Day 44 of 365 Things to Do in Panama

Day 44 of 365 Things to Do in Panama. Chomp on some Aji Chombo. This bright red or yellow chili pepper is the top flavor ingredient in a large part of Panamanian cooking and almost considered Panama’s national condiment, particularly on the Atlantic side.

Drifting into Panama from the Caribbean in the 19th century the pepper became a staple amongst the communities sheltering on a calm Caribbean coast, from the ports of Colon to the island towns of the archipelago Guna Yala. You can find it all across Panama in bottles in little hole-in-the-wall kitchens on the street to supermarkets and restaurants. It comes in dozens of variations from gummy red liquids to bright orange chunky salsas. Try it and get your heat on!