Compare & Contrast

Dulce DeIson

Blog #3: Compare & Contrast

English 105

November 25, 2013

A Comparison of Panamanian Rice & Mexican Rice

            This week I’m going to write about Panamanian rice (Arroz con Pollo) and how it differs from traditional Mexican rice that many people are familiar with.  It’s not just that I grew up eating Panamanian rice that makes me have a preference towards it, but that it’s also been proven to be healthier for you!

I’m certain that most people in my target audience have sampled Mexican style rice before.  Typical Mexican rice starts with a long-grain rice and the liquid component of the dish is either water or water with chicken bouillon cubes.  Fresh vegetables such as diced carrots, minced garlic, and chopped onions are combined with bay leaves and serrano chilies or chili powder to develop the flavor and heat profile of the rice.  Mexican rice gets its distinct red color from the inclusion of tomato paste in the recipe and many recipes include peas to add color, texture and nutrients to the dish.

Panamanian rice is healthier for you because it contains a lot of organic vegetables such as fresh cabbage, carrots, cilantro, garlic, onions, colorful peppers, and ripe Roma tomatoes; the liquid component of Panamanian rice comes in the form of fresh chicken broth and contains no preservatives.  Typically, the chicken is boiled with garlic and onions just prior to cooking the rice so that the broth used in the preparation of the rice is very flavorful and fresh.  With respect to the vegetables, the cabbage is julienned, the carrots are grated, the garlic is minced; the remaining vegetables are chopped to a small dice and the dish is finished with some green olives and fresh, aromatic cilantro on top.  The various cuts of vegetables gives the completed dish a wide of textures to enjoy and is really the ingredient that sets Panamanian rice apart from the rest.  The fresh, organic vegetables give the rice its natural orange / red color and unique flavor, and the combination of those, along with the medium-grain rice and chicken broth makes the Panamanian rice a complete and well balanced meal.

Descriptive Essay

Dulce DeIson

Blog #2: Descriptive Essay

English 105

November 19, 2013

The Best Meal I Ever Ate in Panama

            Earlier this year, I travelled with my family to Panama on vacation and we stayed on the Amador Causeway in Panama City.  When I think of Panamanian food, I of course think of fresh local ingredients, especially seafood from the Pacific Ocean.  We ate seafood everywhere, but the best meal we had was at a restaurant called Restaurante Mi Ranchito also on the Amador Causeway.  Definitely in the tourist part of Panama City, the Amador Causeway and Restaurante Mi Ranchito offers an amazing seaside dining with a backdrop of Panama City and the ships getting ready to pass through the Panama Canal.

We started off our meal with a nice, light Ceviche de Corvina (Corvina, also known as sea bass is an abundant Pacific Ocean fish); with just the right balance of acidity from the lemon & lime juice and a texture like chicken, this dish really allowed the freshness of the fish to shine through.  Our next course was Almejas al Ajillo (clams in garlic sauce); while we ordered this dish at just about every restaurant the entire trip, none were as good as we had at Mi Ranchito.  The “sauce” wasn’t just garlic based but also had some butter and ají chombo, which is similar to a habañero pepper.  The clams were so fresh that you could swear you were tasting the sea with each piece; we also ordered rice and used it to soak up all the garlic sauce once the clams were done.  The last plate we enjoyed was a Calamar al Ajillo (squid in garlic sauce); while similar to the clam sauce except without the ají chombo, the squid was tender and like everything else before it, as fresh as you could ask for.  Of course, we added on the traditional sides of patacón (fried, smashed and refried green plantains) and cassava (fried yucca) which were great to enhance the texture of the dish. 

            I’m not sure I could put a pin in exactly what made this my best meal; I think it had to be the combination of being there with family, the fresh and delicious food, and the great atmosphere and breathtaking scenery.  My only regret from that night is not getting our chef’s name so that the next time we are there, we can request that chef again!

Welcome Message

Dulce DeIson

Blog #1: Welcome Message

English 105

November 15, 2013

About Me

            I come from a family with very strong roots, dedicated to helping each other as well as those in the surrounding community.  I grew up in rural Panamá and was raised by my great grandmother from a very young age.  By the time I reached the age of six, I became cognizant of life around me and my great grandmother (age 60 at the time), instilled in me the importance of helping your family as well as those around you in our simpler way of life.  This included helping her to tend the chickens & pigs that we kept on our land, cultivate our small organic farm and prepare our family recipes from scratch that built complex flavors from our abundant ingredients.  Cooking with my great grandmother really ignited my passion for cooking and played a huge role with why I’m in school now!  My great grandmother was also a community leader and active in local politics which furthered the lessons I learned of helping others and making a better life for them.  When I returned to live with my nuclear family, I took the lessons I learned from my great grandmother and applied them; rising to the challenge to lead the family, helping to raise my six sisters & brothers and get them through school all while going to school myself.  This continues to this day, helping my sisters make a better life for themselves and their families through continuing education & starting small businesses.

            I have always strived to lead by example.  Throughout high school, I was an extremely dedicated & intelligent student, who always at the top of my class and played an active role on the leadership council there.  More recently, I have applied this principle of leading by example to the small business that I have owned & operated.  From my day care to my nail salon, my employees always knew what I expected of them because I was there next to them demonstrating how I expected them to go about their job.  Sure I was the owner and could have just given them instructions, but working side by side earned me their trust, their respect and made them far more successful employees.