wasn’t gonna be enough cake for all of her guests (that was the Italian in her coming out…lol.) So, we decided to make a few extra cakes.

Chrissy's Wedding Cake

Here comes the “Cake Daddy” part! Since her wedding was gonna be here in Florida in April, and it was gonna be 85 degrees out, I was worried about the icing melting and running offa the cake. I went onto a popular food site, Serious Eats, where I’ve spent a lotta time chatting with other foodies, and I asked if anyone had a recipe for an icing that would hold up in the hot weather. Well, my screen name obviously gave no clue as to whether I was male or female and a lady on the chat board asked how I, as the mother of the bride, was gonna get the wedding cake done, go to the beauty parlor, get my hair and nails done, all on the morning of the wedding! We had a good laugh when I told her that I was the father of the bride! And so, “Cake Daddy” was born!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this and I hope yous guys enjoyed my rambling!

P.S. When my daughter Chrissy was little, she had a great imagination and she used to like to sprinkle imaginary Fairy Dust all over the place. When I made her wedding cake, I sprinkled glittery sugar crystals (edible Fairy Dust) all over her cake!