A Titmouse Takes a Shower

One of the (few) things we miss when living in Costa Rica are tomatillos, those husked green fruits with the tart taste so perfect for salsas, chili verde and other spicy Mexican dishes. For some reason this fruit is virtually unheard of in Costa Rica. Only our organic consultant Carmen, who hails from Guatemala where they do grow, was hip to the joys of tomatillos. Our Tico friends and feria vendors would shake their heads when we inquired about them and then ask us to describe them, which is pretty difficult, especially in my broken Spanish. Sort of like a tomato, I would say, only green and with a cáscara, which really means shell or peel, not exactly husk. "Oh! tomate verde," they might offer, a green tomato! Well, no, not exactly.

So while we're here in the US, I have been delighted to find fresh tomatillos at our local grocery. We have feasted on my semi-famous Chili Verde several times, including last night. We're keeping the leftovers - always better after a day or two in the fridge - to share with our friend Ruth who will join us for dinner tomorrow night. But when Layne suggested that I make a photo of a tomatillo to show our Tico neighbors when we return to Costa Rica, I decided to do better than that. I took photos of the unpeeled, the peeled, the chopped up ready to simmer down to tenderness and then finally of last night's finished Chili Verde and condiments.

I thought I would share my recipe with those of you who can acquire this piquant fruit as there are few better ways to enjoy it than in this delicious pork stew. Be aware, however, that free-range pork and fresh tomatillos make all the difference in the final product. Indeed, humane treatment of pigs is an important social issue for us as these animals are extremely intelligent and deserve a good life in open spaces before being sacrificed for our food. Free-range pork is all Layne and I ever buy.

KAT’S CHILI VERDE

3-4 tbsp olive oil

3 to 4 lb. organic lean pork, cut into 1” cubes (pork butt is good)

1 large onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic (or more), mashed or chopped fine

2 (or more, if you dare!) jalapeno chilis, minced (taste your jalapenos because they vary greatly in heat!)

1 – 7 oz can diced green chilis

1 cup, more or less, fresh cilantro, chopped

2-3 cans (14 oz.) tomatillos, or better yet, about 15-18 fresh tomatillos (more if small ones), stewed till tender, then pureed, with liquid from cans or from stewing

½ of a dried smoked chipotle chili (or be brave and use the whole thing!)

1 tsp salt

Lime wedges, cilantro, jalapenos and jack cheese to garnish

Heat oil to fairly hot in large heavy skillet or deep pot and add the pork in batches to brown. With the last batch, add the onion and sauté until the onion is translucent and the pork is a bit browned. Add back all the other pork and let it get acquainted.

Add the garlic, jalapenos, cilantro, tomatillos, green chilis and salt and bring to a simmer. When it is bubbling gently, drop in the chipotle chili (whole) and let it reconstitute in the simmering chili. Cover and cook over low heat for a couple of hours, stirring now and then. When the pork is very tender, remove the chipotle chili and serve the Chili Verde with the garnishes available.

Enjoy!

Yes, you read that right up above - we ARE planning to return to Costa Rica! Hurrah! After three months here in California, living on our little five-acre ranchette, we long for the Pura Vida lifestyle of Costa Rica. Each day we're reminded of just how much WORK it takes to keep this place up and how expensive it is to live in the U.S. With the improvements we've made on the house, garden and horse facilities, we're sure we can once again find a good tenant and rent the house out to someone with horses. Our plan is to return on August 1st and resume our lives in Santa Eulalia. And we can hardly wait.

The renovated pasture shelter

Still, we have enjoyed our time here and there are compensating factors for the work, such as the colorful wildlife we have enjoyed on our land. The hummingbirds have devoured the sugar water out front and the Titmouses, Grosbeaks, House Finches and California Jays love the steady supply of birdseed in the backyard feeder.

The birds also love the drip watering system Layne has repaired and expanded in the garden. One little Titmouse last night was so delirious at the dripping water, he took a shower only steps away from where we sat. And today, perhaps the same little water-lover, perched momentarily on my water hose only inches from my fingers as I watered some newly planted petunias, as if to emphasize his appreciation of the cooling liquid.

