Supermarket Tips for Shopping in Panama Part 4 (cuts of meat)

I dread going to the deli or meat counter pretty much every time I make a trip to the supermarket. I think that's why, for the first two years that I lived here, I only bought meat at Pricesmart, where everything is pre-packaged and ready to go. First, there's always a line at the deli and meat counters, and second, I didn't know what half the cuts were, so I would usually just pick out whatever looked nice. Then, once I figured out what I wanted, I'd have to call out to the butcher what it was that I wanted to order, with Panamanians lined up all around me. In my broken Spanish, I always felt embarrassed. I sometimes still do. 

Well...until I start working on my Spanish a little more, that part of the equation isn't going to change. However, learning the cuts of meat helps a lot. So that's what I'll be focusing on in this installment of supermarket tips for shopping in Panama.

I wasn't kidding when I said the hot dog aisle was overwhelming

I guess I'll start with chicken. First, let's just make sure that everyone knows that chicken in Spanish is pollo. Knowing that is the first step to not sounding like a schmuck at the counter. Trust me, even if you do speak Spanish, with the gringo accent thrown in, half the time it's still hard to get your point across. So if you don't want to be standing at the counter, surrounded by Panamanians, flapping your arms up and down doing the chicken dance to explain that you just want some chicken wings, then make sure you're comfortable with the list I'll provide you below. The prices are always by the pound here. If you look closely to the signs, in the bottom right corner, it tells you what the kilogram equivalent is (some Panamanians will order by the kilogram).  

Muslo Encuentro - This is the thigh attached to the leg, like you see in the photo above on the far left side. So if you know your numbers, you can simply point and say cuatro de muslo encuentro. 

Encuentro de Pollo - This is just the thigh. If you wanted the boneless thigh, which you see sometimes at the meat counter, but almost always in the pre-packaged chicken, you'd be looking for filete de encuentro de pollo. Same with chicken breast, filete means boneless. 

Pechuga de Pollo - This is chicken breast. Usually you can get away with just saying the number and pechuga since chicken breast is the only kind of breast you're likely to buy. So "dos pechugas" should be fine. Or if you want to order by the pound, you would say something along the lines of, "Tres libras de Pechuga de Pollo, por favor." This would be "3 pounds of chicken breast, please."

Muslo de Pollo - This is the chicken leg all by itself. You don't see it in the picture above, as they were all out of chicken legs this day. I made the mistake of going to the store on the day before carnaval started, the day when most of the meat was wiped out. 

Alas de Pollo, sometimes referred to as alitas - This is chicken wings. 

Filete de Pechuga - As I mentioned a little higher up in this post, filete de pechuga is boneless chicken breast. 

Pollo Entero - This is whole chicken. So if you wanted a chicken to bake or to chop up for soup, this is what you'd buy. Most of the time, this chicken will come with the neck and head still attached. I usually ask them to chop it off for me, which I do by signaling with a karate chop to my own neck. Either they get it right away, or think I'm slightly insane. I don't like looking my food in the eye, so I feel much better having them take the head off. 

Let's move on to pork. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get many pictures of pork. As you can see in the photo above, it was slim pickins. 

Chuletas Frescas - This is fresh pork chops (uncooked). If you wanted to order boneless pork chops you'd ask for chuletas deshuesadas.

Costillas de Puerco - This is pork ribs. 

Chuleta Ahumada - This is smoked pork chop. Panamanians usually buy these for a quick meal. You just toss them around in a frying pan with a little bit of oil until they're nicely colored (a dark pink). 

Lomo de Cerdo, same as Lomo de Puerco - This is pork tenderloin. 

Tocino - This is bacon. Most Panamanians will call it bacon too.

Moving on to meat. This is where most of us get confused. You can usually look at pork chops and know they're pork chops. You know a chicken leg or a wing when you see one. However, meat kind of all looks the same...at least to me it does. So I'll do my best to roundup a definition of all the meats you might see a the butcher here in Panama. 

Pulpa Negra - This is on the far right in the photo above. Pulpa Negra is the same as top round, and it's one of the most popular cuts in Panama. My mom-in-law cooks nothing but pulpa negra. It's what she uses when she fries carne (meat) and when she cooks it up with tomatoes, onions, green peppers, etc. 

Pulpa Blanca - This is on the far left in the photo. I've had a hard time figuring out what pulpa blanca is exactly, and I don't think I've ever bought it, but from what I gather, it's bottom round, which I guess makes sense if pulpa negra is top round. 

This is the same picture, but from the other side, so you can see pulpa blanca a little better on the far left side. 

Babilla - is in the photo, the second from the left, and this is rump steak from what I could gather. 

