Posts tagged Fresh Fruits
Thanksgiving in Costa Rica
Nov 25th
Homemade cranberry sauce
Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated American holidays in Costa Rica; every year, thousands of expats gather to give thanks and dine on foods that commemorate the autumn harvest. Whether celebrating with family or new friends, it’s a day to relish familiar dishes flavored with a tropical twist – usually fresh fruits or Costa Rican versions of familiar Thanksgiving staples.
In the Central Valley and popular beach towns, several restaurants make it easy for expats to indulge in a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Reserve in advance, and for around $30, you’ll enjoy roast turkey, stuffing, salad, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, as well as apple and pumpkin pie. You’ll share the dining room with many happy families, which helps create an air of festivity and Thanksgiving cheer. To make the holiday even more spectacular, choose a venue that overlooks the Central Valley or ocean – nighttime vistas accented by blinking city lights or spectacular sunsets will make your evening unforgettable.
Delicious sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows
Another popular option is to gather friends, family and stray expats and host a supersized potluck dinner. For a price, all your favorite Thanksgiving foods are available at local supermarkets. Turkeys, either imported from the U.S. or purchased locally from Pipasa, cost a pretty penny: plan to spend at least $3.50 per pound, or up to $80 for the entire bird. If you don’t mind buying frozen, check your local Pricesmart. This year, I found whole turkeys for just over $40. The upscale Auto Mercado imports many Thanksgiving products, including stuffing mix, canned pumpkin, and fresh cranberries.
To keep costs down, many opt for a Costa Rican version of Thanksgiving: instead of turkey, roast a couple of chickens; stock up on sweet and baking potatoes at the local farmers’ market; and use fresh bread and herbs to create a savory stuffing. Green beans are in season in November and apples are a Costa Rican favorite around Christmastime, so it’s easy whip up a green bean casserole or apple pie from local ingredients. My favorite Costa Rican Thanksgiving “hack” is to make a pumpkin pie out of ayote, a huge squash that resembles pumpkin in consistency, flavor and color.
Pumpkin pie made with local ayote
After sleeping off your Thanksgiving meal coma, you may want to check online for Black Friday deals. Online retailers based in the U.S. offer incredible savings, and Costa Rican private mail services such as Aerocasillas, Jetbox and Mailboxes, Etc. have recently begun to offer Black Friday shipping deals and discounts.
Thanksgiving is an important holiday, and not just for nostalgia’s sake. Those of us who are lucky enough to live in Costa Rica, be it temporarily or long term, have a lot to be thankful for. To begin with, the weather’s nice enough to wear flip flops to Thanksgiving dinner!
Top 5 Reasons I Love Costa Rica Living
Sep 2nd
Green and beautiful Costa Rica
Everyone has their own reasons for falling in love with Costa Rica. The uncomplicated lifestyle, natural beauty and low cost of living always top the list. For me, these five factors of Costa Rica living have improved the overall quality of my life. Don’t you want to discover if Costa Rica is right for you?
1. Costa Rica is one of the greenest, cleanest countries in the world. Its progressive environmental policies and eco-friendly practices are evident everywhere you look. Did you know that Costa Rica is one of the few countries worldwide to actually reverse deforestation? I love waking up to the pure country air lightly scented with orange blossoms in our Central Valley home.
Top 5 Reasons I Love Costa Rica Living
This is the pura vida
2. ?Costa Ricans are some of the happiest people on Earth! According to the Happy Planet Index (HPI), an independent think-tank, “Costa Ricans report the highest life satisfaction in the world and have the second-highest average life expectancy of the Americas.” Now, if that doesn’t speak for itself, I don’t know what does. Friendly, gregarious, welcoming, patient and happy: the people of Costa Rica are its greatest national treasure.
3. It’s easy to live and eat healthfully. Whether you’re an organic foodie, vegan or all-out carnivore, you’re bound to treat your body better in this tropical nation. Believe it or not, it’s actually more economical to eat healthy foods than junk in Costa Rica. Twenty US dollars will buy you a week’s worth of gorgeous fruits and veggies, fresh tuna and mahi mahi cost less than $3 a pound, and many Costa Rican towns have yet to see a McDonald’s or Pizza Hut. Roadside “fast food” snacks include farm-fresh fruits, agua de pipa (coconut juice), and tart slices of green mango.
I’ll always be a beach girl at heart
4. The great outdoors! The moment you set foot in Costa Rica all you want to do is explore. Mountains, rivers, volcanoes, cloud forest, rainforest, and more than 800 miles of sublime beaches: it’s all accessible in this tiny country. One of the great things about living – and traveling – in Costa Rica is its compact size, enabling you to traverse varied terrains in short amounts of time. In less than four hours, I can go from chilly cloud forest to sultry beaches, and still have time to relax and enjoy my day.
5. Easy acclimation with little culture shock. I lived in South East Asia for years and always struggled with the language and feeling like I truly “belonged.” Learning Spanish was a breeze compared to Thai, and for the linguistically challenged, you have a built-in community of English-speaking locals and expats. In many ways, Costa Rica is much like the States in terms of access to modern amenities, but it’s the peaceful lifestyle coupled with a true appreciation for family and friends that sets this country apart. For me, this is the “pura vida,” and it will keep me rooted here for many years to come.
