En la edición de noviembre 2011 de Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report, el señor Harper evaluó el Panamonte Inn & Spa de Boquete.  Desde 1979, el señor Harper ha estado viajando alrededor del mundo, incognito, siempre pagando sus propias cuentas y escribiendo acerca de sus experiencias con los hoteles y restaurantes.  Su artículo sobre el Panamonte exalta la belleza de los jardines, el lujo y confort de las habitaciones recién remodeladas y el extenso y delicioso menú creado por el chef-propietario Charlie Collins.  En especial, elogió la atención brindada por el personal, el nivel de servicio personal y la amabilidad de la Gerente General, Sandra Naranjo.  El artículo completo puede verse aquí: http://www.andrewharper.com/hotels/panamonte-inn-spa.

Obviamente, el Panamonte se sintió muy complacido de que este misterioso y desconocido huésped hubiera disfrutado tanto su estadía en el Inn.

Ahora adelantamos la película al 30 de diciembre, 2011, cuando el Panamonte Inn recibió este email:

“NEW YORK, NY –  Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report, la publicación más respetada sobre viajes de lujo, hoy anunció los ganadores del Premio Mayor 2012.  Nos sentimos complacidos de anunciar que The Panamonte Inn & Spa fue designado en esta prestigiosa lista, la cual es constituida por los 19 locales favoritos visitados por el señor Harper durante el último año calendario.

El Hideaway of the Year (Escondite del Año) y los 18 ganadores del Premio Mayor en todo el mundo están identificados en la edición de enero 2012 de Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report,  y en línea en AndrewHarper.com/grand-awards-2012.

“Cada uno de los ganadores del Premio Mayor otorgado por el señor Harper posee un carácter excepcional, un compromiso con la hospitalidad clásica y un profundo sentido de lugar.  El señor Harper no evalúa los hoteles en base a una lista de criterios fijos, sino usando sus tres décadas de experiencia para distinguir entre lo verdaderamente encantador y lo meramente excelente.”

Para el viajero exigente, el Panamonte Inn & Spa en Boquete, Panamá, ofrece hospedaje de clase mundial, un restaurante 5 estrellas y un servicio impecable, situado entre algunos de los paisajes más espectaculares de América Central.  Boquete está siempre fresco, verde y hospitalario, rodeado de la ecología de los bosques nubosos de la Cordillera Central.

Una vez que usted llegue, encontrará muchas opciones para actividades que van desde un serio descanso en los jardines hasta tratamientos de lujo en el spa, visitas a fincas singulares donde se cultivan plantas medicinales o café, aventuras llenas de adrenalina en tirolesa y paseos en balsa por los ríos.  También hay numerosas festividades durante el año que ofrecen a los viajeros oportunidades para una variedad de experiencias culturales.  La Feria Internacional de las Flores y el Café, celebrada cada año en el mes de enero, atrae a decenas de miles de visitantes de todas partes del mundo.  El Festival  anual de Jazz & Blues es una extravagancia de una semana de duración, con la participación de artistas destacados de todas partes del mundo.  El Festival de Orquídeas en abril resalta la belleza de estas asombrosas flores, que crecen aquí en el bosque húmedo.  Los desfiles del mes de noviembre celebran la historia panameña, y la temporada navideña combina las costumbres tradicionales panameñas con otras traídas de afuera.

Sea cual fuere el entretenimiento que le interese a usted, el Panamonte le puede ayudar a planear sus vacaciones hasta en el último detalle.  El Panamonte: “…realmente encantador, con un carácter excepcional, un compromiso con la hospitalidad clásica y un profundo sentido de lugar.”

Muchas gracias, Sr. Harper.  Esperamos que pronto nos visite nuevamente.

“Hideaway Report es una publicación mensual privada para viajeros sofisticados.  La selección de hoteles, resorts y restaurantes…se hace de manera totalmente independiente, y Andrew Harper LLC paga la tarifa completa para todas las comidas, alojamiento y gastos de viaje relacionados.  Andrew Harper y sus editores viajan incognito para escribir evaluaciones cándidas e imparciales para un servicio de membrecía privado, el cual proporciona ayuda personalizada en la planificación de viajes, tours privados y valiosos privilegios de viaje para sus miembros.”

