Costa Rican Spice Idyll

I recently took a short trip to Costa Rica. I tagged along with a surfing friend out of curiosity to see this paradise of Central America that so many dream about. What a beautiful and interesting place! We stayed on the Pacific side and managed to visit mountains, waterfalls, a national wildlife park, and a spice plantation. The spice plantation, Villa Vanilla, was definitely one of the trip’s highlights.

Another revelation was eating fresh pepper berries off the vine. It’s sharp, hot, and green, with a long lasting heat and nearly floral flavor – mind blowing, actually. I wish I could have a steady supply of those fresh babies. We saw the pepper vines tangled over bushes and small trees. The same peppercorns produce pink, white and black pepper. And don’t get me started on the cocoa. There they are, strange prehistoric looking huge pods attached to the trunks of small trees. We had the opportunity to taste a homemade chocolate bar made by using a champion juicer to grind the nibs. I’m not a chocolate person, but this was food – Food of the Gods as they say. The cocoa powder is light in color but very deep in flavor. If you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica, check Villa Vanilla out on your way to Manuel Antonio to see the monkeys and sloths. At least you can take some vanilla home.