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So I've made it through Mexico, which I think will be a high point on my world candy tour and Belize, which I think will be a low point. Not much candy in Belize. What opportunities are there to really experience Central American candy in the remaining countries?

I did stay at an organic cacao farm in Belize, which was extremely interesting... cacao pulp is really good if you ever get a chance to taste it, it's a shame it all gets fermented away to make chocolate. In Antigua I stopped by the Dulceria de Dona Maria, a candy store that's been around for 130+ years and still makes delicious handmade candy. I spent way too much money there...

Any other suggestions? I'm hoping to find a candymaker somewhere along the way who will let me into her kitchen for a few days to watch and learn how it's made, preferably in a hands-on manner. Other tips or suggestions would be great.

Thanks!

We picked up some special candy made in Diriomo, Nicaragua- several different kinds of fruit and cocoa but, I have been trying to get a description on the web and have been unsuccessful.

Other than tres leche, all kinds of desserts made with cream, skim milk and canned milk (which I detest) Costa Rica candy upholds the tradition of cuisine here. Which is to say - boring and unimaginative.

If I want a good piece of chocolate, and I am an aficionado, I have to buy an American chocolate bar - and that just barely qualifies. That's just silly in a country that grows the stuff.

Try to get a good cup of coffee in Guatemala. Just try.

Its all Nescafe, except for expensive restaurants, some cafes in Antiqua, McDonalds(Which brews a good cup), and
Lago Atitlan..theres an argentinan grill restaurant that roasts its own beans bought from guatemalan peasants.

I can't remember the brand name, but there was some really nice locally-produced chocolate in Nicaragua. The only place I saw it was at our lodgings in Las Penitas (Barco del Oro?). Otherwise, the entire country seemed to have an aversion to snack food in general: it is definitely the sort of place where people eat to live, not vice versa.

Thankfully, coffee is very good here. Although lots of households use the Nescafe stuff (I have a book somewhere that explains why CA loves dried coffee) restaurants almost always use the drip method for real coffee.

The unit looks like an old sock, with a wire rim, held in a little wooden stand. It isn't a sock of course, it's a cotton pouch into which the coffee is put. Then hot water poured over it. I liked it so much I got one for home. And no electricity needed. A real bonus where the electric can go out 2 or 3 times a day.

On the dessert topic - CR does have a penchant for baked goods. Sadly, they are almost always dry-as-dust cakes or thick, gooey, pudding like squares. Really - the state of food almost made me want to leave here originally.

sigh - We could have moved to France. But I'd probably weigh 100 kilos by now.

In Guatemala there was a place in the road out of Antigua that sells traditional candies. I am based in El Salvador, and every time I go to Guatemala everybody asks me to bring back "Canillitas".

Here in El Salvador we also have traditional candies, and there is a company, Tia Toya that makes them industrially, so you can find carts on many malls or on the airport. A Tia Toya Candy Stand at Soyapango's Hiper Paiz (now a Wal Mart).

If you go to any town market you can find these traditional hand made candies, and there is a lot of variety! Photos of Traditional Handmade Candies at Cerro Verde Volcano

You can also find Atole, Arroz en Lecha, Plantain Empanadas Photo of Plantain Empanadas. These are not candies per se, but are sweet foods. Try to go to a Tipicos Margoth's, which is a chain of restaurants with traditional salvadorean cuisine Photo of Tipicos Margoth at Escalon, and at Arbol de Dios Artisan Shop.

Haci, were you referring to the Castillo de Cacao in Matagalpa? It's just outside of town and makes rum-flavored chocolates (ron-bons). Their bars are decent, but not as good as the ron-bons.

I also saw their bars sold in a few places around the country, even in a clothing store in the Managua Metro Centro.

Getting back to your point about Nicas eating to live, none of the locals in Matagalpa knew that the Castillo de Cacao existed. The tourist office in town knows where it is. And there probably won't be a line at the office, since so few tourists bother going to Matagalpa.

Can somebody explain the coffee thing to me? Why doesn't Guatemala have good coffee? I don't really drink it anyway, but it seemed strange to me that everyone was saying how Nescafe was king...

As was explained, some better restaurants have drip coffee.

THe small cheap restaurants use nescafe.

Why? Its simple economics and culture.

Guatemalans grew the coffee for rich Spaniards, creoles, and foriegners, and most of the coffee went, and still goes, to a booming export market. This means that the domestic price of coffee is equal to the export price, since any smart farmer will sell to the market that has richer customers.