Rincon - is the next one over in the photo. You can see it a little bit better in the other photo, next to pulpa negra. To be honest with you, I'm not sure what this one is. I'll have to ask the butcher next time I'm at the store. Sorry, guys. I want to say that it's probably shoulder (or sirloin), but I'm not sure on that. I've tried looking it up online and the word means "corner," but as far as being a cut of meat, it seems to be a Panamanian thing. 

Milanesa - is thin cut round steak. I usually pick up a pack or two of Milanesa when I'm at Pricesmart. It is really thin though. I like it for stir fry and stuff like that. To me, it's almost the same as pulpa negra, but I think just a little bit thinner. 

Carne Molida - This is ground beef. 

Ropa Vieja - Translated this literally means old clothes. Sounds gross, I know, but it's one of my favorite things to eat in Panama. The cut of meat is just flank steak, but when it's cooked, it's usually shredded, almost like pulled pork. It's excellent. 

Lomo Redondo - Lomo, just like with pork, is tenderloin. So this would be meat tenderloin. 

Palomilla - This is beef loin sirloin. 

Falda - This is flank steak. 

Carne para Guisar - Usually you'll see this meat chopped up in chunks, or cubes. It's basically meat used for soups or stews. 

Bistec Picado - This is steak chopped up into little strips, ready for stir-fry.

My daughter trying her darndest to order meat for the family

The cuts listed above are the ones that I see in the regular supermarkets here. They're everywhere. In the El Machetazo in Coronado, the meat department actually posts signs in English next to the Spanish. It's the only store I've come across that does this. If I lived closer to Coronado I would've just run into the store to prepare for this article. Most of the local stores here will only have the signs in Spanish. Now, I'm going to list a bunch of other cuts you might see in the store, but they're not as common. I'm just going to put quick definitions here, with no photos. 

Paleta en Trozo - Chuck arm pot roast

Bistec de Planchuela - Chuck top blade steak

Paleta del 7 en Trozo - Chuck 7-Bone pot roast

Costillar Punta Pequeña - Rib roast

Bistec de Lomo - Top loin (strip) steak

Filete en Trozo - Tenderloin roast

Bistec de Filete - Tenderloin steaks

Pecho Entero - Brisket, whole

Pecho, Corte - Brisket, flat cut

Bistec de Centro - Top round steak

Milanesa de Pulpa Bola - Round tip steak

Pulpa Bolo en Troza - Round tip roast

Bistec Suavizado - Cubed steak

Tiritas de Carne - Beef for stir-fry


Wow, ok, I don't ever want to do that again. That wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, haha. That ends this article on supermarket tips for shopping in Panama. I know a lot of people were looking forward to this article. I hope I was able to meet your expectations. I might be adding a couple more articles to this segment. I'm thinking about a vegetable article and maybe a trip to the deli article. Let me know if those would be helpful or a waste of time.  

Thanks for reading,

Chris

Supermarket Tips for Shopping in Panama Part 3 (drinks)

I'm getting a great response from these supermarket tips articles. I really do appreciate everyone who has commented and emailed me directly. This installment will cover drinks, everything from juices to coffee to milk to alcoholic beverages. If you can drink it, I'll try to mention it. I'll start with leche or milk.

Tetrapak Milk

La Chiricana - Straight from the interior of this country comes my favorite milk, the red and white box with the cow on the front, La Chiricana. This milk only comes "whole" so it's not the best option for anyone looking for fat free or slim. It comes in a Tetrapak, so it doesn't need to be refrigerated. I was a little bit weary about drinking milk that didn't need to be refrigerated, but my whole Panamanian family drinks it and I just eventually followed suit. All milk here tastes a little bit different from what I was used to back in the States. However, La Chiricana grew on me quickly. To this day, it's the only milk I can drink straight from a glass. I love milk, and this one, when cold, tastes great. 

You'll notice the price tag in the photo. $1.35 for a quart of milk isn't cheap. Milk period isn't cheap in Panama. I'm not sure what a gallon goes for in the States, but I'm pretty sure it didn't cost over $5, which is what a gallon would cost if you picked up 4 of these cartons. I'll get to refrigerated milk in a second, but an actual gallon here costs about $4.65. I'm curious. Can someone reading this please comment on the cost of a gallon of whole milk wherever you're from?

Lactose Free Milk

Dos Pinos Brand Lactose Free Milk - If your'e lactose intolerant, like my wife, you won't find many lactose free options in Panama. Not unless you shop in speciality stores. You might find more options in stores like Deli Gourmet, which is like a mini-Whole Foods here. My wife has tried the couple of brands out there for lactose-free milk, and she swears by the one in the photo above. She likes the semidescremada, which is like semi-skimmed milk. It's her favorite, but again, not super cheap. $1.69 for this little carton isn't a great deal. 

