by Anne Watcher on Saturday February 9th, 2008 at 9:16am
La Fiesta del Maiz: According to some of the travel guides this is the one stop in La Garita not to be missed. Dubbed the "Corny" restaurant due to the fact that alot of the food is corn based. Other local fare is also available. Very busy on the weekends apparently. Located on Hwy. 3 about 2km from the Interamerican Hwy. 1. I had the pinto completo, -beans and rice, egg and corn tortillas. Very good and typical of a Costa Rican meal. As always it was served with mayo on the side. Fried bananas for that sweet at the end of your meal.
Recipe for Gallo Pinto ( Rice and Beans )
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of oil
1 tablespoons of Salsa Lizano * Sauce
1 1/2 cups of cooked black beans
2 1/2 cups of cooked rice
2 tablespoons of bell pepper chopped
2 tablespoons of chopped onions
1 tablespoon of chopped coriander
*or Worchester Sauce
Saute the onion and bell pepper in a pan for about 2 minutes, add the black beans and the Sauce, leave that for about 10 minutes at medium heat. Once it's done, add the cooked rice and mix with the coriander. You can always add eggs or mixed with bacon strips or sausage.
Recipe for Fried Plantains
Ingredients:
4 ripe black-skinned plantains, peeled, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick pieces or cut them in halves and then lengthwise.
5 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Working in batches fry plantains until golden brown, turning often, about 4 minutes. Transfer plantains to paper towel to drain with a slotted spoon.
Note: Fried plantains are often cooked with sugar. If you want to use sugar, then sprinkle sugar on the plantains before frying.
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by Anne Watcher on Saturday February 9th, 2008 at 9:15am
We couldn't help but notice the ditch across the front of Norma's and also all along the road. Sometimes it was almost dry and sometimes it was teeming with fast flowing water. They also seemed to be very generous watering the new turf and lawn. We were told and had read that the water in Costa Rica was safe to drink. So we asked Rick what the story was with the water here. The front ditches are for irrigation only and are turned on and off and each property can take so much for irrigation. It is gravity feed and comes from a local river. The drinking water comes through another separate system and is all metered just like cities and towns at home. It is all chlorine treated and is totally safe for consumption.
Just like at home, some people still prefer to drink bottled water. Personally I have been using the tap water for my coffee and cooking but Rob prefers his tea made with bottled water-he likes the taste better. I don't mind the taste but I have noticed it doesn't get as cold as at home so if I want a glass of water I too drink the bottled stuff kept cold in the fridge.
by Anne Watcher on Saturday February 9th, 2008 at 1:35am
If you really want the taste of home or are just a little homesick there is nothing like chicken wings and pool tables to cure you. Large screen TV's with ESPN on doesn't hurt either. About 1 km. back towards the Pan-AM highway is Magic Motown, an American owned bar and restaurant serving roadhouse type food. Prices of food are comparable to home-c3500 or about $7 for 1 lb.- but the wings are large and meaty and where up home do we get 108 flavours!!!! They are also served with large fresh cut fries. Good thing we had a walk home to wear them off. The real bargain is the 24oz. draft of their local beer, Imperial, for c750 or $1.50.
The table menu listing all 108 flavors
We went safe this time picking "medium with garlic" (#6)
eating area with the lights on - internet and pool tables are above
by Anne Watcher on Friday February 8th, 2008 at 8:08pm
These are some shots from our local grocery store. They may be a few cents more expensive and not as large a selection but the service and friendly smiles more than make up for that. They do have all the essentials and much more. Michael and the other staff are always friendly, helpful and speak good English. We have quite often used US dollars and they always give a fair rate of exchange. It is just a pleasant walk from Norma's, right across from the soccer grounds at the corner going to Turrucares on Hwy. 3. It is also nice that the trip home when you are carrying groceries is downhill.
by Anne Watcher on Friday February 8th, 2008 at 12:22pm
Shortly after we arrived I realize I had left some of my supplies for embroidery at home. As we were walking up the street from the bus station in Alajuela I couldn't believe my eyes, a store full of ribbons, yarn, zippers, beads. The colours were amazing. And of course there was "embroidery floss". How easy was that!! Rob let me go in and get some but he limited my time. Later that morning we found two sewing machine stores, one Janome, one Singer. You're never far from what you need.
