The Cooking School in Antigua

After an exhausting day at the market I was ready for a little relaxation and so it was off to the cooking school in Antigua to learn more about Guatemalan cuisine.

The day started with a traditional stew called Pepian. Pepian consists of a sauce made from roast vegetables, sesame seeds and spices blended to a smooth consistency. Sauted chicken and vegetables are then added once the sauce is prepared. The flavour of the sauce is delicious due to the roasting of fresh vegetables and spices.

There are many varieties of Pepian depending on the region. The one we cooked was Pepian Colorado named for the red bell peppers and tomatoes used in the sauce. Around Antigua the most common type of Pepian available is Pepian Negro which uses burnt tortillas to make the sauce black. Somehow the idea of Pepian Colorado was more appealing.

Other recipes we cooked were traditional beef tacos (similar to Mexican taquitos - rolled and deep fried), a dessert called Dulce de Guisquil. Guisquil is known in the US as Chayote squash. Guatemalan guacamole, Guatemalan black beans and homemade tortillas.

In Mexico guacamole is pronounced with an accent over the e, so it's guacamol-e. In Guatemala it's pronounced as guacamole (to rhyme with whack-a-mole). No idea why, but good to know!

After a couple of hours of preparation and cooking it was time to eat. The food was delicious and I would highly recommend the experience. Accompanying the meal was a dark red drink called Rosa de Jamaica - made from hibiscus flowers, it was superb.