Since she doesn't drink whole glasses of milk and just uses it for coffee or cereal, it lasts a little longer than our family's whole milk, so it's ok. 

Refrigerated Milk

Estrella Azule's D'oro milk - This is my favorite refrigerated milk and costs about $4.69 per gallon. I like the red La Chiricana milk better, but if I know that I want cold milk for something right away, or I can't find the other, or I just want to save a dollar on a gallon, I'll buy this one. 

My biggest complaint with milk in Panama is that the taste isn't consistent. One gallon of this D'oro milk will taste great right out of the glass. Then, the next one I buy, might taste a little strange. Not bad, just not great all by itself. A little chocolate poured in might doctor it up, but I like just plain ol' milk right out of the glass. Still, of all the milk I've tried, this is the best refrigerated one. I drink whole milk, so unfortunately I can't tell you much about the tastes of the others. 

Instant Coffee

Duran Cafe Instant Coffee - I'm always on the run it seems, so I like instant coffee. I like to throw a mug of water into the microwave, heat it up for a minute, then dump a couple teaspoons of this stuff in, mix it up, add a little cinnamon, pour in a couple packets of Dulce artificial sweetener, throw it over some ice, and off I go.

Anyone who has read my past posts knows that I'm a fan of Starbucks. Duran is the Starbucks of Panama. They have several very nice cafes in town, and it's the only coffee that really wakes me up. The jar above is the medium sized one (85g), and costs $4.29. The best place to buy this instant coffee is at Pricesmart, where you can pick up the large one for just over five bucks. 

Regular Coffee

Duran Cafe Puro - If instant coffee isn't your thing, and you're one of those people who just love to have the scent of fresh brewed coffee wafting through your home, then try out the traditional Duran coffee. You can pick up a 425g bag for about $4.89. Of course, if you live in Boquete and you're reading this, you might disagree. A lot of people in Boquete grow their own coffee, so you might be able to pick up something super fresh for a lot less money. 

Passion Fruit Juice

Estrella Azul Brand Maracuya Juice - The first time I visited Panama, about 12 years ago, I fell in love with this juice. I'd never tasted anything like it. It's still a staple in the Powers home. Maracuya juice is the same thing as passion fruit juice. For the longest time they didn't carry it in the States. Then I saw that Welch's started carrying passion fruit juice. If you've never tried this stuff, you need to give it a try. It's really sweet though. My wife adds a little bit of water to hers. You can pick up a cold half gallon for $2.09.

Apple Juice

Jumex Apple Juice - Apple juice is crazy expensive in Panama. The best place to pick up what you're used to is Pricesmart, where you can find two huge jugs of Mott's apple juice bundled together for about $11. My problem is, with four kids, I don't have time to run to Pricesmart every time we run out of juice. So I tried buying a few of the Panamanian brands, and they all tasted funny to me. It was like apple candy in a jug. 

Finally, I stumbled on this Jumex apple juice. It's the closest thing to Mott's, and a heck of a lot less expensive. A liter of this juice costs about $1.05. It's sweet, but at least it actually tastes like apple juice and not apple drink. Make sure you pick up the apple juice or Jugo de Manzana. If you by Nectar de Manzana you're going to get that thick nectar. The cartons look identical, so make sure the one you buy says jugo or juice. Oh, and the Jumex jugo de uva (grape juice) is probably the closest thing you'll find, in taste, to Welch's grape juice, for cheap.

Other juices

Del Monte Juices - When you first move to, or visit Panama, you might find yourself shocked by the juice aisles. Other than the strange mixes, like Strawberry Kiwi, you find in the U.S., the juice flavors are pretty consistent. You're probably used to seeing apple, orange, pineapple, grape...and that's probably about it, right? Not here.

Panamanians drink pear juice, peach juice, mango juice, guava/guayaba juice, papaya juice, passion fruit juice...and just about everything else. The Del Monte brand juices are usually pretty good. They're thick though and sweet. Melocoton (or peach juice) tastes to me like I'm sipping cold peach cobbler. I'm still not used to it, but the kids love it. My kids love the mango juice too. My favorites are Piña (pineapple), Ponche de Frutas (fruit punch), and mango. These are usually about $1.35 per liter. They're great for kids' school lunches too and cost about 38 cents for the kid juice box size. 

