¡Pura vida!

Normally, I am not a huge fan of rice and beans. Except when I am in Costa Rica. Before my first trip to this beautiful country, someone told me that the ticos (Costa Ricans) ate rice and bean for breakfast lunch and dinner, and I was not looking forward to it. Then I tried it and discovered how delicious it is there. I especially like the breakfast variety, called gallo pinto, which has a bit more flavour. Add a scrambled egg, fried plantain (caramelized), and you have a great start to the day, loaded with protein.

The origins of this dish are unclear. Both Costa Rica and Nicaragua claim to have introduced it and apparently both feel strongly about it. But it is confirmed that Central American beans were already cultivated by the indigenous people in pre-Columbian times. Rice came with the conquistadores from Spain, and it is now cultivated in Costa Rica as well. So gallo pinto (translated as “spotted rooster”) is a perfect combination of local ingredients which provides good nutrition. For lunch or dinner, it can be accompanied by pork, beef, chicken or fish. As Costa Rican say to express happiness and delight in life: ¡Pura vida!