Cooking with a Costa Rican Family (La Fortuna)
Cooking with a Costa Rican family in La Fortuna.
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Essential dishes
- Gallo pinto: rice and beans fried together; the national breakfast.
- Casado: the typical lunch plate of rice, beans, salad, plantain and a protein.
- Olla de carne: beef and vegetable soup.
- Chifrijo: beans, pork crackling and pico de gallo; a bar favourite.
- Rice and beans: the Caribbean version, cooked with coconut milk.
- Tamales: especially at Christmas, wrapped in banana leaves.
Where to eat
Sodas, small family-run restaurants, are the best places to try home cooking at a fair price. Municipal markets are good too.
Learn to cook
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Useful Spanish phrases
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué me recomienda? | What do you recommend? |
| Un casado con pollo | A casado plate with chicken |
| Sin picante, por favor | Not spicy, please |
| Soy vegetariano/a | I am vegetarian |
| ¿Tiene refresco natural? | Do you have fresh fruit drinks? |
| Muy rico | Delicious |
| Soda | Small family restaurant |