I’ve never liked soup. I’ve never been one of those people to get sick and lay, all curled up in my bed, waiting for some lovely woman to bring me warm soup. It just never struck me as a warm and cozy thing. I would have much rathered, for example, that she bring me a high-powered laser pointer to bother people with.

That all being said, it might surprise one to discover I have recently adopted a new favorite food in Panama. Sancocho.

It’s Panama’s traditional soup, with large hunks of root vegetables and chicken swimming in a watery broth which I, until recently found to be bland and well, too hot for sunny days in the tropics.

However, it was a famous hungover morning when my maid prepared sancocho for me (this is a hangover remedy in Panama, equivalent I suppose to your grandmas chicken soup) that I had a soupy revelation.

The broth was spicy and almost red, flavored with achiote. The carrots and yucca were perfectly boiled so that they fell apart into manageable chunks. Atop the soup floated small flecks of mystery spice and beside this heaping bowl sat a nice warm plate of garlic-infused rice. I decided to give it a try seeing as though my state was becoming desperate. It was quite simply amazing.

Much more important than getting over my hangover evolved my new love for sancocho (but ONLY prepared by my maid Deira). It’s a wonderful soup and something I could viably see being brought on mornings when I’m sick. You may not be able to get the full gist of the story by sampling some on the street or even in a restaurant. But if you’re lucky enough to try some down home liquid love, I’d be surprised if you didn’t agree.

This post's rating:

Related Stories

Filed under: Food on March 10th, 2008