Esencias Panameñas

Name: Esencias Panameñas
Address: 2800 10th Street NE, Washington D.C., DC, 20017, US
Telephone: +12024305960
Price range: $$

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Esencias Panameñas

We serve authentic Panamanian cuisine, catering and online pre-orders with heritage recipes and premium ingredients. Order today.

Authentic Panamanian cuisine by Chef Yadira 🇵🇦
Catering for local events & nationwide shipping of frozen & specialty foods
📦 Ships safely to all 50 states | Local pickup available
⬇️ Order online or book your event today

09/17/2026

I don’t just cook Panamanian food. I use food to share where I come from. 🇵🇦❤️

Hispanic Heritage Month is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the cultures, traditions, and stories that make up our Hispanic community—and food is one of the most delicious ways to start that conversation.

As a Panamanian chef, speaker, educator, and culinary storyteller, I love bringing Panama to the table through its food, history, traditions, and the stories behind the dishes.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of sharing Panamanian culture through speaking engagements, culinary demonstrations, and educational programs at libraries, schools, Montgomery County Parks & Recreation, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and other organizations.

So if your school, library, office, or organization is looking for a meaningful way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, let's talk.

It doesn't have to be just a meal. It can be an experience. A conversation. A story. A taste of Panama. 🇵🇦

Because sometimes the best way to learn about a culture is to sit down at the table and taste it. ❤️

09/16/2026

🥑 Happy National Guacamole Day!

We all love avocado in guacamole, but did you know there are so many delicious ways to enjoy it?

Avocado is wonderful in salads, smoothies, sandwiches, on toast, or simply sliced with a little salt and lime. In Panama and throughout Latin America, you'll find plenty of creative ways to enjoy this creamy, versatile fruit.

And, of course, I had to put my own Panamanian twist on guacamole!

I swap the cilantro for culantro and add my homemade Picante Chombo, along with corn and camote (batata/sweet potato). The combination of creamy, sweet, spicy and savory is SO good! 🌽🍠🌶️

Now I'm curious…

How do you like your avocado? Guacamole? Salad? Smoothie? Simply sliced with a little salt? Or do you have another favorite way to enjoy it?

09/15/2026

Who says Panamanian food can’t dress up for a black-tie affair? ✨

This isn’t your everyday plantain tart!

For an elegant black-tie dinner, I took one of my traditional favorites and gave it a little Panamanian couture -- a sweet butter cookie shell, plantain tart filling, whipped cream, and an orejita perched on top. 🇵🇦✨

Traditional flavors. A little imagination. And dressed to impress. 😉

That’s what I love about catering -- you give me the occasion, and I’ll make the food fit the moment.
Request catering at https://esenciaspanamenas.com

09/14/2026

🍹 **Happy National Sweet Tea Day!** 🍹

Today, I’m putting a little **Panamanian twist** on a Southern classic with my **Ginger Sweet Tea!** 🇵🇦❤️

Ginger is a wonderful ingredient that has long been enjoyed in Panamanian cooking and beverages, and it adds a beautiful warmth and gentle spice to a refreshing glass of iced tea.

# # # 🌿 Ginger Sweet Tea

**You’ll need:**
• Black tea
• Fresh ginger
• Water
• Sugar, to taste
• Fresh lime or lemon juice
• Plenty of ice
• Fresh ginger and/or lime slices for garnish

**My tip:** Start by simmering fresh ginger in water to extract all that wonderful flavor. Then add your tea and allow it to steep. Sweeten while the tea is still warm so the sugar dissolves completely. Add a splash of fresh lime or lemon juice, chill, and serve over plenty of ice.

The result is a refreshing glass of sweet tea with a **delicious ginger kick** — a simple way to bring a little taste of Panama to your table! 🇵🇦🍹

So tell me… **how do you like your sweet tea — extra sweet, lightly sweetened, or with a little ginger kick?** 😋

09/12/2026

Are there any food items or ingredients you’ve stopped buying because the price has gotten ridiculous?

Unfortunately, when you’re in the food business, that’s not always an option. 😩

Red Snapper is now $13/lb and oxtails are $11/lb. When shopping and cooking for your household, you can switch ingredients, buy what’s on sale, or simply decide not to make a particular dish. In the food business, however, consistency is important. We have to continue purchasing the same ingredients, regardless of the price.

And remember, I’m Panamanian! I still do things the old-fashioned way. I don’t reach for a bag of Maseca when making tamales, tortillas, or empanadas de maiz. I soak and cook hominy corn and grind it myself with my trusty manual Corona mill clamped to the table. 😂

Food prices may not be going down anytime soon, so we’ve all had to rethink what we buy and how often we make certain favorites.