Sugar-Free Drink Mix

Clight - I'm always on the lookout for sugar-free stuff. Someone just wrote me an email yesterday asking about the availability of diet sodas here. When I first moved here, nearly four years ago, Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi (Coca-Cola Lite and Pepsi Lite here) were the only two diet sodas available. Riba Smith slowly started to add more diet sodas to their aisle. Diet A&W Root Beer, Diet 7-Up, Sprite Zero, Diet Dr. Pepper, and even Diet Mountain Dew showed up. Now, may of the Super 99, Rey, and El Machetazo supermarkets also carry more options for diet sodas. At somewhere between $.65 and $.89 per can, these diet sodas aren't what you'd consider affordable though. 

It's amazing what you'll pay here that you'd never pay in the States. A 12-pack of soda here costs almost $8. I think I used to pay like $4 back in Ohio. People usually just buy the 2-liter bottles (for about $1.89), and for those your options drop back down to Coca-Cola Lite, Pepsi Lite, and sometimes Coke Zero. 

Other sugar-free drink options are very limited. You'll see Crystal Light here, but it's pretty expensive. So one day...while holding a tube of Crystal Light in my hand, I noticed that parked right next to it was something called Clight, which has Splenda in it. A packet of Clight, which is really two packs in one, each side having enough powder for 1 Liter, costs only 69 cents. I usually just pour both packs into a gallon and fill it up. It comes out a little bit watered down, but I'm not into super sweet drinks anyway, so it works out for me. You'll find strawberry, orange, tangerine, lime, and green tea flavors. There may be more. 

Local Beer

Balboa Beer - I love my Coors Light, which you can pick up for about $.65 per can or I think about $.75 per bottle. If you want to stay on the more affordable side of things, try to get used to local beers. Balboa seems to be the manly beer here in Panama. It's the party beer. Of the Panamanian beers, it's probably my favorite. 

Local Beer

Atlas Beer - I consider Atlas to be like Balboa's little sister. They're made by the same company, and since Panama doesn't really have any light beers, Atlas is probably the closest you'll find. You'll notice that both Balboa and Atlas can be picked up for $.49 per can, which comes out to about $3 per 6-pack or $6 for a 12-pack. That's not bad at all. A 12-pack of Coors Light comes out to just over $8.

Local Beer

Panama Beer - This is the rival to Balboa and Atlas. I kind of like Panama, and for awhile, it was my second choice (after Coors Light of course). It's listed at $.53 per can. 

Soberana Beer - When I first visited Panama, about 12 years ago, this was "the beer." It's what everyone at the bars and nightclubs was drinking. I remember buying everyone a round at one of the bars I visited. Then, when I moved back here many years later, I only saw Balboa, Atlas, and sometimes Panama. Apparently, Soberana got pushed to the side for some reason. It's still around, but you won't see nearly as many billboards advertising the stuff. During this visit to the supermarket, it was was priced at $.58 per can. 

Imported Beer

Imported Beer - You have to be careful when picking up imported beer. I got excited the first time I walked down a Riba Smith beer aisle and saw beers I hadn't had in so long. I put a few bottles of Yuengling into my car, then nearly fainted when I saw the shelf and realized that each of those beers was about $2. I took the above photo two days ago in Riba Smith. It was the Dolphins logo that originally caught my eye. Miami Dolphins...in Panama? Then...Bud Light...in Panama? Coors Light and Miller Light are the two main American brands here. Other imported beers you'll commonly see are Hamm's, Milwaukee's Best, Budweiser, Heineken, and Corona. For other brands you'll have to check Riba Smith, but make sure you're comfortable with the price per bottle/can before you start stocking up. $1.75 for one can of Bud Light is nuts. 

Sangria

Sangria - If you're not a beer drinker, you have to try sangria. It's very popular here in Panama, and can be found at every party. It's cheap too. The two brands in the photo above are the brands my family members pick up and bring to the party. Usually they'll mix one of these boxed wines with chopped up apples and grapes and serve. Some people add a little bit of white wine, rum, or passion fruit juice to the mix. Look at the prices in the picture. A liter of Don Simon is only $2.19. My wife complains that the Don Simon one is too sweet. The Penasol Sangria is only $3.19. Of course, you'll find many many other brands of Sangria, but these are the affordable ones. 

Local Rum

Ron Abuelo - Ron Abuelo is Panamanian rum, Panama's answer to Captain Morgan or Bacardi (both of which are also popular here, but not as affordable as Ron Abuelo). Ron Abuelo can be picked up for about $7.19 per liter. 

