Week 2

--What foods are "native" to Costa Rica?

Native foods of Costa Rica are arroz y frijoles, pollo, seafood, and fresh fruit. Different kinds of fresh fruit native to Costa Rica include papaya, pineapple, mango, and plantains. Every morning I normally have two kinds of fruit as a part of breakfast. I almost always have a banana, and sometimes it is accompanied by papaya or pineapple. Gallo pinto is also a native Costa Rican food. Gallo pinto is a mixture of rice and beans with onions and seasonings. It is a typical breakfast food eaten all over the nation. 

--What are some customs related to food in Costa Rica?  For instance, do people sit down as a family to eat at every meal?  Is the mid-day meal larger than the dinner meal? Are all the dishes of food set on the plate and everyone serves themselves or are individual plates served in the kitchen and served? etc.

In my house, we have somewhat atypical customs in regards to meal times. In regards to lunch, my Tica mom packs lunch for everyone but me. Lunch is normally leftovers and a salad from the evening before. Since my family is older, everyone eats at different times. Regardless of the time that my family eats, my Tica mom always serves us by plate. My Tica dad eats between 4:30 and 5pm at the island. I normally eat with my Tica mom around 6:30pm. My Tica sister, Ericka, eats whenever she gets home from school and work. Finally, my Tico brother eats dinner after he gets home from soccer around 10:30 on the couch in the living room.

My first picture is of a typical Costa Rican dinner. It is camarones (shrimp) with garlic, rice, and beans. The drink is Jamaca juice, which is very sweet and fruity, but comes from a flower.

My second picture is of my Costa Rican breakfast. It is a banana with queso and gallo pinto. The papaya came later, as did the tea that I had to drink.