7/30/2019 Food in Costa Rica Final Cynthia Salas

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Food in Costa Rica

By Journalism Fellow: Cynthia Salas

In July, I was given the opportunity to take a trip to Costa Rica for 10 days. In those 10

days I experienced so many wonderful things. I met amazing people, who I will never forget. One thing that stood out to me from the whole trip was the marvelous food.

The food from Costa Rica is delicious! Each

bite you take is an adventure to a whole new

culture. From the rice to the beans, everything is

tasty and has so many flavors. Costa Rican food

is not only delightful but also really fresh.

Breakfast in Costa Rica is really different from

breakfast in America. In America, we usually eat

bacon, eggs, pancakes, etc. However, in Costa

Rica the breakfast is really heavy. A typical dish

for breakfast is gallo pinto, eggs, and sweet

plantains. Pinto in Costa Rica is white rice with

black beans, Costa Rican salsa, sweet chile, and onion. While pinto is only served with

breakfast, rice and beans is served with lunch and dinner. Just like rice and beans, eggs

are also served with nearly every meal.

 Along with breakfast, you will always have a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Kids in

Costa Rica begin drinking coffee at an early age, some as early as 3 years old. In rural

Costa Rica it is normal to grow your own coffee in your back yard. Many families also

grow different fruits and vegetables in their backyards.

Lunch in Costa Rica is heavier than breakfast. Lunch

is as heavy as an average family dinner in America. Lunch

in Costa Rica is incredible, just like the rest of the food, and

come in many varieties. For example, you can have a bowl

of delicious soup with plenty of fresh vegetables such as

potatoes, avocado, yams, and much more. Each vegetable

brings out a different flavor, some salty and some sweet.

On the side, you may have white rice or a tortilla.

With lunch, you usually drink agua fresca, which isfresh juice. Some people drink lemonade or passion fruit

aguas frescas. You can also drink horchata, which is rice

water with ground up cinnamon: it tastes sweet and

pleasant! Or you can drink agua dulce, a warm drink made

of water and fresh sugar cane. With lunch you usually get a side of fruit. The fruit is

nothing like the fruit in America; it is juicy and fresh! Once you take a bite of the fruit

7/30/2019 Food in Costa Rica Final Cynthia Salas

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here your taste buds go insane because it is just that amazing.

When you eat dinner, you do not leave the dinner table hungry; your host will give

you so much great food! At dinner you could be served anything, they have so many

options to choose from! It could be rice and

fried chicken (just like home!), an excellent

pasta dish, salads, and nacho chips. Some

people even drink coffee with dinner!

One popular snack between meals is pan

dulce, or sweet bread. It is savory, and melts

inside your mouth! The recipe is as follows:

-1 stick of butter 

-1 egg

-1 cup of flour 

-2 cups of sweet milk

Mix the ingredients, roll it, and put it in theoven to bake. It tastes really sweet and

terrific. You can’t go wrong with fresh bread! 

The food in Costa Rica is too incredible to

describe in full detail. You have to experience it for yourself to understand how fantastic

it truly is. Take a bite of the food and go on a wonderful adventure!

I learned so many things from this trip. The most important thing I learned is to value

every little thing you have. In Costa Rica the motto is "Pura Vida" . In English, “  Pura

Vida”   means Pure Life. The expression is used in many forms. Costa Ricans use it as a

greeting and as a synonym for the word “excellent”. Costa Ricans have a fascinating life

style that everyone should experience.

¡Pura Vida!