Blog #2

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

--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.

PHOTO:  Take photos of the foods served at the different times of the day.  How does the food and the customs related to it dictate the structure of the day, both within the family and at work/school?  Is the same true for the U.S.?

According to my Tica Mom, the foods that are native to Costa Rica are the ones that are eaten most often here. These foods include many of the ones I blogged about last week including pinto gallo, rice with chicken, black bean and meat soups, etc. She also mentioned that many fruits are native to Costa Rica as well. As a result, these foods are eaten on a daily basis and are the main components of the Costa Rican diet.

When it comes to customs for meals, my Tica Mom says that it´s different for each family and household and depends on the traditions that are passed down from the families. Most meals are eaten together. Dinner is always eaten together and is considered, by my family at least, to be the most important meal of the day. Breakfast is important and families eat that together as well but because it´s the beginning of the day it´s more chaotic with getting ready for work and for school. Lunch is important and, if possible, is eaten together but often work and school and plans during the day get in the way. 

As technology has become a more universal part of Costa Rican lifestyle it has affected the food customs as well. My family always eats their meals together but the television is also now apart of the daily meals. This is now common for many families in Costa Rica.

Photos on the way *technology issues, my computer is broken* I'm sorry!

Food has a very structural purpose in Costa Rica. In the US we tend to snack throughout the day and we also eat meals around our schedules. If work runs late, we plan ahead and take dinner to go or eat late at night. In Costa Rica it seems that meals are more structured. Whenever possible, almost everyday, families eat meals together. At my Tican home, dinner is served around 6:30 every day. We always sit down to eat together and it is a structured family event. Dinner is at 6:30 and is followed by getting ready for bed and some television watching before it is time to sleep. Here breakfast is also a structured event in the morning. In the US, many of us eat breakfast on the go. In Costa Rica, we wake up early with the sun and have time to eat breakfast, drink coffee and prepare for the day without stress.

It seems to me that food in Costa Rica is much more culturally important than it is in the US. There is less variety but it serves as structured family time and creates schedules throguhout the day.