Local Alcohol

Seco Herrerano - Every country has its own "drink you have to stay away from." In Korea, it was Soju. Here, it's Seco. I've tried it once, but just a little. It's triple distilled from sugarcane usually mixed with fruit juice, soda, or sipped straight. It's strange stuff too. I was at a party once and watched a friend of mine staggering around, leaning on people, like he wouldn't last another five minutes...then five minutes later it was like he hadn't been drinking at all. I think he was just an odd fella. It probably had nothing to do with the drink, but the fact that he kept yelling "Woohoo Seco!" made me think Seco was to blame. 

If you can handle it, you won't find a less affordable, quite as powerful drink here in Panama. For only $5.59 you can pick up a liter of Seco Herrerano...but buyer beware. 

Ok, I think that covers most of the drinks in Panama. If anyone has anything to add, please do so in the comments section. The next installment will be on the cuts of meat here in Panama, something that has probably baffled many of us expats at some point in time. 

Thanks for reading,

Chris

Supermarket Tips for Shopping in Panama Part 2 (food)

A couple of days ago, I wrote about cleaning agents and condiments, in my attempt to share some of the items I've learned to buy here in Panama, to save a little bit of money. When talking about living in Panama, people love to mention how affordable life is. It can be. But it can also be much more expensive than what you were used to back home. Imported goods are not cheap. So you have to learn to pick and choose. Figure out which imported items you can't live without. For the rest, try to buy local things to save money. 

In this post I'll concentrate on food. Here's a list of edible items I've slowly caught onto over the past 3+ years of living in Panama City. I'll start with some of the essentials, then move on to snacks and breakfast foods.

Egg bread

Rimith Moña de Huevo - Moña de Huevo, or egg bread, costs about $1.79 for the loaf you see in the above photo. I got turned on to this the first time I visited Panama. This is the type of bread commonly used to make derretidos (basically paninis) or sandwiches squished and grilled. This bread is so good you can eat it right out of the pack. Try it out. 

Cereal

Kiggins Corn Flakes - I love cereal. Finding out recently that I'm beginning stages diabetic has forced me to cut back on all the sugary sweets I love. It's hard to find cereal that's not covered in sugar. Now, I'm not saying that corn flakes is the healthiest cereal out there, but with a little bit of artificial sweetener, it's not nearly as bad as a bowl of Captain Crunch. 

Panamanian supermarkets tend to have several brands of corn flakes. You'd think that the original Corn Flakes, the one with the rooster on the box, would be the best out there. I've tried it and didn't like it at all. Like many other (non imported) brands you're familiar with, it tastes different, and it was paper thin. So I tried some of the generic brands. Some had flakes as hard as rocks and some tasted like cardboard. Then I found the corn flakes shown in the photo above. These are the only ones I like, and they're always on sale for just over two dollars. These ones are made by Kiggins, which is displayed in a little red rectangle at the top center of the box. 

Artificial Sweetener

Dulce - So what should you put on top of your corn flakes? I was a big fan of Splenda back in the States (yes, I know, I'm sure plenty of you reading this are just dying to give me a hard time about how Splenda is part rat poisoning and all that, but sugar will kill me now...and Splenda will at least take awhile). It didn't take long for me to look for an alternative to Splenda. A box of 50 packets here costs $6.95. That's crazy. So I tried out this brand called Dulce by Rikas (which I believe is the same Rika that makes the caldo de pollo seasoning I mentioned in my last post). I think Dulce tastes the same, if not better, than Splenda, and a box of 50 packets costs only $2.39. Some times Dulce is hard to find. The box is yellow and is usually squeezed in somewhere next to Splenda, so look carefully. 

Rice

Del Oro Rice - I don't eat rice much anymore. At least I try not to. And to be honest with you, I'm not sure that I can tell the difference between one brand of rice and another. My family can though. God forbid I pick up a cheap, strange brand of rice. At some point, I was told that I was only allowed to buy the rice with the parrot on the front. So...apparently, Del Oro rice, with the bird on the front, is the way to go. You can pick up a 5 pound bag for about $3.39.

Eggs

Melo Eggs - Like rice, I can't tell you the difference between eggs. I've started picking up this 18 pack of eggs though (remember I have 4 kids so eggs disappear quickly) for $3.39. One thing about eggs here that I found interesting, and a bit strange, is that Panamanians don't usually refrigerate eggs. They're sold on a regular shelf, like any other item in the store. Something else different, is that the expiration date is printed on each individual egg, not on the package like back in the States. 

Cheese

Nestle Americano Cheese - I was a fan of Kraft American cheese back in the States. I usually picked up a large package at Costco. You can find Kraft at Pricesmart here (which is the Panama version of membership shopping) and even at Riba Smith (but you'll pay a fortune for it). I started buying Nestle Americano cheese. It's great. A 12-pack of individually wrapped slices like you see in the photo above goes for $2.79. 