For those shopping for your family, buying in bulk when things are on sale, portioning, vacuum sealing, labeling, and storing properly can help stretch your food budget.

Now… excuse me while I go check on those oxtails before they need their own mortgage. 😂🤣

09/06/2026

Panamanian cuisine tells the story of Panama. 🇵🇦

Our food reflects the many peoples and cultures that have shaped our country over generations.

At its foundation are the ingredients and traditions of our Indigenous peoples, including maíz (corn), yuca and other native foods. Spanish influences brought new ingredients, techniques and dishes. African and Afro-Caribbean communities added their own traditions, flavors and ways of cooking. And Panama’s history as a crossroads brought even more influences to our tables.

The result? A cuisine that is uniquely Panamanian.

From carimañolas and tamales to arroz con pollo, empanadas, bollos and plantain dishes, our food carries pieces of our history—and the stories of the people who made Panama what it is today.

That is what I love about Panamanian food. It isn't just about what we eat. It's about where we come from, who we are, and the traditions we continue to share. ❤️🇵🇦

What Panamanian dish brings back a memory of home for you?

09/05/2026

Want to bring a taste of Panama into your own kitchen? 🇵🇦❤️

My cookbook, Panama on a Plate: Favorite Foods from My Birthplace, is more than a collection of recipes. It is my love letter to the food, memories, and traditions of the Panama I grew up with.

Inside, you'll find recipes for some of the dishes that have shaped my culinary memories—from Empanadas de Harina (Patí) and Empanadas de Maíz Trillado to Plantintá, tamales, bollos, arroz con pollo, and many other Panamanian favorites.

I wrote this book to help keep these recipes and the stories behind them alive—and to make it possible for you to bring those flavors into your own kitchen.

And if you like a little heat, you can add my Panamanian Picante Chombo to the table! 🌶️🇵🇦

The Picante Chombo is not a recipe in the cookbook—it’s simply another delicious way I share a taste of Panama with you.

📖 Panama on a Plate: Favorite Foods from My Birthplace
🌶️ Panamanian Picante Chombo

Bring a little Panama home. 🇵🇦

09/03/2026

Bring the Flavors of Panama to Your Next Event 🇵🇦 Planning a celebration, corporate gathering, cultural event, or special occasion? Bring the flavors of my homeland to your table with authentic Panamanian dishes prepared from heritage recipes and with the care I bring to everything I cook. From savory carimañolas and arroz con pollo to sweet plantintá (plantain tarts), each dish offers a taste of Panama and the culinary traditions I love to share. And because dietary preferences matter, my catering is always free from pork and shellfish. Whether you're introducing your guests to Panamanian cuisine for the first time or bringing back flavors that remind you of home, I'd love to help make your gathering memorable. View the menu and inquire about catering: https://esenciaspanamenas.com/.

09/01/2026

Customer Spotlight Tuesday! Every special celebration deserves thoughtful planning, great food, and attentive service. We are grateful for the opportunity to help create memorable experiences for our customers and their guests. From milestone birthdays to family gatherings and special events, we take pride in providing catering and event services that help bring every occasion together with care and attention to detail. Thank you to our customers for trusting us to be part of your important moments. Learn more at https://esenciaspanamenas.com/.

08/29/2026

National Chop Suey Day — August 29!** 🇵🇦❤️

Today, I want to take the opportunity to pay homage to an important part of **Panama's culinary heritage: our Asian Panamanian community that has contributed so much to the way we eat.**

When I think about Chinese food in Panama, one of the dishes that immediately comes to mind is "chow mein". But "chop suey" also has a place in our culinary memories and in the Chinese-Panamanian food culture that developed here over generations.

Panama's Chinese community has been part of our country's history since the 19th century, and over time, Chinese culinary traditions became woven into everyday Panamanian life. What emerged was more than simply Chinese food being served in Panama—it became part of **Panama's own diverse gastronomic identity.** 🇵🇦

Although I don't have a chop suey recipe in my ***Panama On A Plate* Cookbook**—my cookbook features my recipe for **chow mein**—I couldn't let National Chop Suey Day pass without recognizing this beloved dish and the people and culture behind it.

Food has a beautiful way of telling our history. **Every plate carries a story of migration, adaptation, family, and community.**

So today, I raise my chopsticks 🥢 to our **Asian Panameños**, whose culinary traditions have become an important and delicious part of who we are as Panamanians.

**Happy National Chop Suey Day!** 🇵🇦🥢❤️

And now I'm curious: **When you think of Chinese food in Panama, what dish brings back memories for you?** Chow mein? Chop suey? Fried rice? Wanton soup? Tell me in the comments!

Address

2800 10th Street NE
Washington D.C., DC
20017

Telephone

+12024305960

Website

http://www.esenciaspanamenas.com/

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