Antigua, Guatemala is a bustling destination for culture, hiking, culinary artists, and vibrant markets. It’s known as the land of perpetual spring and is a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site with exceptionally preserved Spanish colonial architecture and 17th century historic church ruins, all flanked by three volcanoes (Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango).
It's what a dreamer would imagine as a true melting pot––lovers, artists, expats––all vibing with reverence for spirit, land, and history.
Along the cobblestone streets, it's not uncommon to spot a local family effortlessly passing by, with a baby nestled peacefully against her mother's chest, sleeping soundly as the world moves around her. Further along, a lone abuela (grandmother figure) wrapped in a hand woven dress, sits carved into a corner praying or selling trinkets. The volcano Acatenango watches over all of it, her presence ominous and sacred. Mysterious, captivating, and impossible to forget. A reminder that some places still feel wonderfully untamed and unlike anywhere else.
It smells like cocoa, flowers, and freshly fried chicharrons. Acoustic music fills the air and changes to fit the vibe of each hidden treasure behind magical doors. There's a rhythm, a pulse that makes it feel alive, and you feel it in your belly.
Among the many highlights is a peaceful, lazy morning spent strolling along stone pathways shaded by towering, dinosaur-sized ferns. Few experiences are as memorable as an afternoon at an open-air spa housed within a beautifully preserved 17th-century monastery, complete with a sugar-sweet cacao massage and a soak in mineral-rich ancient pools shaded by towering trees and alive with the songs of native birds.
The culinary scene in Antigua is as colorful and diverse as the gardens and people. With a landscape in bloom year-round, fresh fruit weighs down the branches and finds its way to most menus. Rich in Mayan heritage, the cobblestone roads are lined with vendors selling cups of juicy mango and papaya, Chuchitos (think, tamale), Pepian (savory stew), sweet candy, and endless preparations of the sweetest corn you’ll ever taste. One dish on every menu is the ‘Guatemalan’. This is a breakfast that tickles every taste bud, featuring whatever fruit is in season, creamy refried beans, “huevos con chirmol" (scrambled eggs with a tomatillo salsa), queso Panela (a silky white cheese made in a basket), and Platanos frotios (fried plantains), all topped with crema, cilantro, lime, salt, a smile, and love. This is what I crave when I return, and make at home on a sunny summer day to feel that reverence for history, community, and love in my belly.
The Guatemalan
Ingredients:
Corn tortillas
6 eggs
1 plantain (yellow is ripe)
1 small papaya (yellow skin is ripe)
1 mango
Pineapple
Tomatillo salsa
1 lime
1 avocado
Fresh cilantro and 1 scallion
1 container Crema
1 wheel Cotija cheese
1 wheel Panela cheese
2 cans refried black beans
Chili flavored Chicharrones
Agave syrup
6 Tbs avocado oil
Flake salt
Directions:
- Play your favorite music as you gather ingredients. Choose a platter and a side plate for the tortillas and Chicharrones. *The one shown here was hand made in Guatemala by women artisans. Ingredients will be arranged lovingly together for everyone to share, family style.
- In a medium sized skillet, warm 2T of oil. Add the beans and gently mash them into the oil, cooking over low, gentle heat for about 10 minutes until warmed through.
- Peel, deseed, and slice the papaya, mango and pineapple. Chop a small handful of cilantro leaves and scallion, peel and slice the avocado, crumble Cotija cheese, and slice Panela cheese. Slice the lime in half, trim away the middle.
- Peel and slice the plantain on a diagonal. In a second skillet, heat 4T oil. Once hot (not smoking) carefully arrange plantains and cook 6 minutes per side until golden. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate. Keeping the pan on medium high heat, cook 8 corn tortillas on both sides until slightly golden.
- Scramble eggs in a bowl and cook in the same pan you used for the tortillas.
- Arrange tortillas and Chicharrones on a plate with a dollop of crema in the center, topped with salsa, cotija, and cilantro/scallion. On the platter, arrange the rest of the ingredients. Top eggs and beans with salsa, cotija and cilantro. Dollop crema near the fruit and on top of the plantains. Drizzle with agave. Squeeze lime and sprinkle with salt and remaining cilantro/scallion over the entire platter. Sit, relax, enjoy.