Wednesday, May 15, 2013
REFLECTION #1 - Food of Costa Rica
We all know that food is an important part of life. Cultures can be defined by the food they eat. Share about your experience with food thus far in Costa Rica. Compare/contrast the food in Costa Rica with what you eat in the US. (types, colors, aromas, tastes, preparations, etc). How have you adapted to the food in Costa Rica? Did you get to see any locals eating and how does that compare to the US?
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So glad to be eating arroz con pollo (chicken & rice).
ReplyDeleteMy experience with the food in Costa Rica has been very positive. I have ordered a variety of things and tried a few things that I had never had before. I have found that the food here is very fresh to say the least. All of the fruit is freshly picked and prepared. My favorite thing is the fruit juice with water. They do not have it in the States and that is a disappointment. A few other differences that I noticed is that the ketchup is sweet and they do not keep salt and pepper on the tables in restaurants too. Overall I have loved the food. It is all very rich in colors and tastes. I have taken a picture of just about everything I have eaten.
ReplyDeleteThis is from Caroline.
DeleteI have enjoyed the food here so much! I have had chalupas, arroz con pollo, lots of fresh fruit, and so many good pastry desserts. The food reminds me a lot of Mexican and other Hispanic food all of which I love. My favorites have been the pastry desserts. I have such a sweet tooth and the desserts are so fresh and sweet. I wish we could find things like that in the states. The other thing I have noticed is the food is very colorful! It's pretty to look at. My only complaint so far is that the ketchup is too sweet. I am not a picky eater and I love trying new things so eating Costa Rican food has been great! I love experience the taste of their culture!
DeleteKelly
The food in Costa Rica has been way better than I thought it would be. I'm generally a picky eater but before this experience I promised myself I would try new things and I haven't regretted it a single moment. The fruit here is so fresh and sweeter than any fruit you can get in the US. I usually HATE pineapple but I tried the pineapple at a hotel we stayed at last night and didn't mind it! Trying the food of any new culture you are in is taking a risk, but a risk worth taking. I know I would have regretted not trying the pineapple when I get back to the states because I never would have gotten to experience GOOD pineapple and that just seems like a tragedy.
ReplyDeleteKara Hamilton
The food so far has been quite good. It is different from the US but similar as well. One thing I have discovered is the fruit in water drinks. They just blend water with whatever kind of fruit you would like. It is delicious and healthy! I wish we had this back home, it is certainly better than soda. One thing I enjoyed was the light and healthy breakfast at the hotel. I loved the fresh fruit and toast. I know this is an option for us at home, but it is not usually the norm. Some of the food is quite unique and I want to try lots of their native foods. Food is part of culture and I want to experience it all!
ReplyDelete-Maddi Abrams
So far, the food in Costa Rica has been absolutely fantastic. In an attempt to fully experience the culture, I have tried to avoid foods such as pizza and burgers. I am surprised, however, at the variety available at the restaurants. In addition to that, the waiters and waitresses have been extremely accommodating in regards to my lack of Spanish. A few differences that I noticed was that most of the eateries do not have salt and pepper set out on the table and the ketchup is extremely sweet! They also have fruit mixed with water as a common drink and it is delicious! Everything is extremely fresh and well prepared. I don't think that I can pick a favorite meal because everything has been so fantastic! I'm excited to try the other new delicacies throughout the remainder of the trip.
ReplyDeleteTiffany
So far, here in Costa Rica, I have experienced a lot of really awesome things. I am really enjoying the chance to use my Spanish, and I have been able to use them to help other people in the group too. I love the people here: they are so nice and patient and they all seem to love that we are here. I appreciate that since they are sharing their beautiful country with us.
ReplyDeleteThe food here is delicious. I have discovered that it is always fresh, with a salad that has multiple delicious fruits and vegetables, delicious meat, and fresh rice and beans. It is really easy to find fresh fruit around here, and it is all so delicious. There are pineapples, mangos, papayas, watermelon, and guanabana to taste, among other yummy fruits. After one of my meals, for instance, I had a bowl of watermelon and pineapple for my dessert, and man did it taste good! Every typical Costa Rican meal comes with rice, beans, meat and salad. Most of the meat dishes are in sauces with other vegetables and beans, and so far they have all been absolutely fantastic. Even the food in the cafeteria at the college campus is wonderful, despite my previous experience with dining hall food at State! Much of the food is fresh and healthy, but they also have their share of tasty pastries too! I have tasted a pastry with dulce de leche, a caramel-like substance, and an apple strudel. They were so good and my friends here said their choices were delicious as well. I believe that if I stayed in Costa Rica for a long time, I would eat a lot more healthy, fresh food, but I know I would also just eat a lot of food. What can I say? It is absolutely to die for.
