“Dim sum for breakfast is a tradition in Panama,” @jorge.chanis told me when we first met.

I smiled politely, unsuccessfully disguising my disbelief. Which is how I found myself at @palaciolungfung, the venerable institution that helped bring dim sum into the mainstream in Panama City more than 50 years ago. As we gorged on hargow and siumai, charsiu bao and cheung fun, Lung Fung scion @ericleec explained how his grandfather immigrated to Panama from the Canton region in China. It’s part of a larger story that goes back to the 1800s and sheds light on why Chinese influences are inextricably woven into the cuisine of Panama, alongside Afro-Caribbean traditions.

It was a fascinating discussion about diasporas and what identity means to people in a relatively young, multicultural nation.

Thanks to @isaacvillaverde @armandopebre @andreapinzonb for your insights and @tononrafa for being my hand model.