If I had to think of a dish to represent Costa Rica, gallo pinto would be a strong contender. The dish is simply rice and beans; however, it is a staple meal in Costa Rica and in many other countries in Central America. Gallo Pinto translates to "Spotted Rooster" in English and this refers to the colors of the beans in the rice. The beans can be of any kind— black beans, chickpeas, red beans— and are typically served with white rice. However, in many families, they would do their original spin of the dish and include other sides including vegetables, meat, and salsa to be served along with it in order to ensure a completely balanced meal!
As mentioned before, gallo pinto can be served at any meal at any time during the day. Therefore, do not be surprised if you visit Costa Rica and eat gallo pinto all day! For me, I often eat gallo pinto for dinner. But for this field note, the gallo pinto that I wanted to highlight was one that was served to me during my field study for my Ecology and Population class. We visited Nectandra Forest, which is a privately-owned cloud forest reserve.
