The menu features everything from the standard hamburger and bacon-cheeseburger to imaginative concoctions such as the jalapeño popper burger, boomerang burger (sautéed onions, beetroot and fried egg), San Antonio Chili burger, Hawaiian burger (grilled pineapple and cheddar) and several more.

Grilled on an open flame, all the burgers are generous, hand-crafted feasts made with the freshest ingredients.

More than 200 burgers and an ocean of drinks were served gratis to dozens of appreciative patrons at Lava’s grand opening Thursday night, May 12, at the new restaurant, a half-block north of Central Park in the same venue as Ocelot, Pangea, Ixcot’s and Whisky Den.

Congratulations, Shaun Paul Griffiths and Jason Lever, on your new venture!

Poor guy, he should’ve been at Monoloco, the popular sports bar in La Antigua, on Thursday night, Dec. 16, for Mustache Night.

Guests had Jimmy’s pencil-thin variety, while Miss Kate had a José Quervo flair. There were a few Snidely Whiplash and Fu Manchú styles in the house, too, even a hint of Hitler.

Guests sporting un bigote received a free beer, and it didn’t matter whether the mustache was authentic or artfully applied by one of Monoloco’s versatile bartenders. Enthusiastic patrons also enjoyed Beer Pong competition – a sudsy variation of ping-pong.

A delight to travelers and locals alike in La Antigua, Rainbow offers some of the best breakfasts in town, along with salads, homemade soups, fresh-fruit smoothies, crunchy salads and desserts to die for.

In addition to its menu and literary offerings, Rainbow (7 ave. sur #8) also hosts informative lectures at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. Live patio music starts nightly at 7:30 p.m., and happy hour is 5-7 p.m. daily.

Guests at Rainbow’s 18^th birthday celebration enjoyed complimentary sangria and music by Atonement and Efecto Kamikaze in a festive setting at this Antigua favorite.

For more information visit www.rainbowcafeantigua.com. Better yet, just drop by and see for yourself.

Guatemalan Fiambre (photo by Rudy Girón)

written by Arturo Echeverría

Nobody knows the origins of fiambre; one of the most special of all Guatemalan foods, however, legends say that it was accidentally invented by either:

1. A newly hired chef starting immediately by preparing a big banquet, only he couldn’t really cook; or
2. A family visiting the cemetery on November 1st and while the adults concentrated on prayer, their kids had fun by flinging the picnic food at each other — and the remnants were later salvaged by the annoyed adults.

Regardless of its origin, fiambre, in my opinion, is the supreme Guatemalan plate. If this is not the food of the gods, it must be something very close. Fiambre is only eaten on November 1st, the Day of All Saints, and it is so complex that it can easily take as many as 50 or more ingredients.

Fiambre is basically a big salad or a plate of assorted cold cuts, including diverse vegetables, meats, pickles and much more. It must be prepared at least one day before serving and marinated overnight in a thin sauce blend of vinegar, parsley, lettuce and hard-boiled eggs called a caldillo. Without this vital step, the dish will be flavorless. Also, the more meats that are added, the richer the taste.

Accompany this legendary dish with an ice cold Guatemalan beer or one of the country’s award-winning rums.

Kitchen Colors (photo by Rudy Giron/AntiguaDailyPhoto.com)

In the kitchen with Asmena Pankanea

written by Dianne Carofino

Cooking with Asmena Pankanea makes me want to go to India. She seasons her dishes with stories of the people of that country and how they live. Of kichri, a combination of white rice and split mung beans cooked almost to mush, she says, “This is a comfort food. In India, it is given to babies and older people with clarified butter or yogurt.” She says this as she is flavoring the cooking oil for brown rice and whole mung beans (a variation of kichri) by tossing into the already heating vegetable oil some whole cumin seeds. The cumin seeds sizzle and the aroma filling the kitchen is that of exotic spices.

Asmena Pankanea creating a meal (photo by Dianne Carofino)

It was Kenya, her birthplace, that Asmena recognized in Guatemala. On her first trip here, which was to last three months and to date has lasted five years, she was struck by the similarities between the two countries. The climate; the friendliness of the people; the markets full of fresh vegetables throughout the year; the rural areas where corn and beans are often the crops: All of these reminded Asmena of Kenya. She felt a sense of home in Guatemala.

Before coming to Guatemala, Asmena had immigrated to Vancouver, Canada in the mid-1980s. It was there that she expanded her knowledge of foods, particularly of herbs and spices. She studied herbology, and then worked for a naturopath testing food and explaining diets to clients. She expanded her knowledge of the healing effects that the spices she already used in cooking have on the human body. As we add garam masala, a blend of fragrant spices, to our brown rice and mung beans, Asmena says, “Fragrant spices warm up the body.”

Many of the spices that Asmena uses in her cooking are grown in Guatemala but rarely used in indigenous cooking. One of Asmena’s goals is to provide a guide for the use of these spices in Guatemalan foods. For that reason, she first wrote her cookbook, A Touch of Spice: An introduction to cooking with spice, in Spanish. She has now rewritten it in English for those of us who are not as fluent in Spanish as we would like to be.

In addition to her cookbook, Asmena gives cooking classes, which is how I was fortunate enough to be cooking with her. She also sells curry powders and spice blends, which the food enthusiast can mix from individual spices. The recipes are in A Touch of Spice. I was in a hurry to get to the eating part of this process, so I bought several blends: madras curry powder, vegetable curry powder and garam masala, as well as chai tea spice.