If you like deli cheese, you have to try the popular brand here in Panama, called Cremoso. Don't stand at the deli and try to figure out which one you want to buy, because I swear, there are like 10 different cheeses that say Cremoso. I watched and studied how Panamanians order cheese, and probably 90% of them just walk up to the counter and ask for Cremoso. The person behind the counter knows which Cremoso to get. I guess Cremoso is American cheese...but it's kind of softer, almost like Velveeta. It's delicious though. I eat it plain, right out of the fridge. 

Tuna

Port Side Chunk Light Tuna (in water) - I grew up eating a lot of canned tuna. One of my favorite dishes growing up, and one that I've started making for my kids, is my mama's tuna casserole. Tuna doesn't really qualify as cheap anymore though. I think Starkist and Chicken of the Sea go for a little over $1.30 per can, which adds up when you need at least 5 cans for a casserole.

I tried a few Panamanian brands, but most of them aren't very affordable. They seem to rival the American brands. Something else you might find strange, is the large variety of canned tuna here. Panamanian supermarkets sell tuna with vegetables mixed in, tuna with garlic, tuna with all kinds of stuff. Finally, I found the tuna in the photo above. Only $.90 per can.

Plantain Chips

Pro brand Platanos - If you don't already love plantains, you'll find that they'll grow on you the longer you stay in Panama. Plantain chips are almost as popular as potato chips here. The problem is, most of the ones you find in the supermarket, or sold at street side vendor carts, are just smothered in grease. You can look at the package and just see the grease in the chips. My wife's friend, Jennifer, goes to the gym all the time and watches what she eats. She turned us on to these chips. They're delicious, 0g trans fat, gluten free, and no cholesterol. Pro brand sells them in three flavors (sweet plantain chips, regular salted, and our favorite, the lime and salt ones). You'll only find them in personal sized bags. The one in the photo above costs only 79 cents, but you'll be surprised how many chips are squeezed into this small bag. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chokis or Mini-Chokis - These things are awesome. I have to steal a cookie or two every once in awhile from my kids. If you like the original Chips Ahoy (not the soft ones as these are quite hard), you'll like Chokis. Chips Ahoy go for about $4 per pack, sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the store. The package shown in the photo above comes with 5 packs of I think 6 cookies, about the same size as Chips Ahoy cookies, for only $1.59. They're really good, kind of like Famous Amos cookies. At Pricesmart they sell boxes of school-size packs of mini chokis for I think around $3. 

Crackers

Crisp crackers - Panamanians don't waste money on Ritz. You will find Ritz here in the supermarkets, but they go for between $3.50 and $4 a pack. These Crisp crackers are just as good and cost much less. The packages shown in the photo above cost only $1.85. 

Tortillas

El Antojo tortillas de maiz - I've written about tortillas before. I was addicted to these things when I first moved here. I love all kinds of tortillas, especially Mexican ones, and these are much different. They're thick, corn tortillas. Cooking them is easy. You simply heat oil in a skillet, maybe a half an inch deep. When the oil is really hot, use tongs (makes it easier) and place the tortilla into the oil. Keep touching the center of the tortilla with the tongs until the center is no longer soft. That's when you turn it over. Fry the other side just until it's slightly golden. Take it out and let it sit on a paper towel to soak up the excess grease. 

The most popular tortillas you see in all the stores is the Rimith brand (same brand as the egg bread I mentioned earlier). I started off with these ones, but I found the ones in the photo above, which are sold at Rey supermarkets. They're cheaper (only $1 for 12) and cook better. Rimith ones seem to get hard and burn faster. These El Antojo ones turn out great. 

Empanadas

Delicias Mi Casita - Panamanians love fried food, especially for breakfast. Empanadas are a staple here and can be found in every restaurant and at tons of street vendors. If you want to try them out at home, you'll find both maiz (corn) and flour empanadas. I like the flour ones. You cook them much the same as the tortillas, but they cook quicker...and burn just as fast, so be careful. You put them in oil just until the under side turns lightly golden, then turn and do the same on the other side. Be careful though, lightly golden turns to dark brown and black super fast.

I can't really tell you my favorite brand of flour empanadas, because I haven't tried enough of them to say. The brand in the photo above is ok. You can get a 6-pack for $1.69. Queso (cheese), carne (meat), and pollo (chicken) are the three options from this brand. They're kinda stingy on the stuffing though. 

