Giving thanks for culinary options

Given our close historical ties with the United States, Thanksgiving as celebrated by the Americans has always been celebrated in Panama, one way or another. First in the Canal Zone, then by Zonians who opted to stay in the country, recently by ex-pats who have flown south, and all throughout by a small number of Panamanians who either through family or friends learned of the tradition and decided to embrace it as their own.

This year, whether you decide to celebrate in the comfort of your home or in a local restaurant, one thing is for sure: due thanks for the city’s holiday options are in order.

Staying in: If you are looking for a quintessential heart-warming feast day at home, Riba Smith has a special section dedicated to Thanksgiving. They are selling canned yams, cherry and pumpkin stuffing for pies, utensils to hold and cook the turkey, turkey gravy, needles to inject the turkey, sweet potatoes, savory beef gravy, ham gravy, turkey stuffing, partly roasted turkey with instruction on how to finish cooking it and of course cranberry sauce.

If you’d like to celebrate at home without the hassle of preparing the meal, Riba Smith’s cafeteria, Delirys, will offer Thanksgiving take-out. Orders need to be made with 24 hours of notice and for a minimum of 10 people. Price per person ranges from $4 - $6, and you have 8 menus to choose from. All of the menus include a roasted turkey, of course, and side dishes such as rice with carrots, pumpkin sweets, chicken tamales, festive salad, sweet potatoes in honey sauce, plantain and cheese turnovers, etc. For more information, contact Sra. Bertilda Gonzalez at 302-3423 (ext 113) at the Bella Vista store.

Eating out: There are communities where no one eats out on Thanksgiving Day. As it’s technically not a national celebration, it comes as no surprise that Panama is not one of them. Let someone else go through the hassle of cooking the turkey this time. Thanksgiving does not quite rank with official national holidays when it comes to restaurant attendance, but local restaurateurs agree it is growing in popularity. Check out some of the offerings:

Rhino’s in Ave Federico Boyd has added Thanksgiving favorites to its menu, offering cranberry appetizers, pumpkin soup, turkey salad with pineapple, two turkey dishes to choose from, and pies to cap it all off. You can choose any or all of the dishes, each costing $10 top. Info.: 223-1090.

The Sheraton hotel next to ATLAPA will offer, as in previous years, a complete Thanksgiving - themed buffet with turkey, ham, stuffing, pies and all of the extras. Additionally, those who want to celebrate Thanksgiving by eating out but do not want to partake of the bird of the day can sample some of their regular specialities. The buffet costs $26. Info.: 305-5100.

Chalet Suizo and 1985 are not painting their menus color turkey, but will be offering turkey dishes. Info.: 263-8541.

Both the Fusion restaurant in Decapolis (215-5000) and Il Bocalino in Bella Vista (223-8521) are in the process of crafting a menu, with the latter serving at least turkey for sure. More information on menu details will be available by Monday.