Asparagus, the Feria and the Soda

I’ve been on the hunt for fresh asparagus. Some expats have said they have found it at their ferias so we decided to see if anyone at our Grecia feria was carrying it today.

First order of the day - breakfast. We went to El Restaurante Griego, a soda run by a father, a mother and their son. It’s 100 m. north of the Peri Mercado and right on a corner. It is very popular with Costa Ricans, so one gets a taste of daily Costa Rican life. Another plus is that it opens early in the morning. The food is very good, typical soda food, and the prices so reasonable. While we were there, a lot of take out orders were being called in.

But I think what really makes this restaurant are the owners. They are so friendly and personable and you will be greeted with a handshake on arrival and  the usual pleasantries are exchanged - how are you? Fine, thank you. And you? All is good. But it is in Spanish: ¿Como estas? Bien, gracias. ¿y usted? Todo bien. The owner has some English. It’s our favourite soda.

Here’s the menu (photo by Brian Cordoba on Google Maps):

I had the omelette and gallo pinto, but I asked for just a small portion of the pinto. Lance had two eggs and gallo pinto but his serving was huge, took up half the plate. Impossible to finish in one go so we asked for take away (para llevar) and you can see below how much was left. It will feed the both of us tomorrow morning, with bacon and eggs. Our tradition is to have bacon, eggs and waffles on Sundays. We’ll skip the waffles this time.

Off to the feria. I so enjoy going to these weekly markets. Grecia’s is open on Friday from noon to 8pm and on Saturday from 4am to 1pm. Closed the rest of the week. First stop was a stand selling leather goods, purses, etc. Lance bought a new belt. Then we wandered around searching for asparagus - but nobody was carrying it. You can buy just about anything here - meats, breads, all manner of tropical fruits and vegetables, clothing, dairy products, sodas (the eating places) and so on. Plus it’s such a lively setting. We enjoy interacting with the sellers, some of whom speak English.

Here is what we purchased - red peppers, green beans, sixteen eggs and tamales. Two tamales tied together are called a piña.

Breakfast at the Feria

We decided to have breakfast at Grecia’s feria del agricultor, or farmers’ market. This market is much larger then the one in Atenas, where we used to live. It is open on Friday from 11am to 9pm and on Saturday from 5am to 1:30pm.

The selection of tropical fruits and vegetables is amazing - stand after stand of fresh, in-season produce. Fish, meats, breads and cheeses are also available, in addition to clothing, garden plants, fresh cut tropical flowers, leather products, etc. This is the place to go for your weekly produce shopping and the prices are very reasonable. There are also a number of sodas (mum and pop run eateries) and we had breakfast at one of them.

We each had the same selection. From top going to the right: bread, gallo pinto (rice and beans), plantains, fried egg (that’s Lizano sauce on my egg), and fried queso fresco (fresh white cheese). I smeared the soft cooked plantain on top of my bread. Cost for both dishes was around 6,000 colones, about $10 USD. This is a really tasty meal. 

I have been looking for a leather wallet so we went to the leather worker’s stand. Didn’t find what I wanted but did buy this change purse.

One stand had the biggest, shiniest radishes - they looked like they had been polished - so we bought some.

 

I also bought this same vender’s own homemade achiote (for some reason named pito - which means “whistle”) and a guanabana fruit. I made a roast chicken using the achiote.

Here’s what the cut guanabana looks like. I use it in smoothies.

If you are visiting Costa Rica, do not miss out on an opportunity to stop at a feria - one of the delights of living here.

Breakfast at the Feria

This morning we went to the Grecia feria to have breakfast at one of the sodas - there are a number to choose from - and to walk around looking at all the gorgeous fruits and vegetables. You can also buy dairy products, breads, meats, fish, and plants and flowers, clothing and leather goods.

Most of the sodas do not have menus, but they may post what is available on a board. In any case, you need to know what you want to eat and you need to order in Spanish. We decided on coffee, scrambled eggs and gallo pinto. Cost for two meals was 6,000 colones, about $12 USD.

The coffee was super hot and strong, the way we like it. We drink our coffee black.

Here are our breakfasts (sorry that the picture is not in focus). You can see that the portions are generous. They also came with fried plantains, which are sweet and almost caramelized. We couldn’t finish all the rice and beans.

At the end of our meal, our server gave each of us a square of cajeta - a fudge like candy. I might try making these.

After breakfast, we wandered around. Rambutans are in season now (also known as mamon chino and lychee). I also bought a few mangosteens, because this is a fruit I hadn’t tried yet.

Rambutans on the left and mangosteens on the right:

Here is what they look like cut open. I like the mangosteen - it’s a bit tart.

Our final purchase was fresh flowers - gladioli and a white flower that I can’t identify. The flowers will continue to open up along the stem so it lasts for quite a while.

Grecia Feria

The feria (farmers’ market) in Grecia is much larger than the Atenas feria. We went there this morning and came home with this bounty:

Four pineapples, spinach, papaya, melon, mango, tomatoes and fresh flowers for our living room.

We needed cat kibble and a few other items so we stopped at Super Rosvil and picked up more fruit and some advocados:

Notice the beautiful bowl. It was created by Atenas resident David Mallette and is made of mango wood. It was a gift to us from our friend Leticia.

Feria, Grecia, Costa Rica

Today we went to the Grecia feria - a weekly farmers’ market that starts on Friday at noon and runs all day on Saturday. It is much larger than the Atenas feria. 

You can find just about anything - all sorts of fruits and vegetables, meats, seafood, clothing, leather goods, fresh flowers, orchids and so on. There are quite a few sodas (small family run eateries). 

