!Pura Vida!

!Pura Vida! a greeting that means Pure Life!

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I am not exactly sure how it all even started.  One day the guys who serve together in the leadership positions in our church, Bishop, Dave his counselor, and my Guy, the executive secretary, got to talking about food.  It was probably a bunch of big fish stories from missions in foreign countries, or Dave and Guy planning to use their skills and their new Julia Child cook books.  How ever it came about, we have been meeting together from time to time to share food from our pasts. 

I love food, and I love our friends, so there couldn't be a better way to spend a Saturday night.  And this time, after having toured Germany, France, Finland, and the Southern States, it was my turn on our world tour to share the flavors of Costa Rica.

Jonah was quality control.

I started cooking at 10AM, and all except for a soccer game, I was in the kitchen all day, peeling and dicing foods you've probably never even heard of!  Chiyote squash, anyone?

First, The Friends:

 Kathy and Bishop

 Steph and David (Steph, I think you blinked!)

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Now, THE FOOD!!!!!!!

 We started with a stew that my neighbor next door, who happens to be from Costa Rica (lucky me), came over and taught me to make.  I lived in places too poor to serve meat and never learned how to make a meat dish.

Dinner, staring (clockwise) Picadillo (chiyote squash, carrots and potatoes, seasoned with Achoyte), Ensalada de Repollo (a fancy way of saying cabage with lime and salt), Patacones (kind of a cross between a potato chip and a french fry, made with green plantain), Maduros (fried ripe plantain; tangy and salty, and a little bit sweet.  Yum!!!), Gallo Pinto (black beans and rice), and Fried Yuca with lime.  And all of it was safe for Jonah.  To drink, I made Tamarindo and Chan.  Chan looks like little frogs eggs floating at the bottom of your glass, but the fresh, minty flavor blended with a hint of orange is wonderful.

For dessert I made Orange Rice Pudding (safe for Jonah!) and -nectar of the gods- Tres Leches (which sadly, I could not eat, but I dreamed that night that I ate a big helping, and that made me feel better!). 

Leftovers were divine.

It made me miss Costa Rica.

I think I will go buy more plantains today.

Thinking of Julean and Rebekah as I write this post.  Julean, because I sat with her at many, many meals in Costa Rica sharing this food, and Rebekah, because I know my food posts torture her!  Love you both!