In the November 2011 issue of Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report, Mr. Harper reviewed The Panamonte Inn & Spa in Boquete. Mr. Harper, since 1979, has been traveling around the world, incognito, always paying his own way, and writing about his experiences of hotels and restaurants. His article about The Panamonte extols the beauty of the gardens, the luxury and comfort of the newly renovated hotel rooms and the extensive and delicious menu created by chef-owner Charlie Collins. He particularly complimented the attentiveness of the staff, the level of personal service, and the graciousness of General Manager, Sandra Naranjo. The full review can be seen here: http://www.andrewharper.com/hotels/panamonte-inn-spa.

The Panamonte was, obviously, very pleased that this mysterious, unknown client was so pleased with his stay at the Inn.

Fast forward to December 30, 2011. The Panamonte Inn received this email:

“NEW YORK, NY –  Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report, the most respected publication in luxury travel, today revealed its 2012 Grand Award winners. We are pleased to announce that The Panamonte Inn & Spa was named to the prestigious list, which is comprised of Mr. Harper’s favorite 19 properties he visited within the past calendar year.

“The Hideaway of the Year and the 18 Grand Award winners around the world are identified in the January 2012 issue of Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report and online at

AndrewHarper.com/grand-awards-2012.

“Each of Mr. Harper’s Grand Award winners possesses exceptional character, a commitment to classic hospitality and a profound sense of place. Mr. Harper does not evaluate hotels by means of a checklist, but uses his three decades of experience to distinguish the truly enchanting from the merely excellent.”

For the discerning traveler, The Panamonte Inn & Spa in Boquete, Panama offers world class accommodations, a 5 star restaurant, and impeccable service set in some of the most spectacular scenery to be found in Central America. Boquete is always cool, green and hospitable, set in the cloud forest ecology of the Cordillera Mountains.

Once you arrive, there are many options for activities ranging from power lounging in the garden, to luxury spa treatments, to visits to unique fincas that grow rain forest medicinal plants or coffee, to adrenaline filled zip lines and river rafting. There are also numerous festivals throughout the year that offer travelers opportunities for a variety of cultural experiences. The International Coffee and Flower Festival each January draws tens of thousand of visitors from around the world. The annual Boquete Jazz & Blues Festival is a week long extravaganza of performances by top notch artists from around the world. The Orchid Festival in April showcases these most amazing flowers that grow here in the rain forest. The parades of November celebrate Panama’s history and the Christmas season blends traditional Panamanian customs with those imported from abroad.

Whatever holiday entertainment you seek, The Panamonte can help you plan your vacation down to the last detail. The Panamonte: “…truly enchanting, with exceptional character, a commitment to classic hospitality and a profound sense of place.”

Thank you Mr. Harper. Please come visit again, soon.

“Hideaway Report is a private monthly publication for sophisticated travelers. The selection of hotels, resorts and restaurants…is made on a completely independent basis, with Andrew Harper LLC paying full rate for all meals, lodging and related travel expenses. Andrew Harper and his editors travel incognito to write candid and unbiased travel reviews for a private membership service, which provides personalized travel-planning assistance, bespoke tours and valuable travel privileges to its members.”

Celebrations vary from culture to culture, person to person. The New York City Times Square countdown is familiar to people in the US. In Japan, houses are scrubbed, quarrels forgiven and the temples ring their gongs 108 times. The Dutch burn bonfires of Christmas trees in the streets to clear out the old and bring in the new. Some people party all night and then greet the New Year in a bleary eyed haze. Some stay home to reflect alone, or with loved ones, on time passed and times to come. Some make resolutions for the New Year.

Here in Panama there is a charming tradition that has its origins in Spain. At midnight, you take a dozen grapes, one for each month. You hold a silver coin in one hand and hold, or wear, gold jewelry in the other. As you eat each grape, you make a wish for each month. Finally, you toast with champagne and then you may kiss friends, family, and even strangers as the mood strikes you. Following this ritual insures health, wealth and love for the coming year.

This year, at the Panamonte Inn & Spa in Boquete, Panama, the above ritual was celebrated in the El Salto Lounge to the music of a rollicking latin salsa band and fireworks. However, it is what came before the traditional consumption of grapes that was truly memorable: a six course feast with special wine pairings designed, directed and prepared by Executive Chef Charlie Collins, one of the Inn’s owners and an internationally acclaimed chef.

