A appear at 7 regular Christmas feasts from 7 different international locations | Foods & Cooking

Numerous Costa Ricans rejoice Christmas with a center-of-the-night time extravaganza, states Leo Ghitis, operator of Nayara Motels, in the country’s northern highlands. “We go to midnight Mass and come property and have a enormous meal at 2 a.m.,” he suggests.

Selfmade tamales, stuffed with both hen or pork or veggies and cheese, kick off the distribute. Then it can be onto arroz con pollo, Costa Rica’s nationwide rice dish which is built with inexperienced beans, peas, carrots, saffron, cilantro and a chopped up complete hen.



Homemade tamales

Handmade tamales are a staple in Costa Rica.






The 3rd program is an assortment of grilled proteins. Costa Ricans who dwell alongside the coastline have seafood this sort of as marlin, tuna, mahi mahi, shrimp and lobster while inlanders tuck into beef, pork and rooster. Sides are the exact for each: rice with black beans, boiled palm fruit with bitter cream and a hearts of palm salad with avocado.

Dessert is commonly a coconut flan and arroz con leche — rice with milk, sugar and cinnamon.

“We major off the food with loads of rum punch and eggnog and don’t finish until 4 or 5 a.m.,” says Ghitis.

Xmas Day itself is about finishing leftovers and hitting the streets for outdoor functions, he suggests.