Sunday I visited my Tico family for lunch. This time I took both my roommates. They enjoy it, because they get to practice their Spanish. I enjoy it because the food is excellent and, although I don't understand every word, I enjoy the warmth and friendliness of the family.

To show my appreciation, I made banana bread and cracklin' cornbread to take for coffee. Banana bread translates easily enough - pan de banano. But there's no easy way to say cracklin' cornbread. The family calls it "pan con chicharone" or bread with fried pork. They marvel at this typical Southern fare. In fact, on the way home, my roommate said she heard them say: "It took a gringo to teach us how to put chicharone in bread."

Just call me the unofficial Southern Cuisine Ambassador to Costa Rica.

Labels: costa rica