Margaret
When food is handed to you, take it. Any diet I may have been on before this trip is out the window. I have noticed that in many cultures food is a way of communication. For example, I was raised to immediately offer a guest something to eat and/or drink when I allow them into my home. It's how you connect with people. I find that many people here love to share their favorites with you. When we go out to eat the waiters appreciate when you ask what their favorite is and try it. I believe my favorite experience here with food was on the campus of University of Costa Rica when a college student came up to our large group and offered us pastries he had made out of a plastic tub. He was as excited to share with us as we were to take it. The best thing about the food here is it's so fresh. Simply, if it isn't grown in the area it isn't eaten. This as well as the fact that every family, especially in the rural areas, grows their own food is very different from American culture where everything is so readily available to us. However, though American food may "not so fresh" we have a more variety, so there is a pro and con. However, I prefer the food here. Es muy delicioso.
ReplyDeleteMary Jo
I have never eaten so healthy before in my life. The food in Costa Rica is healthy and mostly organic. Each meal has its own fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, and of course, rice and beans. You can really taste the freshness and quality in everything you eat. I am super excited to be here and fully embracing this culture.
ReplyDeleteLaurenAshley
My best friend came to Costa Rica over Spring Break in March and gave me a little insight on what to expect from the food presented, but I didn't exactly listen. Boy do I wish I would have! It is SO much different here. Rice and beans for breakfast, and for lunch, and for dinner. I never knew how differently they could taste, though! Surprisingly, I love it and I am actually not complaining like my best friend did. When you encounter different cultures and get a little experience of their daily life, you quickly realize how different you are from others and, yet, so similar. I have had a variety of food during my stay so far, but I have not had anything to eat that I haven't seen or heard about before. The only different between the foods is how they cook it compared to how we cook it in the United States. All the foods and drinks that I have tasted so far have been extremely delicious! I'm going to be super disappointed when I return to the States and I'm stuck eating boring fast food again. For those of you reading that have never ate Costa Rican food, you're truly missing out!
ReplyDeleteThe food in Costa Rica has been pretty tasty, but by far the best thing about the food is that it is fresh from local farmers giving the food a better, quality taste. The best food that I have had since our trip began has been the fruit, the freshness of the mango, pineapple, and bananas have been something that has made a lasting impression on me. I really enjoy how the food is farmed locally because that gives a great insight to the culture behind Costa Rica when it comes to the food showing how much support is behind the Costa Rican farmers.
ReplyDelete-Wally Trevino III
Coming to Costa Rica I was really nervous about the food. I understood that beans were a great part of the culture and they are not particularly appetizing to me. Luckily, there are so many more options, everywhere seems to be very accommodating to our habits. There has been rice, chicken, seafood (a lot of squid), fruits, and vegetables. The best part is everything is so fresh. I don’t think I have eaten a meal yet that didn’t include fresh fruit and/or vegetables. For breakfast and lunch the majority of the portions have been smaller than what I am used to, and for dinner the plates have been huge in comparison. No matter the size, everything has been excellent. Although, the ketchup could use a little more salt!
ReplyDelete-Sarah Anderson
The food here is really good. I am known as a picky eater by my peers, but I am enjoying the food. The fruits are much fresher here compared to fruits in the States. I have noticed that many of the foods have some spices that I am not used to. Some of these are while others are not. Overall I am enjoying the food as a great mixup to my normal diet.
ReplyDeleteGarrett
This is probably the most properly nourished I have been in a long time. I feel that I am actually eating a balanced meal for the first time. At our time at both San Jose and Monteverde, we've ate a huge variety of fruits, vegetables, meats, and grains. While the primary grain and protein source is rice and beans, which are kinda plain, we have had a huge variety in fruits and vegetables, and even meat to an extent. The one thing I really like about the food in every place I have ate is the quality and the freshness. Everything I have eaten has a taste that is noticeably fresh, even things as simple and plain a watermelon taste more delicious than any watermelon I've had in the States.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, the food has been a lot different than I was expecting. While I knew that the food was going to be different from the traditional Mexican/Hispanic restaurants in the States, I was not prepared for how different it would actually be. Yesterday, during our time for lunch in Monteverde, I ordered something that I have ordered before in the States, and it was completely different from what I was expecting. At first, I was a little shocked and confused as to what this new food was but, to my surprise, I have enjoyed literally everything. One dessert that I have particularly enoyed that Margaret helped me discover is a tres leche. It's basically a sweetened milk jelly, similar to carmel, in between two sugar cookies. The outside is usually covered by a powdered sugar or some other sweetener. Overall, the food has been really good and I have not had to dip into my emergency snacks. I am so grateful that the Costa Rican people are patient enough to help me with my broke Spanish to be able to order their delicious food.
