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LOCAL Saturday 16 November 2024

Dining in? Try making a local favorite

How to make “pan bati”

(Oranjestad)—If you’re ever up for an Aruban Instructions:
snack, try making another Aruban classic ap- Add all the dry ingredients in a bowl first, and
petizer called Pan Bati. Similar to a pancake stir until well mixed. Then add the milk and beat
both in appearance and cooking, this is a su- until reached a pancake-like consistency. If
per easy meal that adults and children will both more moister is needed, add some water until
enjoy. Here’s how to make it! reached desired consistency.

Ingredients: In a hot pan with oil, pour in enough batter to
2 cups of all purpose flour cover the bottom of the pan. Just like pancakes,
1 cup grams of fine cornmeal (we recommend flip the pan bati when one side turns golden
the Harina PAN brand) brown. When your pan bati is ready, place on
2 tbsp baking powder a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
1 1/3 cup of milk
1 pinch of salt Traditionally, pan bati is cut in triangle pieces,
2 tbsp of granulated sugar and is often eaten as a side dish with soup, fried
Oil for cooking fish or stews. However, it is also casually enjoyed
with some butter and cheese on top! q

Another Treasure of Aruba’s Beaches: Sea Glass!

NOORD - It is hard to imagine this shore in millions, and that is why sea glass with certain inclusions, tel & Polar beer), green (Heineken
happening today, but years ago you can find these beautiful and just like precious gems. & Balashi beer) and clear glass
people dumped all kinds of refuse colorful pieces on the north shore which are the soft much loved
straight into the ocean, including beaches of Aruba. For years, the water beat against “soft drink” bottles.
old cars, and their household gar- the different kinds of trash being
bage, which of course included Especially on the strip on white dumped. Glass, household ap- If you like to see the sea glass for
lots of glass. Over the next 30 years sand between the famous Natural pliances and even motor parts yourself, and be in awe of the
the pounding waves cleaned the Bridge” and the huge red anchor were discarded on the beach. power of nature, rent a car or
beach, by breaking down every- close to “Grapefield” beach you The waves and weather condi- jeep and go explore our deserted
thing but glass and pottery. The will be able to find your own pieces tions wore down the overwhelm- beaches on the north side of the
pounding waves washed the trash of sea glass. The sea glass that was ing amount of garbage in the wa- island. Make it a fun family day!
up and down, back and forth. Tons created is the product of a very ter, creating millions of beautiful Even if we didn’t mean to pollute
of polished, broken glass pieces long and interesting process. It can smooth rocks. the Beaches how we did, it is inspir-
were created by the pounding surf. take anywhere from 10 to 30 years ing to see just how the earth can
These smoothened, colored glass to make sea glass. The name for It’s hard to believe the short- correct our mistakes.
particles then settled along the sea any piece of glass that finds its way sighted mistakes we were making
to the ocean and tumbles around that could have potentially ru- Funny, how trash can change into
in the water long enough is “Sea ined these beautiful beaches. But treasures!
glass. thanks to natural processes, the
ocean transformed the trash into Everybody knows that you are not
The colorful pieces of glass are the sea glass. allowed to take local shells home,
being used for decoration, hand- Each colored gem on the beach but the people working at the air-
crafts and jewelry! has its own story. port have no problem you taking
Once glass makes its way into the sea glass home. A few of those
ocean, the glass is broken up into The ruby red glass stones are typi- pieces make great souvenirs. You
shards and is tumbled around in cally from old car tail-lights. can place them in a wine glass or
the water, where sand and other large bottle for decoration and ev-
rocks act like sandpaper to smooth Then, the sapphire rocks are the ery time you look at it a smile will
out its rough edges. Sometimes as remnants of broken apothecary light up your face thinking back of
the sea glass is passed through fire, bottles. The most common and the your unforgettable Aruba vaca-
it becomes fire glass, the rarest of easiest to find are the brown (Ams- tion! q