As I tell people on my monthly retirement tours, part of the fun of living in Costa Rica is the chance to try the variety of local foods and dishes. Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the perfect time to try Costa Rican food. This is a time of year when Costa Rican families gather for religious reasons and to eat their typical foods. Hopefully you have some tico friends who will invite you to dinner. You taste buds will be grateful.

Here are some of the dishes ticos eat during Semana Santa.

Pastel de Palmitos (palm hearts) y Atún – This is like a pie filled with a mixture of tuna, palmito, eggs and spices

Arroz con leche (Rice and milk) – this is a dessert made of rice, milk, a lot of sugar and other ingredients

Arroz con Palmito – a rice-based dish with palm hearts and chicken broth

Sopa de Pescado – fish soup

Pollo con Palmito – chicken and palm hearts

Miel de Chiverre – a type of honey like sauce made from Sweet White Spaghetti Squash

Chiles marrones Rellenos con Palmito – purple chile filled with palm hearts

Empanadas de chiverre – a wrapped bread dish filled with white spaghetti squash

Conchas de pescado con palmito – a fish-based dish with hearts of palm

ENJOY!