What a treat! Both literally and figuratively! I am not a cook, and I am not normally drawn to cookbooks, but with a title of The Panama Canal Zone Cookbook by Matthew D. Armistead, I couldn’t resist. It is a universal truth that food is a potent vessel of nostalgia. Of course, eating the delicious Canal Zone food would definitely bring back memories, just reading the recipes evokes the senses and takes me back home.
Fortunately for me, Matthew’s recipe directions are very clear. In many of the recipes, he even tells you the specific brand name he uses. Thank-you for that! I love that he provides tips and comments to help the non-cook. For example, in his directions for Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce (which is very good, by the way), he writes “Ideally, when poured onto pulled pork it should slide into the cracks and coat the meat. It should not pile up on top of the meat.” Or for the Carne en Palito recipe, he writes “Place the skewers over the hot part of the grill with the bare handles of the skewers resting on the edge of the grill. This will prevent the handles from burning and make it easier to handle them.” Seriously, these tidbits are important information to me. Below his recipe for Balsamic Chimichurri Sauce (yet to make), he provides interesting and helpful information about balsamic vinegars. He details specifications, modifications, substitutions, recommendations, and safety tips, and I felt like he was talking specifically to me—his non-cooking, food-loving fellow Zonian.
The subtitle of Matthew’s book is Back to the Zone; The Multicultural Foods of My Childhood In the Panama Canal Zone. And Matthew delivers. His introduction provides some background of the Canal Zone and his family, and throughout the book, he sprinkles in some nostalgia, memories, and history. So, even if you just read the cookbook, you are going to be transported Back to the Zone. While I am waiting for Matt’s invitation for dinner where I can really sample the recipes, I did make the Gallo Pinto. It was pretty darn good! I can’t wait to try more recipes. I’ll keep you posted.