The food in Costa Rica is definitely different than what I eat as a college student in the United States. I am used to frozen dinners and fast food and I would probably not be able to tell you what farm my eggs came from or where my vegetables were grown. The beautiful part about being in Costa Rica though is that most of the food I’ve had was grown locally and comes from family farms. Knowing where my food is coming from has also helped me to develop more of a trusting opinion on the preparation of my food, since that is the one thing I am picky about when eating in the States. The courses offered at meals are also different, especially breakfast, where rice and beans are offered as a main course. The locals are very helpful in describing the foods we are unfamiliar with in a way that helps us relate it to something we have eaten before. On my first night in Costa Rica I was introduced to the “yucca” which was described as tasting like a potato. Overall, even though Costa Rica is not a country with a big food culture I have thoroughly enjoyed every new entrée I have been offered and I cannot wait to try the foods my homestay mother will prepare for me!
ReplyDeleteSo far I have really enjoyed the food in Costa Rica. My favorite has been the fresh fruit and fruit juices, particularly the pineapple. I think we all thought we were being served watered down milk the first morning at Hotel Villa Dolce, but were pleasantly surprised to discover it was guava juice. Very tasty! I have probably liked 98% of the other foods I have eaten here as well. Besides the food being tasty, I love that I am getting a balanced meal every time. Lots of rice and beans though, so those are starting to get a little old after five days, but nevertheless, I will continue to eat them. Eating at the restaurants does give an opportunity for variation from what is served at UGA. (However, I do look forward to having a big juicy cheeseburger once we hit the states! lol). Seriously though, I am SO grateful for this whole experience. love it!
ReplyDeleteAs any cook (especially a mom) knows, the fastest way to get to the heart is through the stomach. Food is a universal binder between all societies, because no one can exist without it. However, its manifestations are diverse, and reflective of the available resources, cultural values, and resources. Does the menu include meat? Are there references to organic, or locally grown produce? My experience in Costa Rica has confirmed this view of food is a fundamental manifestation of culture. I have eaten some of the most wonderful and fresh fruits, and enjoyed hot coco half a mile from the cow that produced it. On the other hand, I have looked at restaurants whose menus boast authentic Costa Rican cuisine, right next to “American! Hamburgers and Fries!” To me, this reflects a culture torn between a strong commitment to the environment, and the need to serve the colossal tourist industry. While Costa Rica is not typically considered a “foodie’s” country because of the continual use of key ingredients (rice and beans anyone??), its cuisine is as expressive as any country that I have visited. I have been overwhelmed by the care that goes into the preparation, and the kindness of the cooks.
ReplyDeleteZoë
Rice and Beans, Rice and Beans, Rice and Beans, and Rice and Beans! That's all we eat here!
ReplyDeleteMitchell
I'm just kidding...but really that's all we eat. The fruit is the best ever! It's so good! I noticed the portions here for breakfast seem to be fairly small and not very filling. They don't eat a lot of meat either...I think that's why I'm always hungry. I have really enjoyed the different fruits I've been able to taste. During my home stay I got to eat strawberries off the bush...they didn't look or taste like normal strawberries...they looked more like berries. I also have enjoyed some of the foods I don't know how to spell or say but they were really good. This one thing was a crispy breading type thing with butter and cheese inside it was AWESOME! Overall, I have been pretty impressed with the food...but I'm ready for some bojangles.
ReplyDeleteMitchell Chrismon
LOLOL
DeleteThe food has varied from region to region here in Costa Rica. Beginning in San José, most food is typical Tico food, which is rice and beans with chicken or beef. From San José we traveled to the highlands of Monteverde and San Luis, where the pace of life is much slower and the people rely on their own land to supply them with the food on their tables. The most consistently tasty things, regardless of region, have been the coffee and fruit. I grew tired of rice and beans within a couple of days, but I am still loving the fruit, and the coffee is delicious, even though I don't like coffee in the U.S. Overall the food has been about what I have excepted, but I won't miss it when I'm back in North Carolina.
ReplyDeleteMy experience with the food has been very good. Though at this point, two days before we leave, I am getting tired of rice and beans. The coffee and fruit have been especially rewarding since it is locally grown and thus very fresh. The pineapples have been my favorite! The food here keeps me full longer and is lighter on the stomach. I have truly enjoyed the freshness of the food and hope to eat more locally upon my return.
ReplyDelete