Menu

Amuse – gueule

Fresh Fig wrapped with Bacon, Sage and Prosciutto

Marques de Riscal Sauvignon Blanc

First Course

Pacific Prawn Parfait with Avocado,

Coral Mayonnaise

Second Course

Diver Scallops and Mussels grilled in Brown Butter,

Goat cheese Gnocchi with Pernod Cream Sauce

Altos del Plata Chardonnay

Sorbet

Thai Basil Sorbet

Main Course

Patagonian Rack of Lamb al Rosemary and Barbequed Sparerib,

in a Bordelaise syrup,

Truffled Potatoes

Caramelized Baby Carrots

LAN Rioja Crianza

Dessert or Cheese

Cheese Selection:  Brie, Fontina, Manchego – Fresh Cherries

Plum Pudding – Eggnog

Calvit Reisling

Grapes – Champagne

From the first bite of the succulent fig and crispy prosciutto, through the delectable seafood courses, to the exquisite gnocchi with goat cheese, to the perfectly seared Patagonian rack of lamb, to the finishing bites of traditional plum pudding, this was an amazing tour de force.

For 2011, the Inn was fully booked, the dining room was full, and the word is spreading fast. A suggestion: make your plans now, make your reservations now…for New Year’s Eve 2012 at the Panamonte Inn & Spa, Boquete, Panama.

My New Year’s Resolution for 2012? To celebrate New Year’s Eve next December 31^st at the Panamonte Inn & Spa and see what Chef Charlie does to top last year’s spectacular presentation.

And save room for the grapes. Happy New Year from The Panamonte Inn & Spa

Las celebraciones varían de cultura en cultura y entre individuos.  El conteo regresivo en Times Square de la ciudad de Nueva York es muy conocido por la población de Estados Unidos.  En Japón, se limpian las casas, se perdonan los rencores y en los templos, los gongs suenan 108 veces.  Los holandeses hacen fogatas en las calles con los árboles de Navidad, para deshacerse de lo viejo y dar cabida a lo nuevo.  Algunas personas festejan toda la noche para luego saludar el Año Nuevo en una neblina mental.  Otras se quedan en casa para reflexionar, solas o en compañía de sus seres queridos,  sobre tiempos pasados y tiempos por venir.  Y algunas hacen resoluciones para el Nuevo Año.

Aquí en Panamá hay una encantadora tradición que tiene sus orígenes en España.  A la medianoche, se comen doce uvas, una por cada mes.  En una mano se sostiene una moneda de plata, y en la otra (o se puede llevar en otra parte del cuerpo), una prenda de oro.  Mientras se come cada uva se pide un deseo para cada mes.  Finalmente, se hace un brindis con champaña y se besa a amigos, familiares e incluso desconocidos.  Seguir este ritual asegura salud, dinero y amor para el año venidero

Este fin de año, el popular ritual se celebró en el Salón el Salto del Panamonte Inn & Spa de Boquete, Panamá, con el acompañamiento de los movidos ritmos de un conjunto de salsa latina y fuegos artificiales.  Pero lo verdaderamente memorable de la noche se dio antes del consumo tradicional de las uvas: un banquete de seis platos con el acompañamiento de diversos vinos, diseñado, dirigido y preparado por el Chef Ejecutivo Charlie Collins, uno de los dueños del Inn y chef de reconocida trayectoria a nivel internacional.

Menú

Amuse – gueule
Higos envueltos en Tocino, Prosciutto, Salvia
Marques de Riscal Sauvignon Blanc

Primer Plato
Parfait de Langostinos, Aguacate,
Mayonesa de Coral

Segundo Plato
Conchuelas y Mejillones rostizadas en mantequilla dorada
Gnocchis de Queso fresco de Cabra y Crema al Pernod
Altos del Plata Chardonnay

Sorbet
Sorbeto de Albahaca

Plato Principal – Main Course
Rack de Cordero de Patagonia al Romero con
Sparerib a la Barbacoa, Papas Trufadas,
Zanahorias Caramelizadas

LAN Rioja Crianza

Assiette de Quesos ó Postre
Selección de quesos: Brie, Fontina, Manchego – Cerezas
Plum Pudding – Ron Ponche

Calvit Reisling

Uvas – Champaña

Desde el primer bocado de suculento higo y crujiente prosciutto, hasta los deleitables platos a base de mariscos, los exquisitos gnocchi de queso cabra, el rack de cordero de Patagonia asado a la perfección y los últimos mordiscos del tradicional plum pudding, el evento representó una proeza sin igual.

Para el 2011, el Inn estuvo totalmente ocupado y el comedor se llenó.  El renombre de este evento está extendiéndose rápidamente, así que les doy una sugerencia: Hagan sus planes y reservaciones desde ahora para las celebraciones de Fin de Año 2012 en el Panamonte Inn & Spa de Boquete, Panamá.