Sliced Pork

Filete de Cerdo Ahumado by American Star - Bacon isn't very affordable in Panama. Pricesmart is probably the only place to buy reasonably priced bacon. For that reason, I started looking for alternative meat products to add to breakfast. These sliced, smoked (which is what ahumado means) pork slices are awesome. You just toss them in a frying pan with a little bit of oil. Sounds horrible, I know, lots of greasy breakfast items here, but I'm just showing you some of the things you can try out. The package you see in the photo goes for $2.95. 

Chorizos

Kiener Chorizos - I don't remember ever having the options for hot dogs, chorizos, and sausages that I have here in Panama. It's crazy. I think there may be more options for hot dogs than there are for feminine hygiene products. Seriously. I stand there looking dumbfounded every time I approach this section of the supermarket. Where do you begin? I'm still trying to figure out the best hot dogs to buy. I kind of like the Hormel Smokies. 

One more meat used for breakfast here is the chorizo. Yes, it's grilled and put in buns, just like everywhere else in the world, but if you want to fry some up to go with breakfast, the best I've found is the Kiener Chorizons shown above for $2.99.

Chorizos

Berard Honey and Apple Chorizos - For non-breakfast chorizos (they're good with breakfast too, actually) you just have to try these honey and apple chorizos. I was at a party the first time I tried them. It's common here, at parties, to put chorizos on wooden sticks, and then slice the chorizos with a knife in a sort of spiral motion, so that when you eat it, you can easily just pull pieces off of the stick. 

Like this

At this family party, I tried one of these chorizos on a stick, and was blown away. I kept asking, "What kind of chorizos are these?" until I finally found out they were Berard brand's honey and apple chorizos. You have to try these grilled, either on a stick, or in a bun. Trust me. You'll thank me later. 

Thanks for reading supermarket tips part 2. In the next installment I'll cover brands of beer, other alcoholic beverages, juices, milk and other things you can drink. 

Chris

Supermarket Tips for Shopping in Panama Part 1 (cleaning agents and condiments)

I was shopping the other night, kind of late, trying to relax and take my time. As I was restocking the entire house (it was one of those times when it seemed we were out of EVERYTHING), I started thinking about all of the items I've learned to buy over my 3+ years living here. I've definitely learned to bargain shop. 

When I first arrived in Panama, most of my supermarket shopping was done at Riba Smith, the most Americanized grocery store here. That's where you'll find the widest aisles with the most imported goods. It was (and I think still is) the only supermarket to stock Mountain Dew. The problem with shopping at Riba Smith is that you tend to pick up everything you're familiar with, and that can become quite costly. I still zip over to RS whenever I want to find a variety of diet sodas or a can of Libby's sausage gravy (for biscuits and gravy), but other than for the special items, I try to buy the local things when I can. 

So here's a list of items I've learned to buy at the Rey supermarket or Super 99 here in Panama. Try some of them out. You may not fall in love with them the way I have, but you'll definitely save money. 

I'll start with the cleaning supplies and then move on to condiments. All of these prices were found at the Rey supermarket in Chanis.

Paper Towels

Holiday Eco - I started picking up these paper towels while searching out a brand that wouldn't cost as much as Bounty, but would do the job. When I first moved here, I'd either buy everything at Riba Smith or for bulk items go to Pricesmart. I think, in the end, you save money buying in bulk at Pricesmart (which is the Costco or Sam's Club here), but buying a $20 pack of Bounty paper towels can hit your wallet pretty hard. These Holiday Eco (I think of them as the bright blue and orange pack) serve the purpose. I usually pick up a 2-pack for $1.86. Try them out. If you don't like them, you wasted $1.86 and you can go back to Bounty. 

Toilet Paper

Familia Acolchado - I stumbled upon this toilet paper while staying at hotel in Portobelo, on the Caribbean side of Panama. Before this, I'd been buying the huge mega-pack of Charmin at Pricesmart, for I think around $12, probably more. I wasn't a big fan of the plain Charmin on sale and Scott, to me feels like I'm wiping my butt with notebook paper most of the time. My wife was the first to mention the toilet paper at the Portobelo hotel. I probably would have never noticed. I guess she takes her tush paper a little more seriously than I do. Ever since she mentioned it, I haven't stopped buying this stuff. So the extra large size, 4-roll pack costs $3.19. You can find the 4-pack of regular sized rolls (which I had to buy for awhile as the extra grande size wouldn't fit in my tp dispenser) for about $2.69. 

Trash Bags

Vikingo - After getting frustrated with the BS on the side of the Hefty box I'd pick up from Pricesmart, that claimed to be super-strong trash bags and cost about $12 for about $100 bags (which is a great deal if you look at it long term), I looked for an alternative. I got tired of my Hefty bags falling apart every time I took out the garbage. So I just started picking up my trash bags a week at a time. This Vikingo brand you see in the photo above costs $1.35 for the 33 gallon size I usually buy. The pack comes with only 6 bags, but for most people, not having 4 kids like me, that will easily last over a week. The package you see in the picture is the 13 gallon "grande" size and only costs 73 cents. 

