Matthew Longwill Ventura | Tasting Stillness and Spice: A Culinary Journey Through Nicaragua
When Matthew Longwill Ventura traveled through Nicaragua, he wasn’t chasing fine dining or restaurant accolades. He came for something simpler and more profound — an understanding of how food connects people to land, rhythm, and each other. For someone who has spent decades studying energy and coherence, Nicaragua’s food culture — rich, unhurried, and rooted in community — offered a living example of harmony through nourishment.
From the volcanic soil of Ometepe Island to the colorful markets of Granada, Matthew discovered that Nicaraguan cuisine isn’t about indulgence. It’s about essence: natural ingredients, ancestral techniques, and meals prepared with intention.
Highlights: Markets and Must-See Spots
His journey began in Granada, Nicaragua’s colonial gem, where pastel-colored architecture and cobblestone streets lead to the heart of local life — the Mercado Municipal de Granada. Matthew Longwill Ventura wandered through the aisles surrounded by the scent of roasted corn, tropical fruit, and simmering soups. Vendors called out friendly greetings as they sold everything from ripe mangos and cassava to handmade tortillas and cheese wrapped in banana leaves.
At a corner stall, he tried nacatamales — corn dough filled with pork, rice, and vegetables, steamed inside plantain leaves. The cook explained that every family has its own recipe, passed down through generations. For Matthew, it was a small revelation: the same principles that guide his work with energy — patience, layering, and intention — were alive in this food tradition.
A day trip to Masaya Market, near the active Masaya Volcano, revealed another layer of culinary artistry. Craftsmen sold clay pots still used for cooking over open flames, and spice vendors offered ground achiote, cinnamon, and cacao. Here, cooking wasn’t just sustenance — it was identity, a daily practice of continuity and creation.
Food Experiences: The Energy of Everyday Meals
One of Matthew Longwill Ventura’s most memorable meals came at El Zaguan in Granada, a restaurant known for its grilled meats and open-fire kitchen. The aroma of seared beef and charred plantains filled the air as he watched cooks work with quiet confidence. He ordered baho, a traditional Nicaraguan dish of marinated beef slow-cooked with green plantains, yuca, and onions, all steamed together in banana leaves.
“The flavors feel like conversation,” he said later. “Each ingredient retains its character, but the long cooking draws them into coherence.”
He found similar balance in gallo pinto, the country’s signature mix of rice and beans, often eaten three times a day. In San Juan del Sur, a seaside town famous for its surf and sunsets, he ate it alongside fried cheese, eggs, and sweet plantains at El Timón, a beachside café where locals linger over breakfast as the tide rolls in.
For dessert, Matthew discovered tres leches cake at Kathy’s Waffle House, a beloved local spot where tourists and residents share tables. “It’s simple, but it’s made with care,” he reflected. “Like good energy work, the result depends entirely on presence.”
Culture and Neighborhoods: Food as a Reflection of Life
Outside the markets and restaurants, Matthew Longwill Ventura found that food was woven into every part of Nicaraguan life. In León, a city known for its intellectual and revolutionary spirit, he joined a cooking class led by a local family who taught him how to make indio viejo, a savory cornmeal stew thickened with masa and flavored with tomato and mint.
As they cooked over wood fire, the conversation drifted from recipes to resilience. His hosts spoke of family gatherings, harvest rituals, and the pride of preserving ancestral techniques in a changing world. For Matthew, it was another lesson in continuity — how tradition, like energy, sustains communities through generations.
Later, in Ometepe Island, formed by twin volcanoes rising from Lake Nicaragua, he stayed in a small eco-lodge where meals were sourced entirely from the property’s garden. Fresh herbs, cacao, avocados, and papayas filled the table, connecting the land directly to the plate. “This is what wholeness tastes like,” he wrote in his travel journal. “Earth, air, water, and fire — all here, alive.”
Dining Tips and Critiques: Lessons for the Conscious Traveler
From rustic roadside eateries to farm-to-table eco-lodges, Nicaragua’s dining scene rewards curiosity. Matthew Longwill Ventura offers several reflections for travelers seeking authenticity:
Start at the markets. Local markets like Granada’s and Masaya’s reveal the soul of Nicaraguan cuisine — fresh, unpretentious, and alive with conversation.
Eat with locals. Ask where families eat, not where tourists dine. Some of the best gallo pinto and fried fish come from small beachside “comedores.”
Respect the rhythm. Meals move slowly here; they’re meant to be savored, not rushed. For Matthew, that slowness mirrors the energy of balance itself.
Try cacao in all its forms. From ceremonial drinking chocolate to cacao nibs mixed with honey, Nicaragua honors cacao as both food and medicine.
Be mindful of portions. Many traditional dishes are rich and filling. Sharing plates creates connection — and avoids waste.
His only critique? A few high-end restaurants in tourist areas have begun overcomplicating traditional dishes for presentation’s sake. “Simplicity,” he said, “is where the real power lives.”
Who Is Matthew Longwill Ventura?
Matthew Longwill is a Ventura-based energy healer, educator, and consciousness researcher whose career bridges science and holistic wellness. With a B.S. in Biology from Santa Clara University and a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Life Chiropractic College West, he has spent more than twenty years exploring the relationship between mind, body, and energy.
His practice integrates non-force techniques, intuitive assessment, and frequency-based analysis to uncover the root causes of imbalance. Deeply influenced by research in energy medicine, Matthew Longwill Ventura helps others cultivate awareness and coherence in all aspects of health.
Outside of his professional work, travel and food play a vital role in his philosophy — he sees every meal, like every interaction, as an opportunity to practice presence and gratitude.
Conclusion: The Flavor of Awareness
As Matthew Longwill Ventura reflected on his time in Nicaragua, he realized that the country’s culinary landscape mirrored his own life’s work. It was about rhythm, reciprocity, and respect — principles as relevant in the kitchen as in healing.
From the simmering pots of León to the seaside grills of San Juan del Sur, every dish told the same story: energy flows where care is given. In food, as in life, the most powerful nourishment comes not from complexity, but from connection — to ingredients, to people, and to the land that sustains them.
Get In Touch With Matthew Longwill Ventura
To learn more about and get in touch with Matthew Longwill Ventura, check out his website, social media, and various blogs and press articles below:
Matthew Longwill Ventura YouTube
Matthew Longwill Ventura Medium
Matthew Longwill Ventura About.me
Matthew Longwill Ventura Soundcloud