Greg?s Boquete-Hollywood Party

If you haven’t heard already, Greg, alias SippitySup.com, finally posted his take on the “Golden Age of Hollywood” Cooking Class he presented in my kitchen last month. It took him a month to gather all the photos, to think about his experience and to finally put into words how he felt about the entire adventure.

It was the olden days of Hollywood that everyone enjoyed; the fine food, the gorgeous drinks and the fine conversation that our Boquete friends love.  If you read Greg’s www.SippitySup.com post about the evening of fun and fine, glamorous dining, it will all come together for you.

The dish-by-dish recipes and photos are in Greg’s site, also.  My favorite dish of the evening, if you could call it a dish, was the Signature Cocktail from the Cocoanut Grove.  Anytime gin is used in a different way, I love it.  The slightly-pink color was magical and I felt like Amy Adams as the princess in the movie “Enchanted” popping up into Times Square while sipping her fruity delightful cocktail.  Oh, how times have changed in the movie industry since the “Golden Age” of Hollywood.

I tried to duplicate that cocktail in my kitchen and it turned out just as delicious as I remembered sipping during Greg’s class. The original recipe requires maraschino liqueur, but I can’t find it anywhere in Panama, not even at Felipe Motta Wine Store.  The only cherry liqueur I can buy here is produced in Chile by Mitjans and it is very tasty. This is how I make this memorable Hollywood cocktail using ingredients available in Boquete.

Boquete’s Hollywood Cocktail

2 ounces Dry Gin

1 ounce Cherry Liqueur

1/2 ounce fresh lime juice, strained

2 drops grenadine

Fill a shaker with ice and add all the ingredients.

Cover, shake and strain into a martini glass. Top with a tiny slice of fresh lime.

Greg loved visiting Boquete and he especially loved his class of exceptional students, which you can see and read about on his post.

Thanks to you Greg, for bringing the taste of Hollywood to Boquete.   It was a look back into history, a time we remember when “glamour” was all the rage.  And Greg, we’ll keep those glamorous memories alive in Panama by enjoying Boquete’s version of the  “Hollywood Cocktail” often.