Not only that, most of the production of the large plantations are DEDICATED to export production contracts, for improved profitability of the operation.

So, you have to look around hard to even get coffee beans, and when you can, its often not roasted AND extremely expensive for the averate guatemalan salary. If the restaurant is owned by foriegerns, or people with a sense of what tourists like, they manage to make it. If not, the average chicken and rice stand is quite happy with nescafe. Its less fuss and bother, and stores perfectly well for months.

I'm not a big fan of CA candy. Tends to be all sugar and fruit. Real candy has to have chocolate. And yeh.. I've hit every candy store in Antigua.

Now ice cream is another matter.Some primo shops. Although my favorite is the 1 Q ice cream cone made with homemade ice cream sold on any plaza in Guatemala or by vendors everytime your chicken bus stops.

In Antigua the place for coffee is Tostaduria Antigua. Tony roasts in very small batches. He has lately been experimenting with chocolate.. see what is new. Just a corner shop with three little tables and some rickety chairs you can have a cup of straight coffee. None of that frou frou latte or expresso crap. Tony will fill you in on his internet adventures. I've his poetry on my web site. The CIA, Google, Charles Schwab and J. Dale Davidson have censored most other places on the internet that used to host it. Feel free to copy it and post elsewhere. Once I'm dead that site will disappear. I've also got an article of his about coffee and another about our lord and saviour Maximon.

quote:

Originally posted by omnivorous_t:
Haci, were you referring to the Castillo de Cacao in Matagalpa? It's just outside of town and makes rum-flavored chocolates (ron-bons). Their bars are decent, but not as good as the ron-bons.

I don't remember what they were called, but the bars had chunks of real cocoa in them and though they were a bit irregular in consistency, after two weeks without chocolate of any sort, they were delicious!

I almost forgot one one of the best sweet moments in Central America, and its even healthier than candy, per se.

Sugar cane juice fresh squeezed from the cane.

Its earthy tasting, not as sweet as white sugar, and has a citrusy after taste that is definitely addictive. Its up there with fresh coconut juice for me, which is not a sweet, but when tapped straight from the coconut, is probably is as fattening and just as delicious.


Then there is Atole, which I lived on in Xela and many places as my breakfast.

Coffee . . .

I seem to recall that Nescafe was one of the first imported food products into Costa Rica. As such, became an instant (excuse the pun) status symbol to be able to afford to serve it.

Let me know if you want the references and I'll look them up.

The best chocolate I've had in CA was in Bocas del Toro, Panama. It's a little crumbly in texture, but very tasty... it's a peculiar flavor that either you love or hate. It is made by a few Yanks in Bocas, and sold in town and at the airport.

I agree with Malena, untoasted/unfermented cacao pulp is tasty but hard to find. They serve it as a chicha (in a plastic bag, of course) from the street carts in Matagalpa, Nica.

Thanks for all the replies!

In San Pedro, there is a native Mayan (Diego) making amazing chocolates out of his kitchen. They aren't at all like Oaxacan or European chocolate - more like fudge. All natural, delicious, 14 different flavors, and you can go watch him make it if you ask around. For someone visiting San Pedro (Guatemala) I definitely recommend it. I think it's also sold around most of Western Guatemala so grab some if you can.

Thanks for all the leads, hopefully I'll be able to check them all out

There is a small shop in Panajachel called Crossroads. North of Camino Real it is a bit hard to find. Ask around. Run by a couple from the US they roast the best coffee at the lake. While Mike handles the coffee his wife makes fantastic pastry. Wonderful people. Their story about making a life there is fascinating. Another source for sweets in Pana is in the evening when two women set up a table about 2/3 of the way down Santander. They cook up meals, catering mainly to locals. But their real treat are the massive pies they fix. The strawberry pie is the best. It sells out early every night. No matter where you eat save room for a slice of the pie.

good coffee is nearly impossible to get in the baja. i've resorted to purchasing a moka pot through ebay/mexico to satiate my desire for stronger coffee while here i am here for a couple of months(i need my fix) . it looks something like this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot, but slightly bigger. one can purchase whole beans here in la paz, but it s almost never fresh and there is not much variety. i love CA coffee, so it pains me to hear that it's not ubiquitously consumed in CA. i plan to travel through CA soon, and need to decide whether i can force the moka pot into my overburdened pack. do i really need my sleeping bag..??
ok, end of rant and apology for off topic post.