¿Cuál es mi resolución para el Nuevo Año 2012? ¡Celebrar el próximo fin de año en el Panamonte Inn & Spa, para ver con qué saldrá el Chef Charlie este año para superar la espectacular presentación del fin de año pasado!

Y no olviden dejar un poco de espacio para las uvas. ¡Feliz Año Nuevo del Panamonte Inn & Spa!

Christmas Eve Dinner
Christmas Eve Dinner Saturday December 24, 2011

7:00 p.m.
Hors D´oeurves and Glögg in the
“El Salto” Cocktail Lounge
Christmas Music
8:00 p.m.
Four Course Dinner Main Dining Room  Click for the menu
Price $35.00 per person tax included
Price for children 8 to 11 years old, $18.00 tax included
Beverages not included

Christmas Day
Sunday December 25, 2011
12:00 Noon
Christmas Lunch Main Dining Room
Price $30.00 per person tax included
Price for children 8 to 11 years old, $18.00 tax included
Beverages not included

7:00 p.m.
Hors D´Oeurves and Glögg at the Cocktail Lounge “El Salto”
Christmas Music
8:00 p.m.
Four Course Dinner Main Dining Room
Price $40.00 per person tax included
Price per children (8 to 11 years) $20.00 tax included

Beverages not included

New Years Eve Dinner Party

Saturday December 31, 2010
8:30 p.m.
Complimentary Hors D´Oeurves at the Cocktail Lounge “El Salto”
9:00 p.m.

Five Course Tasting Dinner  Click to see the menu

Main Dining Room
11:00 p.m.
New Years Eve Celebration at the Cocktail Lounge “El Salto”
Complementary Champagne

Price $95.00 per person tax included and wine pairings
Price for children ages 8 to 11 $55.00 tax included

Phone 011(507) 720-1324 • Fax: 011(507) 720-2055
e-mail: reservation@panamonte.com

12:30 p.m.
DÍA DE LA MADRE, ALMUERZO

Special Menu DIA DE LA MADRE 2011 PANAMONTE3-ESC

Precio $35.00 por persona impuesto includio

Menú y actividades para niños

NAVIDADES EN EL PANAMONTE

Cena de Noche Buena
Sábado 24 de Diciembre de 2011
7:00 p.m.
Abrebocas y Glögg  en el
Cocktail Lounge “El Salto”
Música de Navidad
8:00 pm.
Cena Goumet de Noche Buena en el Restaurante  Menu Especial de Navidad y Noche Buena
Precio $35.00 por persona incluye impuesto
Precio por niño (8 a 11 años) $18.00 incluye impuesto
Bebidas no incluidas

Día de Navidad

Domingo 25 de Diciembre de 2011
12:00 Medio día
Almuerzo Especial de Navidad en el Restaurante
Precio $30.00 por persona incluye impuesto
Precio por niño (8 a 11 años) $18.00 incluye impuesto
Bebidas no incluidas

7:00 p.m.
Abrebocas y Glögg  en el
Cocktail Lounge “El Salto” Música de Navidad
8:00 pm.
Cena Goumet de Navidad en el Restaurante
Precio $35.00 por persona incluye impuesto
Precio por niño (8 a 11 años) $18.00 incluye impuesto
Bebidas no incluidas

Cena de Gala de Fin de Año

Sábado 31 de Diciembre de 2010
8:30 p.m.
Abrebocas Complementarios en el Cocktail Lounge “El Salto”
9:00 p.m.
Cena Gourmet de Degustación, en el restaurante  Menu Fin de Año
11:00 p.m.
Celebración de Fin de Año en el Cóctel Bar “El Salto”
Champaña Complementaria

Precio $95.00 por persona incluye impuesto, incluye maridaje de vinos
Precio por niño (8 a 11 años) $55.00 incluye impuesto

Phone 011(507) 720-1324 • Fax: 011(507) 720-2055
e-mail: reservation@panamonte.com

This year, November 24, 2011, will mark the 5^th Annual Inga Collins Thanksgiving Charity Dinner. A portion of all proceeds from the event will be donated to the Rotary Clubs of David and Boquete, to assist with their efforts to improve the health, education and housing of Chiricanos. Doña Inga Collins has announced that she will personally match the sum raised by the event up to $2,000. What a lovely way to say, “Thank you!”