We wandered around and ended up buying small sweet bananas, radishes, a papaya, corn on the cob and two bunches of fresh cut flowers. The flowers are incredibly inexpensive. Here is what I bought for 2,000 colones (about $4 USD):

At this price, we can have fresh flowers in our house every week.

As we returned to our vehicle, the largest iquana I have seen up to now was right beside our car:

Friday in Atenas

This morning, we went to the Atenas feria (farmer's market) and we bought two yellow melons, three cucumbers, a pineapple, a big bunch of radishes, and four apples. The apples were imported and we rarely buy imported goods. But, we like apples so that is our one imported guilty pleasure.

The amount of food we bought seems small but with really fresh food, it has to be used up fast or it just goes to waste.

We're having one of the melons for dinner tonight, along with sauteed prawns. Tomorrow, I'm going to make pineapple carrot muffins.

As an aside, here is a photo of very small orchid flowers.

 

Atenas' New Feria (Farmers' Market)

On August 28, 2014, Atenas' new feria opened, also known as Feria del Agricultor. The Friday farmers' market has relocated from the town of Atenas to the radial road that connects Atenas to highway 27.

Only time will tell if this new location will work out. We can no longer do our weekly farmers' market shopping right in Atenas. Now, the only way to get to the new market is by driving or taking the free feria bus from Atenas which runs back and forth every hour. I worry that the Atenas Costa Ricans have lost their market right in the heart of their town - the market that they have been shopping at for years and years - the market that they could walk to every Friday and buy their week's worth of fruit, vegetables, chicken, eggs, flowers, herbs, and also visit with friends and neighbors.

On the plus side, the new feria has a permanent roof over it and it is wide and spacious. There are two sodas and we had lunch there today - good food, good prices. We bought cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage, strawberries, water apples, mamóns and sausages.

Here are photos of some things we bought today. Everything is grown locally.

 

Limes

Strawberries

Water Apples

Mamón, aka lychee, rambutan

The new feria

Fresh cut flowers.

 

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Friday Morning In Atenas

I was at the gate bright and early this morning, ready to walk into Atenas. What luck, a neighbour of ours was driving there and gave me a lift. Thanks, neighbour!

That got me into town too early to go Banco de Costa Rica (they open at 0900), so I went to the Ferreteria J.R. Vargas E Hijos (J.R. Vargas and Sons Hardware Store) to buy a hose coupling. Like a lot of shops in Atenas, they open up early. This is a good place to browse in - usually I can find whatever I am looking for.

Next stop - the newly opened (two weeks ago) Del Mar Pescados and Mariscos (fish and seafood). The owner (at least I think he was the owner) speaks English and knows his seafood. I wanted smoked salmon, scallops and tilapia and got it all for 6,000 colones ($12 CAD) and I have enough of everything for six servings. He had salmon filets from Canada and also Chile. Apparently Costa Ricans are not very familiar with scallops here - I don't know why - so I am happy that I can now get them. Next time I am going to get the salmon filets. Not sure if they were Canadian Pacific or Atlantic salmon and whether they are farmed or wild.

Never knew Chile had salmon so Googled it and, yes they do, but it is farmed. I also know that some "scallops" are not really scallops but cut in rounds from white fish or rays. You can identify a real scallop by noting that the muscle strands run vertical, not horizontal.

Here's a good hint: I carry a small icepack in my bag with me if I know I am going to buy meat or seafood and am not going straight home.

Del Mar's website is http//www.delmarcr.com. Hours of operation are Monday to Saturday from 7:30 am to 8:00 pm, and 7:30 am to 3:00 pm on Sunday. Phone numbers are 8413-6333 and 2446-0126. They are located in store number 6 in the Centro Plaza Atenas, 50 meters north from Importadora Monge. This is the small mall across from El Rayo and Del Mar is right at the back. Please support this shop ... I don't want them to disappear!

Then I strolled over to the feria (our weekly Friday outdoor market). Atenas is small enough that one can walk everywhere. Still too early for the bank, so I walked around the market and admired everything, then sat on a bench in the shade to kill a bit of time. Back to the bank, did my business, then returned to the feria.

I bought tomatoes, green beans, a big bag of onions, lettuce, potatoes ..... and I don't think I spent more then $3 CAD. What I need to get is one of those grocery bags on wheels so I can load up at both the mercado and the feria, zip the top closed, toss it into the trunk of a taxi, and head on home. I noticed a lot of people use them, both Ticos and expats. I would buy a lot more if I didn't have to lug the bags around ... including orchids! Yes, there is a booth selling orchids, another selling potted plants and herbs, home made tamales are available, fresh cut flowers, fresh made bread and baked goods ... so many wonderful things.

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More Good Things About Costa Rica

... the tomatoes! Today,  I picked two fat, red, plump, juicy tomatoes from the plants I have around the outside of the house. The seeds came from either a packet of tomato seeds I bought, or from the seeds of tomatoes I bought at the feria. They are all mixed up now but so what - all are delicious.

Sliced them up, sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper and basil (our own) - bought the basil seeds at a local Atenas feed store.

We also have sweet peppers growing and those seeds came from peppers I bought at the feria. When I cut the peppers up to eat, I throw the seeds and membranes out onto my garden area.

I throw all kinds of vegetable leftovers out there - even stale bread. The wrens and robins go for the bread and I think it also attracts worms so the cycle goes on. This is just outside our back door and there is no smell - everything seems to rot really fast.

The only thing that shocked me was this: yesterday the two ripe tomatoes were perfect, today they had insect damage on the outside of the tomatoes.  How did those insects know my tomatoes were ripe for their eating? I wonder if I can cover the fruit with ..... something  ...... before the insects get to it.

Oh, and I have also planted melon seeds from feria melons, and pineapple tops .... it is January, for goodness sake - unbelievable.