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Sunday
01
December 2002
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This
column will offer my personal experiences here
in Costa Rica of how I am trying to answer Henry
David Thoreau’s fundamental question “How,
since life is short and one's years are
numbered, can one live most abundantly?” I
have had the opportunity, through my years, to
really explore his concept that “you measure a
man’s wealth by the number of things he does
NOT need.” I will focus each week on one item
that I have concluded I need to live most
abundantly.
The topic this week is listed on Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs as – fundamental. It is
essential to all. It is FOOD. Food quantity,
quality, and cost are all extremely important to
me.
First are fruits and vegetables. We have many
sources. Many of our neighbors have small
“fincas” (pieces of land on which they grow
stuff) They frequently drop by and give us
things like; bananas, mangos, beans, oranges,
and others we have never seen.
We have a truck full of fresh vegetables and
fruit, which stops at the house every Saturday.
He sells tomatoes, pineapples, apples, cabbage,
carrots, bananas, avocados, carrots, potatoes,
mangos, and many other items. The prices for
these items are about the same as the market in
town. Bananas are less than 2 cents each. The
other prices are less than or equal to the US.
Most are grown here in CR, but he buys the
apples, they are from Washington State. We of
course, wash all of these thoroughly before
eating. The taste, texture, and freshness are
all better than or equal to the US. We make
fresh fruit drinks on our blender nearly every
day.
One of the highlights of food here is the eggs
and chicken. The eggs are delivered to the door
and sold by the Kilo. There are usually 16 eggs
in a Kilo and the cost is $1.07. They are better
tasting than any available in the supermarkets
of the US. People who get farm fresh eggs in the
rural US are aware of the significant
difference. We just call a neighbor when we want
a chicken; it is usually delivered the same day,
still warm. (It was just killed and cleaned).
These chickens are about 5 lbs and cost $3.00.
They are all meat, none of that yellow fat. The
flavor is excellent. They grew naturally, not
force fed with chemicals.
Another
highlight is our supply of fresh fish. We get
fresh Dorado, Corvina, Marlin, and Shrimp
delivered from the coast 3 times per week. The
cost is between $2.50 and $3.00 per pound.
It
is excellent.
Left:
Our fish vendors, Right 1 Kgm Marlin Steaks
Another
great source of food is our two brick oven
bakeries in town. The texture, taste and price
are all remarkable. We take a pleasant and
scenic 15-minute walk to town to get fresh
French bread every couple of days.
We
have a small store about 150 yards from the
house that sell many basics and will stock items
we request. They are my source for my Diet Cokes
for the Cuba Libras I make with the excellent 5
year old “Flor de Cana” Rum I get at a
“MegaSuper” store in town.
Steaks
are basically not available here in the boon
docks, but the hamburger is excellent, very
lean.
When we do not cook in, we go up the road to an
open restaurant with a beautiful view of the
mountains. Their fish dishes are superb. A nice
Corvina or Dorado filet with chopped vegi and
cabbage salad, and French Fries to rival
McDonald’s costs $4.50.
So, our basic need of FOOD is satisfied and
exceeded. We are not losing any weight.
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