Events at the Panamonte are well-known for their elegance, exquisite seasonal decorations and flowers, gracious hospitality and creative menus. Thanksgiving at the Panamonte Inn is always a lavish affair, with a buffet of foods that represent the best multi-cultural food traditions of North America, Panama, and Sweden. This year’s event promises to be even better than in years past—if such a thing can be imagined. To begin, there will be two buffet areas: one in the lovely turn of the century dining room and another outside the El Salto Lounge. A tented area will house the garden buffet and fairy lights will twinkle throughout the trees, lending even more festivity to the occasion.

What does a Thanksgiving Buffet at the Panamonte look (and taste!) like? And what sets it apart from other Thanksgiving buffets? “That’s easy,” says Chef Collins. “Quality and variety. We will have three styles of turkey—Southern style with cornbread dressing, All American with french bread and herbed dressing, and Catalan turkey stuffed with a sausage and fall fruit dressing. There will be mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, wild rice, candied yams, Swedish baked beans, salads…” Chef Collins grins and raises his hands in the air. “The menus goes on and on. We’ll have roast pork, pumpkin ravioli…and I haven’t even started on the desserts, yet!”

The evening will begin promptly at 6 PM with champagne in the El Salto Lounge. At 6:30, those in attendance will be eligible for a surprise raffle drawing—Specialty of the House Gift Baskets for Him and for Her, designed by Charlie Collins. Dinner will begin at 7 PM.

The Panamonte is offering two other very special, very exclusive dining options this year:

Option 1 is for a private party of 10-12 on the Terrace Patio outside Suites 1 and 2. The party will be served by a dedicated butler and a bartender. The menu will feature an amuse bouche (the chef’s special touch), a served appetizer, a full Thanksgiving buffet (the chef himself will carve the turkey), a fine wine selection, and a dessert table that will be served by, Douglas, the pastry chef. Comfortable seating, superb service, haute cuisine…this is a truly luxurious option for a special family gathering.

Option 2, a smaller (perhaps more romantic?) choice is for tables of 2-4 persons on the tucked away patios of Suites 3 and 4. A private butler will cater to the guests needs. Privacy, first class personalized service, and a five course meal of unsurpassed gourmet delight…that is a LOT to be thankful for!

This year, in order to insure guests’ satisfaction, all tickets will be pre-sold. At the time of purchase, you may reserve the table that you wish for your party from a floor plan that will be available. If you have a preference for indoor or garden seating, purchase your tickets early so that you can select the dining area you desire. Tickets can be purchased in Boquete through the Panamonte—call 720-1324.  In David, contact Rotary member Rosela Nasta at 775-5485, or stop by her place of business, Lava Fast on Avenida Obaldia in David.

Tickets for the dining room or garden buffets are $43.00 per person. The deadline for purchasing tickets is November 17^th.

To reserve one of the Luxury Private Dining options, contact Sandra Naranjo at 720-1324. These are strictly limited and only available by prior arrangement.

If you would like information about one of the Panamonte’s Special Thanksgiving packages that includes hotel reservation and breakfast, call 720-1324 for details.

Well. Maybe not exactly.

I actually grew up in a family where coffee, Maxwell House, came powdered from a jar. Even with milk and sugar it was nasty. I had no concept that coffee came from an actual plant or that it could actually taste good!

I did not develop an appreciation for coffee until I spent some time in Seattle, Washington when the first Starbucks coffee houses were opening. There I discovered coffees from Indonesia, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Costa Rica. Viennese, French and Italian roasts. Lattes, cappuccinos and espressos. The exotica of coffee—REAL coffee—filled my senses. The smell. The texture. The color. The taste. I began to order my beans shipped overnight. I stored them in special containers. I ground the beans fresh each morning. I French pressed two perfect cups at a time. I developed my own special blend of roasts, striving for that just-right smooth, full-bodied chocolaty taste that I had come to favor. Not for me the light, bright blends with clean aftertaste touted as ‘sophisticated, jazzy and urbane’. Give me the dark, complex, mysterious brews that conjure images of European street cafes cast in the dreamy lights of an Impressionist painting… Yes. Along with millions of others, I fell victim to The Romance of Coffee. That was over 20 years ago. Now, of course, I eschew Starbucks as mainstream, uber-hyped, consumerist swill.

Upon moving to Boquete and purchasing a small coffee farm, my Romance became a full-blown Affair and then a Marriage, as I began to learn the complexities involved in the world of specialty coffee.

