International award for indigenous cookbook

By Ingrid Jones

Panama’s indigenous community usually seems to make headlines only when there are confrontations with authorities with  its women ready to stand by their men folk  when push comes to shove.

But  the community, and particularly its women, will soon gain a new form of international recognition. 

Panamanian Chef Patricia Miranda Allen  travels  to Paris  next month to receive  a World Gourmand Award for a book published in the Ngobe Bugle language, at the annual Gourmand International Association Cook Book Fair.

The Association will confer  the award on Patricia Miranda Allen, for Ñukwa Ja Tare Tikwe (Camp Fire of my Loves).

The Gourmand International Association will be recognizing  the contribution made by the women of the Ngobe Bugle during the  Volcan Verde Integral Festival in Volcan, Chiriqui, in March 2011.

The book   first written written in Spanish, was translated into Ngobere by Patricia Miranda Allen, who teaches and demonstrates to the Ngobe women  how to provide better nutrition for their children and for themselves. 

The book  contains simple, basic, but nutritious recipes that can be prepared with local, well-known Panamanian ingredients  that are easy to find in our produce markets or in the home garden.

In addition to the "Best translation," award Chef Patricia was nominated in the categories for the “Gourmand Best in the World Best Woman Chef.

The award ceremony will  take place at the Folies Bergere in Paris, on March 6.