Many people assume that because Costa Rica is a Latin American country, that the food is hot and spicy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. For the most part, Costa Rican food is simple and wholesome and made from fresh ingredients and delicious. With a mild climate, fresh vegetables and fruits are available year -round and cannot be compared at all to the pitiful fruits that arrive in northern supermarkets.
For breakfast, the most popular dish is “gallo pinto” – which literally translated means “spotted rooster.” It consists of onions and fresh cilantro and fresh sweet chiles, sauteed a bit in a little oil, and then cooked rice and cooked black beans are added as well as some of that wonderful Costa Rican sauce — Lizano. Rice and beans are staples in the Costa Rican diet so gallo pinto has always been a great way to use up any leftover rice and beans from the day before. It is delicious by itself but add a little sour cream — known as “natilla” and it’s fantastic. Served with a fresh, homemade corn tortilla and a scrambled egg or two — a delicious and hearty way to start a day of adventuring and hiking.
The typical Costa Rican lunch or dinner is known as a “casado” which literally translated means “marriage.” It is traditionally 6 items: some kind of meat or fish, rice, beans, salad and two “cook’s choice” which might be a sauteed plantain, a slice of fresh cheese, half an avocado or a beautiful beet salad.
With any meal, you can have a “refresco natural” — which is like a fresh fruit smoothie, although you may hear some names that you are not familiar with such as “tamarindo, horchata, chan, cas” or other fruits. For many of them, you can have them made with milk or no milk and you can discuss the amount of sweetening you want.
A wonderful snack is a “chorreada” which is a very thin pancake made with fresh corn. Delicious on its own but becomes something special with the addition of some fresh “natilla.” A chorreada and a refresco natural is a great snack or a light meal.
Of course, there is a great variety of menu items for all meals — and pizza is very popular. For fast food (away from urban center where you find typical North American fast food outlets), there is always a “pollo frito” (fried chicken) kiosk wherever you go. Typically served with a few small corn tortillas and some salsa, this is a light meal or a great snack. Many of the chicken kiosks also have “pollo asado” which is chicken roasted over a flame. It’s sold by portions – “porciones” and you can request certain pieces of chicken if you like.
Costa Rican cuisine is very friendly to people with typical food allergies — such as peanut allergies or gluten intolerance. It is a corn-based culture so it’s easy to avoid wheat of all sorts and there are very few typical foods that include peanuts — or any nuts, really.
To find the best typical foods, look for a local “soda.” These are small restaurants that local people frequent and specialize in typical foods — and — are inexpensive. You can find other great restaurants, some of which have beautiful buffets of typical foods. Check with your lodging for recommendations but make sure they know that you are wanting typical Costa Rican food and not a “tourist experience.”
For some great recipes, you can go here: http://www.recetasdecostarica.com/