In 2004, coffee from Boquete, Panama had made history in the international world of specialty coffees. A particular strain of Arabica, known commonly as Geisha, grown on Hacienda Esmeralda on Alto Jaramillo, sold for record prices at auction. As a result, Boquete coffee—with the Esmeralda Special leading the way—was beginning to receive the same sorts of attention and accolades that previously had been reserved for Jamaica Blue Mountain and Hawaiian Kona coffees.

The name, Geisha, is a misnomer. All coffee varieties trace their roots back to the highlands of Ethiopia and this particular variety comes from the small mountain town of Gesha, in the southwestern part of the country. The variety was brought to Boquete from Costa Rica in the late 1960s. It grows on quite a few farms in the Boquete area. It takes an expert to truly determine if a plant is a Geisha, but you can look for the typical long narrow fruiting body holding two longer-than-normal beans.

The story of the Esmeralda Special begins in 1998, a particularly bad year for coffee in Boquete. Hurricane Mitch sat over Honduras and caused torrential rains and flooding. The effect here was a long, wet October with heavy clouds and no sunshine—ideal conditions for one of the worst diseases coffee suffers from in this area, the “Ojo de Gallo” (Eye of the Rooster) fungal infection. Ojo de Gallo starts as dime-sized circles with yellowing borders on the leaves of the plants and flourishes in moist conditions. Soon the coffee plant’s internal defense mechanism kicks in and to rid itself of the problem, it drops all its leaves, leaving bare branches. With no leaves to produce energy from the sun, the beans never ripen and harvest is poor, at best. The following year, all the plant’s energy goes to making new leaves instead of more beans, effectively eliminating two years of production. In 1998, some of the farms in the Jaramillo area lost 80% of their plants to Ojo de Gallo. (Note: Boquete suffered exactly the same cycle of too much rain and not enough sun in 2010—with the result that almost 60% of the valley’s coffee was lost).

On the Esmeralda-Jaramillo farm the manager, Daniel Peterson, noticed that amongst the various varieties of coffee, one, known as the “Geisha”, seemed to suffer less from the disease—keeping its leaves and producing a harvest while other varieties next to it fared much worse. They decided to seed this variety in an area of the farm ready for new planting. They knew the yields would be lower—Geisha variety grows taller and wider than most common varieties so there are fewer plants per hectare. They reasoned, however, that the plants’ natural resistance would help pull the farm through the years when fungal infections were at their worst.

Jump forward to 2004. The Geisha varietals had reached maturity and were producing their typical long, slender cherries holding two long coffee beans each. Peterson decided to harvest and cup the Geisha separately from the rest of the farm’s coffee. The results were very promising and he sent a small quantity of it to New York to be entered in the Rain Forest Alliance’s coffee competition. The Boquete Geisha took first place amongst all the Rain Forest Alliance’s certified farms. The coffee was also entered in the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama’s yearly competition and again took first place by an astounding margin. Seven bags (at 100 kilos each) were then sold through an internet auction for the record-breaking price of $21 per pound. At the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s annual conference in Seattle, the Geisha beat out coffees from all over the world in the cupping pavilion. In 2005, the coffee, now named the Esmeralda Special, again won the award for the best coffee in Panama.

Ric Rhinehart, a professional coffee cupper and owner of Groundwork Coffee Co. summed up the experience of judging the Esmeralda Special as follows: “This cup not only had flavors that matched the aroma in intensity and complexity, but added in a perfectly attenuated acidity, solid body and an overall sweetness that made for what may be the most complete cup of coffee I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.”

But what, really, makes these coffees so special—and so expensive? The Specialty Coffee Association of America defines specialty coffee this way: “Sometimes called ‘gourmet’ or ‘premium’ coffee, specialty coffees are made from exceptional beans grown only in ideal coffee-producing climates. They tend to feature distinctive flavors, which are shaped by the unique characteristics of the soil that produces them.”

Limited availability, combined with great marketing, are the prime factors and you need both, in addition to exceptional beans. Juan Valdez of Colombia has great marketing, but he is not able to sell his generic, mass-produced product for more than about $4 or $5 a pound, tops. There is too much of it and it is not exceptional.

Availability and marketing are obvious. But, what constitutes exceptional? By what objective standards is one coffee pronounced exceptional while another of equally limited availability is denied this sobriquet? Well, really, there aren’t any objective standards. Remember the tasting wheel? There are hundreds of combinations of descriptors for the fragrance and taste of a particular cup of coffee, all subject to the interpretation of a cupper’s nose and tongue. Lemony, vanilla, woodsy, earthy, chocolaty, winey…right on around to such unappealing descriptors as cabbagy, wet doggy and skunky.

