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Rainforest Rain, Palm Oil Soup, and Startling Connections


Its raining again. I guess that's why they call it a rainforest. I have red berry palm oil soup on the stove and hot cinnamon tea brewing. Lolli, my rescue dog from the Caribbean coast, is running around with one of my socks--a brand new one--but its ok. She's happy.

Its hot and all the doors are open. The fans are running and a tiny trickle of a breeze is drifting in. My plan is to go to the market--the one that stretches out along the beach. But like I said, "its raining." Anyway, I am sure the market is not open yet. The farm trucks roll in around 4 or so and erect tents and lights and tables filled with yucca and onions and garlic and carrots and avocados and little red hairy fruits with sweet white innards and bottles of fresh pressed sugar cane syrup and coffee from the mountains in Terrazu.

Ani used to pick coffee. He works for me now and I am amazed at his ability to do almost anything. He and his family moved here from Nicaragua when he was eight and he had to quit school and go to work in a coffee plantation.The funny thing is, I was there just the other day--at the coffee plantation that is--and I was so happy because Costa Rican Terrazu coffee has long been my favorite. I had to cross four bridgeless rivers to get there, not to mention the narrow winding road through the mountains where occasionally I really was in danger of falling down into the steep sided ravine below. The country is breathtaking and I stood in awe when I saw the coffee bushes, grown in the generous shade of banana trees. You see, I had no idea I was going to see them. I went to look at an old car that was for sale. I didnt buy the car, but I did find a treasure I had long held dear.....

Little Ani...he is learning English now.

The connections we make are sometimes startling

RED BERRY PALM OIL SOUP
we live in the palm groves where oxen pull carts filled with bright red berries

2 TABLESPOONS red berry palm oil
1 red chili pepper
1 large carrot, chopped
1/2 large yucca root, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 can corn
salt and pepper

saute chopped chili pepper in palm oil
add about 6 cups of water
add everything else
boil and then simmer until yucca is soft


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Location: Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

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