So now it's more of the exhausting job of sorting through clothes and knicknacks, books and memorabilia to decide what else we can part with. Then packing boxes and making it all fit back into the storage barn. Still, we've weeded out so much already, this process should be much less strenuous than it was two and a half years ago when we first set out for Costa Rica. And now that we know what we are looking forward to, it's really a labor of love!

Salsa Dancers and Chirping Bats!

Monday, March 15, 2010

         The palm fronds are shivering in the brisk ocean breeze today and a wispy fog has begun rolling up off the Pacific. This place has us intoxicated with sensuous pleasures and the manana lifestyle makes the discipline needed for writing a blog difficult to muster at times, like today. Still, there are things to convey and excitement to share so I shall attempt to cover the last few days for you.

         We have had quite a lovely weekend, in fact, with a Saturday evening out dancing and a delicious Sunday chicken dinner here at home. There have been sunny days with abundant birds to watch and time for sunbathing with a good book and luxurious evenings of watching the bats flit around catching mosquitoes. I read online recently that of the 200 varieties of mammals in Costa Rica, over half of them are bats! We hear them chirping above us and hope they are not making themselves too much at home in our upper floor.

         On Friday, we made a trip into town after a long wait for the bus at the corner below the chalets. The wait was not that the bus was late but that Layne had mis-read the schedule! But eventually, and for only about $1.25 for both of us, we arrived at the downtown parada (bus station) ready to explore. Our first stop was Kay’s Gringo Postre, the local expat gathering place and eatery owned by a pleasant couple from South Dakota, Kay and Tom Costello. (Thanks to http://gonzosincostarica.blogspot.com/ for this photo.)  Their breakfast is extravagant and delicious! Not perhaps as cheap as Tico fare but a satisfying repast for sure. One of the main attractions of Kay’s is the lending library, a vast selection of fiction and non-fiction that spans three walls of the dining area. It’s all based on the honor system: you bring a book, you take a book. If you don’t have one to bring, you take one then you have one to bring back. It works!

         The main purpose of our trip to town, however, was to check out the organic farmers’ market we had learned of and to put in our order for the next week. It’s a sad truth that most Costa Rican farmers have turned heavily to pesticides. With this climate and rich volcanic soil, it does beg the question, Why? But Montsanto and Dow are nothing if not marketing geniuses and the lure of bigger and better fruits and veggies appeals to all but the most savvy gardeners. You will recall the push for increased crop yields that was billed as The Green Revolution back in the 70’s and 80’s, promising a magical means to feed the burgeoning world population. Sure, just add poison!

         According to a 2007 study done at the University of Toronto, pesticides used in lowland farming in Costa Rica and other countries are carried on air currents to higher elevations where they precipitate out in the form of rain. They then accumulate in the upland ecosystems and are now suspected as a cause in the declining amphibian populations in the cloud forests of this beautiful country. (See more here: http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0121-cr.html)

         As former organic gardeners ourselves, clean food and free-range meats are very important to Layne and me so we were thrilled to learn of this small organic effort here in Atenas. The lovely proprietor, whose name we failed to get, holds her market in their open-air garage, taking weekly orders on a printed list of offerings. Lucky for us, she had a few extra items this week so we were able to pick up two packages of homemade ravioli, one huge organic chicken and a half-pint of delicious homemade Smoked Chipotle Salsa. Using the last of this yummy salsa last night, I concocted a tasty sauce for some plain old chicken thighs and leg sections we had bought at the Super Mercado. We decided I had won the Iron Chef challenge for pulling together a bunch of unlikely ingredients into a successful dish.

         On our Friday visit to town, we had learned that Kay and Tom were hosting a St. Patrick’s Day dance on Saturday evening at the cafe. So off we went to celebrate the Irish with good music and good company. The DJ-hosted song selections were by request and ranged from rock-and-roll to Latin, with some 50’s classics thrown in. The crowd was mostly Gringos but a few Ticas were there as well. One Tica woman’s beautiful daughter and her Tico boyfriend came along late in the evening and danced salsa like finalists on Dancing With The Stars. They were a fantastic sight to see! We made a few new friends and enjoyed the evening immensely. We understand that Kay’s hosts a dance once a month so you’ll no doubt find us there again next month with our dancing shoes on and our spirits high.