A friend sent me a Reuters article off Yahoo entitled: Pricey Coffee Good to the Last Dropping. Kopi Luwak, grown on three of the 13,000+ islands in the Indonesian archipelago, may be the ultimate in ‘specialty’ coffees. Last year, only 500 pounds were put on the market. So that’s two out of three: limited availability and high profile marketing. But, what about exceptional? It obviously must be exceptional, as you will pay up to $450 per pound, or more, assuming it is the genuine article and you can find it, almost exclusively in New York and California. (Also assuming anyone in their right mind would pay that much for a couple of pots of brew!).

Kopi Luwak has been ‘cupped’ and some of the various words used to describe it are earthy, heavy, syrupy, caramel, chocolate, complex, typically Indonesian or Sumatran with a mysterious, indescribable nuance, funky zoo-like aroma. H-m-m. Wait a minute. Zoo-like aroma? Why are people willing to pay a small ransom for it?

Turns out there is good reason for the ‘zoo-like’. Kopi Luwak is exceptional because unlike ordinary coffee cherries that are picked off coffee trees, these cherries are retrieved from the jungle floor—but not until after they have been eaten, partially digested and then excreted by palm civets, a small, tree-dwelling marsupial closely related to the raccoon, but looking like a cat or an otter, who thinks the coffee cherries in his habitat make a dandy dessert following a feast of insects, fruit and small rodents.

I am not making this up. The most expensive coffee in the world is harvested from animal poop. I really think this may be where marketing outstrips reality. It’s a case where the gimmick is the essence. Seriously, folks.

Now let me be clear. I have NOT tasted Kopi Luwak. If anyone out there has, I would love to have a firsthand report. If you have a stash, and are willing to share, invite me for coffee. I’m game to try most anything, once. But I think there needs to be a distinction made between specialty “gimmick” coffees and truly special coffees. Many of the coffees produced here in Boquete are exceptional coffees. They each have distinctive, individual profiles, they are consistent, and they both smell and taste really, really good. (Visit www.panamacoffee.org for some of the other exceptional coffees produced in the area). Even amongst the Geishas, there are differences, depending on which farm they come from. At the Panamonte Inn and Spa in Boquete, I was served a small cup of Cafe Don Pachi, the 2011 First Place Specialty Geisha grown by Francisco Serracin. Served black, it needed nothing. Rich, smooth, with mouth-filling sweetness. Completely delicious, and yes, very special.

Back in the 1990’s when Kona coffee was all the rage among the coffee elite, the demand far outpaced the amount being grown. Enterprising coffee moguls decided the limited crop availability was adversely impacting their bottom line—they couldn’t sell what they didn’t have. So they surreptitiously bought coffee from Boquete and surrounding areas (at bargain prices), rebagged  it, labeled it 100% Kona, and sold more Kona than was grown in Hawaii. They were eventually caught, stopped and in at least one case imprisoned, but I daresay 99% of the consumers who bought this “Kona” never had a clue. From this chicanery comes the saying among Boquete’s inner coffee circle, “The best Kona is a Boquete.”

Those of us involved in the coffee industry of Boquete have been watching the attention given to the events of the past few years with great interest. Already more Geisha variety is being cultivated. More and more farms are embracing sustainable agricultural practices and many are pursuing organic certification. International coffee buyers and cuppers are visiting to see first-hand our beautiful cloud forest environment where award winning coffees are being grown. Visitors are taking samples back home and asking, “Where can we order more?”

Boquete coffee already has most of the key elements necessary for becoming an internationally recognized coffee icon: an ideal coffee producing environment (high elevation, volcanic soil, the right balance of moisture and sun in a tropical highland climate), limited availability, and truly exceptional quality. Now, our marketing is improving. The world is taking notice. We don’t need gimmicks. We don’t have to call it something else. We have the real thing.

Word to the wise: Drink the best. Drink Boquete coffee.

Afuera, la lluvia característica de la temporada repica en el techo.  Adentro, el fuego de la chimenea arde brillante.  La luz de las velas parpadea sobre la repisa.  Manteles de un blanco impecable y lirios en tonos cremosos engalanan la mesa.  Un fino menú grabado reposa sobre una servilleta doblada con precisión.  En cada sitio esperan cinco copas para vino.  Algo especial está a punto de suceder.

El dueño y Chef Ejecutivo del Panamonte, Charlie Collins, entra, acompañando al invitado de honor de esta noche.  “Les presento a José Garcés.”