Floor Cleaner

Fabuloso -  If you don't want to spend all your money on Pine-Sol or one of the other more expensive brands, get used to cleaning with items Panamanians use. Fabuloso works wonders and smells great. You can pick up a gallon size jug for only $5.15. If you don't need a gallon, stores sell several smaller sizes. 

Liquid Dish Soap

Vel - Vel was one of my best friends when I had to clean baby bottles, and with twin infants, I spent a good majority of my time when I first moved here, at the kitchen sink, scrubbing bottles. My wife just looked over my shoulder at this post and informed me that Vel is also a favorite soap for washing cars here in Panama. The bottle you see above is the medium-size bottle, 600 ml, for $2.89.

Dish Soap

Sip - Vel is good for washing dishes, but seems to disappear too quickly, and it doesn't seem strong enough for pots & pans. I've started using Sip, which is like a dish-soap paste. You'll see one of the other brands, Axon, all over Panama, and especially at Pricesmart. I tried Axon first, and it was hard as a rock, plus, it was crazy strong. I don't usually wear gloves when I wash dishes, so Axon tore my hands up. They were all dry, cracked, and even bleeding in some spots. It was like I was using battery acid to wash the dishes. Sip is much softer when you first open it, which makes it easy to smear onto a sponge (add a little water to the top if it's not soft enough) and it's much easier on the hands. For a 1,000g tub, which is the largest size, you can expect to pay about $2.59.

Hot Sauce

D'elidas - Moving on to condiments, let me just start by saying, I love spicy food. I was having a hard time settling on one hot sauce that I really liked until I visited a restaurant in La Boca, Panama, called...well...La Boca restaurant.  My wife picked up this bottle that was sitting on the table and said, "This is the stuff everyone always talks about." She started telling me how people at work bring a bottle with them to sprinkle onto their food at lunchtime. So I tried it on my pork chops that day and loved it. Now, I see the stuff everywhere. It can be found on the table at most local restaurants. It's not super cheap though. This small bottle costs $2.59. 

Cooking Sauces

Sansae sauces - My mother-in-law used to smuggle this stuff into the U.S. whenever she visited. Salsa Inglesia is the same thing as Worcestershire sauce. Salsa China is soy sauce. Salsa Condimentada...I don't know what the hell that stuff is, but it smells great when you cook with it. My wife's family uses all three for just about everything they cook. They'll sprinkle a little from each bottle onto meat, chicken, fish...everything. I've gotten used to doing the same thing. These small bottles (10.5 oz or 310ml) cost only $1.89 each. You can find them sold together, wrapped in bundles too. At Pricesmart they sell a pack that comes with the three of these, plus Salsa Criollo (hope I spelled that right) and it costs about $7. 

Seasoning Powder

Caldo de Pollo - These packets are very popular here in Panama. Several companies make them, but the one my family sticks with is the Rika brand. We only use Caldo de Pollo, but you'll see in the grocery store all kinds of others. I think there's a chicken and garlic one, one with pepper in it, one with onion...I buy the packets you see above for 59 cents and it comes with 5 packets. My family sprinkles at least a half a packet into almost everything they cook. I use a whole packet for my ground beef for spaghetti. It just kind of adds a little bit of flavor to everything. Panamanians also use it to turn their rice yellow. So when you see arroz con pollo (or chicken with rice) and it's yellow with chicken and vegetables mixed in, chances are, whoever cooked it sprinkled some caldo de pollo into the mix. I've even started putting it in my tuna casserole, just to kick it up a notch and give it a more creamy yellowish look.

Chicken Bouillon

Maggi Gallinita - Maggi makes a lot of stuff here. The Maggi ketchup is popular in Panama, and very cheap compared to the American brands. I like my Heinz though and stick with that. My family uses these packets of chicken bouillon. I've never cooked with the stuff, so I suppose you'd use it for whatever you used it for back home. Panamanians put it in their soup, sometimes in beans, and sometimes they even squish it into other things they're cooking, like chicken dishes. If you're looking for chicken bouillon, pick up the Maggi brand. It comes 8 tablets for $1.65.

I'll stop here, for now. I don't want to bombard you guys with too much at one time. Part 2, my next post will be on other food items. Then I'll follow up with drinks in part 3, and move on to what all the Panamanian names for cuts of meats at the butcher mean in part 4. Keep checking back for more supermarket tips for shopping in Panama. 

Thanks for reading,

Chris