Nicaragua

The U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua partnered with CDP on a virtual program to share U.S. culture with a Nicaraguan audience across the Embassy’s social media platforms, by inviting our chefs to share their favorite recipes while telling their personal story. The program was intended to entertain and inform, in an effort to stay connected and engaged during the height of the pandemic quarantine in the fall of 2020.

 
 

Lorena Garcia

Chef Maria Esther from Nicaragua, taught Chef Lorena Garcia how to make Indio Viejo, a traditional Nicaraguan stew made from local ingredients, usually including corn and beef. It is often enjoyed on Fiesta de los Agüizotes, Nicaragua’s Halloween celebration on October 30th. By the end of the lesson, the two seemed to have known each other for years!

Mario Pagan

Chef Mario Pagan prepared a Puerto Rican adaptation of a Nicaraguan dish called “Rondón”. It is a dish that comes from the Atlantic coastal villages of Nicaragua and has a coconut milk broth made out of root vegetables with fish or pork. Chef Mario’s dish was a twist on this traditional Nicaraguan dish, incorporating his Puerto Rican heritage. He prepared the dish with Caribbean lobster and coconut broth, with yucca or cassava and smoked bacon mofongo. Mofongo is a Puerto Rican dish made out of mashed plantains or root vegetables.

David Guas

Chef David Guas presented his recipe for Cajun Pork Jambalaya, featuring the food of his hometown of New Orleans. This dish perfectly illustrated the city’s history as a melting pot with its West African, French and Spanish influences. Chef David shared with a Nicaraguan audience how to make this dish, but also a bit about what makes New Orleans such a special place.

 

Art Smith

Chef Hazel Caudra from Nicaragua, cooked along with Chef Art Smith for a fun holiday cooking class. Chef Art taught Chef Hazel, and our Nicaraguan viewers, how to make the southern classic, Monkey Bread. Chef Hazel taught Chef Art how to make her Nicaraguan version of Arroz con Leche. We shared these recipes and personal stories, encouraging viewers to try out these new recipes during the holiday season to either gift or share with their families.