Es un hombre grande y atractivo: alto, de hombros anchos, pelo negro y sonrientes ojos oscuros.  Su apretón de manos es cálido y firme, y transmite presencia y confianza.  Y con razón: Él es uno de los Iron Chefs America (Chefs de Hierro Americanos).

El Chef Garcés tomó su lugar entre los seis chefs de mayor rango en Estados Unidos en el 2010, cuando ganó la última vuelta de la competencia con otros Iron Chefs.  El increíblemente popular programa de televisión Iron Chefs comenzó en Japón como una competencia de cocina conocida por su alto valor dramático, su intensa presión y sus seguidores a nivel internacional.  Hoy la red Food Network continúa con la versión estadounidense.

Esta noche, sin embargo, el Chef Garcés no va a cocinar.  Él y su familia están de vacaciones.  Esta noche, el Chef Charlie Collins ha diseñado un singular menú de Degustación Típica para agasajar al Chef Garcés y sus amigos.  “Típica” es el término que se usa en Panamá para describir los platos comunes de la vida diaria: arroz, porotos, pollo, puerco, carne de res, ensaladas, etc.  Sin embargo, no tiene nada de común la forma en que el Chef Charlie ha seleccionado y preparado estos alimentos.  Creativas, inusuales, deliciosas y servidas con elegancia, cada selección del menú viene acompañada de un vino escogido especialmente para complementar la comida.

• Carimañola & Pork belly con Barbacoa de Guayaba Ahumada
• Centollo, Corvina, Langostino
• Serén de Maiz Tierno, Sirope de Café
• Sorbete de Albahaca y Menta
• Arroz con Pollo, Versión Risotto
• Cordero Lechal, Culantro
• Estudio de Tomate de Árbol, Queso, Miel Trufada

Hijo de padres ecuatorianos pero criado en Chicago, José Garcés atribuye su amor por la comida a la cocina donde su mamá y su abuela prepararon los alimentos para la familia.  En una entrevista anterior para Food Network, dijo, “He tenido el privilegio de trabajar con algunos de los mejores chefs de América y España, pero mi pasión por la cocina remonta a mis primeros recuerdos… Aún de niño, me sentía atraído por la alegría de preparar una gran comida.”

Hoy, el Chef Garcés es dueño de ocho restaurantes: siete en Filadelfia y uno en Chicago.  En sus locales se ofrecen platos de España, México y Sudamérica – incluso hay uno que combina las cocinas de Perú y Asia.  ¡Qué tremenda fusión!  ¿Cómo se vería? ¿A qué sabría? “Salteado de filete de res con papas fritas,” dice José con una sonrisa.  “Ceviche con limoncillo y jengibre.  Cosas por el estilo.”

La introducción a su libro de cocina, Latin Evolution (Lake Isle Press, Septiembre 2008) resume su filosofía sobre los alimentos y su preparación.  “Para mí, el reto constante es encontrar las posibilidades ofrecidas por nuevos ingredientes y técnicas, y a la vez respetar lo que ha venido antes.  Mi mantra es sencilla: ‘auténtico’ e ‘innovador’ no son términos contradictorios.”

Cuidadosamente, examina y saborea cada uno de los platos de Chef Charlie, luego sonría con placer.  “Hay que ser valiente para ser un buen chef,” le comenta a Charlie, y la aprobación de éste es obvio.  “Hay que estar dispuesto a experimentar, a combinar los alimentos en formas inusuales.”

¡Qué noche!  La compañía de dos chefs de clase mundial que compartieron recetas y forjaron amistad – una experiencia inolvidable.  Y ¿el final?  El boqueteño Francisco Serracín ofreció a cada invitado una taza de café Geisha de recién cosecha de su finca en Alto Quiel – el café que llevó el primer premio en la Competencia Internacional de Cafés Especializados 2012.

Mejor…¡Imposible!

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¿Se le aproxima un cumpleaños, aniversario u otra ocasión especial?  Traiga su celebración al Panamonte Inn & Spa, el histórico y más renombrado hotel “bed & breakfast” de Boquete.  Contáctese con el Chef Charlie Collins para diseñar su propio menú de Degustación Típica.  Deleite a sí mismo y a sus seres queridos con

Una Noche Inolvidable en el Panamonte.

Y no olvide que las Tarifas Especiales para la Temporada Verde están vigentes hasta el 31 de octubre.  ¡Reserve 3 noches, pague 2!