Costa Rica

A Costa Rican baked snack of rectangular puff-pastry envelopes crimped shut around a cooked, seasoned picadillo of ground beef, shredded chicken, or potato, sold at panaderías and cafeterías as an everyday merienda.

Arroz con Leche is the Hispanic rice pudding of rice slow-cooked in sweetened milk perfumed with cinnamon and vanilla.

A traditional Costa Rican hot coffee brewed by slowly pouring near-boiling water through finely ground coffee held in a cloth sock filter (the chorreador) suspended over a cup or pitcher, producing a full-bodied, sediment-free black coffee by gravity drip.

A canonical Costa Rican lunch plate that unites white rice, stewed black beans, shredded cabbage salad, sweet fried plantains, and a single protein on one tray, each element served separately so the diner controls each bite.

Fresh corvina (sea bass) cubed and submerged in abundant fresh lime juice with thinly sliced red onion, cilantro, and sweet pepper, then chilled until acid-set and served immediately as a bright, raw-cured seafood dish.

A Costa Rican assembled bowl of cooked white rice and saucy stewed red beans topped with freshly fried crispy chicharrón and raw pico de gallo, garnished with avocado and served with tortilla chips.

Costa Rican fresh-corn pancakes made from blended sweet young corn cooked on a griddle, soft and slightly sweet, typically served with sour cream.

Empanadas de Chiverre are traditional Costa Rican corn‑dough pastries filled with sweet, cooked chiverre (fig‑leaf gourd) paste, traditionally fried until golden and enjoyed as an Easter dessert.

A Central American breakfast staple of day-old cooked rice and black beans (or red beans in Nicaragua) stir-fried together with Lizano sauce, sautéed aromatics, and fresh cilantro until unified into a cohesive, speckled dish.

A sweet, chilled non-dairy drink made from soaked ground rice infused with cinnamon, strained, and sweetened.

A slow-simmered Costa Rican beef soup-stew built on bone-in beef and a profusion of starchy tropical root vegetables and corn.

Twice-fried discs of green (unripe) plantain that are par-fried, pressed flat, then fried again until crisp and golden, finished with salt.

A Central American vegetable hash of finely diced vegetables such as chayote, potato, or green papaya sautéed with aromatics and herbs.

A hearty hominy (nixtamalized corn) soup simmered with pork and chili, served at communal gatherings in Costa Rica.

Hard, subtly sweet baked ring biscuits made from masa (cornmeal) and aged cheese, a Central American snack eaten with coffee.

A Costa Rican soup of brothy black beans, aromatic with cilantro and bell pepper, served crowned with a poached egg and a spoon of sour cream.

A Costa Rican soup of blended black beans in their dark broth, traditionally served crowned with a poached egg and a spoon of sour cream.

Tamales are steamed corn‑masa dumplings filled with savory or sweet mixtures, wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks.

A light sponge cake soaked through with a mixture of three milks — evaporated, condensed, and whole milk or cream — then topped with whipped cream or meringue.