Madras curry powder is a blend of spices such as mustard seeds, fenugreek, cumin, coriander seeds, chili, curry leaves, turmeric, yellow split peas and black pepper. It is used for meat or vegetable curries. Vegetable curry powder, which enhances the flavor of vegetables, includes such spices as cumin, coriander seeds, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves and turmeric. Garam masala is a blend of the more fragrant spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, cumin and black pepper. It is used for rice, dahls and lentils.

A Touch of Spice may be obtained by contacting Asmena at indian-curry@hotmail.com. Information regarding cooking classes, as well as curry powders and spice blends, may also be obtained at this e-mail address.

The following recipes are two of my favorites from A Touch of Spice.

text, photos and recipe by Victoria Stone

Güisquil (pronounced “weeskeel”) is one of the most common vegetables throughout Mexico, Central America and parts of South America. It has been famously described as a vegetable that looks like an avocado and tastes like a potato.

The plant originated in Mexico, where it was known to the Aztecs as chayolt. It is a perennial climbing plant with large leaves resembling grape leaves and a vine that can grow up to 15 meters in length. Its scientific name is Sechium edule, and it belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae along with melons, cucumbers and squash.

As abundantly as güisquil grows, it also has an abundance of names. Depending on the country or region of that country, güisquil is also known as chayote, chayotli, cayota, tayota, cidra, guatila, papa de pobre, papa del aire, vegetable pear, pataste, calabacilla, chilacayote, chiverre, machiche, xuxú, chuchú, cho-cho, christophene and mirlitón.

The most common variety of güisquil is indeed about the size and shape of an avocado, but there the similarity ends. Varieties twice that size and half that size are also found. The skin ranges from light to dark green and is firm, smooth, shiny and a bit furrowed. Another common variety is covered with thorny spines. Two other varieties, though quite different in appearance, are both known by the names güisquil and “perulero.” One of these has a softer, thinner skin, which is so pale as to be almost white. The other, dark green, is much smaller—about the size of a plum, and very tender. And yes, it is used in many of the same ways that the potato is, though it is more tender and juicy and has a mild and slightly nutty flavor. In fact, one of güisquil’s many names is “papa de pobre” (poor man’s potato).

Güisquil is one of the vegetables most used in all of Central America in soups and stews. It’s a pretty sure bet that if you’ve ever eaten a soup or stew in Guatemala, you’ve eaten güisquil. Like the potato, güisquil is a great addition to soups and stews because it serves as a thickening agent. It is even used in industrial food production to thicken fruit juices and baby food. Güisquil can be prepared in any way suitable for summer squash and can also be halved, stuffed and baked like acorn squash.

In certain markets, such as that of Santiago Atitlán or the bigger weekend markets elsewhere, one can be lucky enough to find cooked güisquil. Sold hot and simmered to perfection, this can make a perfect prepared food from the market to bring home. There’s something about having been simmered over a fire in a cauldron with dozens of other güisquils that gives this an especially rich flavor and creamy consistency. 
Not only is güisquil easy to grow, abundant and easy to transport, it’s also valued for its protein content and is purported to have anti-inflammatory and cell-regenerative properties. It is also a good source of niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, magnesium and potassium, amino acids and a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, zinc, copper and manganese.

While the “fruit” of the güisquil is the part most commonly eaten, you can be sure that the ladies in the kitchen who made that stew have also been savoring the seed, which is flat and cream colored and a delicious delicacy when cooked. In Guatemalan households these are special treats saved for children. The fruit can also be eaten raw; though this is uncommon in Guatemala, in some countries it is used in salads. Even the starchy tuberous parts of the root are also edible, but are more often fed to livestock.
The tender and delicately spiraled tips of the vine are also harvested to be added to soups and stews; they are a delicious addition to sautéed vegetable dishes. Here they are known as “punta de güisquil” and can be found in local markets only in the seasons when güisquil is in its early growth spurts.

One of my favorite güisquil dishes is the Mayan omelette because of its similarity to a Spanish omelette, using güisquil in place of potatoes.

Mayan Omelette
(one serving—multiply per serving)
1 medium-size güisquil
1-2 eggs
1-2 tablespoons flour
1-2 tablespoons chopped onions

Pinch of salt & pepper to taste

Optional: 1-2 teaspoons. parsley or other chopped greens, 1-2 teaspoons, grated cheese
Parboil the güisquil until it can be easily pierced with a fork, 10-15 min. cooking time.

Let cool, peel and cut into cubes, discarding the fiber and membrane around the seed. Scramble the eggs, add cubed güisquil, sprinkling in flour to thicken, and salt, pepper, parsley or other greens and/or cheese to taste. Now you’re ready to cook the omelette, covered, in an oiled pan on a medium flame, turning both sides until done.
¡Buen provecho!

More than just a beverage sweetener

with Alma Díaz photos: César Tián

There is nothing like music to get your spirit soaring and your appetite pumping, and this is exactly what happened when Splenda™, the no-calorie sweetener, invited close to 50 guests to prepare sugar-free recipes at La Cocina del Chef Javier in Guatemala City.

The crowd had a lot of fun in a festive cooking-party atmosphere where they made low-calorie and delicious Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, Pork Loin with Pineapple and Seasoned Green Beans—topped off with Bananas al Tequila.

For more information about this no-calorie sweetener, visit www.splenda.com; the site offers information about Splenda™ products, recipes and recipe videos, cooking and baking, weight control, living with diabetes, news and promotions, coupons, the Splenda™ store. You can also share your simple solutions for living sweet in the Splenda Sweet Life contest.