Delicious Start

Over the years we've been blessed with the opportunity to do a bit of travel across the USA and abroad.  Trips to California, Washington, Arizona, and New Mexico are included in our long list of adventures.  So is Costa Rica!  We can't tell you enough how much we love Costa Rica; if you haven't been and have the chance to go, please visit!  The land is rich with a bounty of fresh tropical plants at every bend in the road, as well as a variety of curious creatures calling from canopies above your head.  The cuisine native to Costa Rica is rich with flavors; it is typically much healthier than fast food in the US yet it is rapidly available just about anywhere in the country.  Local open-air markets ("mercados") exist in many places across the country, often on several days of the week.  Such markets are great places to buy fresh, reasonably priced produce including abundant tropical fruits such as papayas, mangoes, bananas, coconuts, guavas, passion fruits, and much more.

As easy as it is to obtain delicious "Tico" cuisine in a variety of establishments ranging from the bus station to upscale restaurants, one can consume fresh, healthy drinks usually for less than half the price of a smoothie in the US.  They can be made with- or without milk ("leche") depending on your preference.  We often prefer "fruta en agua" solamente (fruit in water solo) because the tropical fruits are so amazingly delicious naturally!

So, try this out for breakfast:

1/4 large, ripe papaya cut from skin into chunks
2 cups of water
3-4 ice cubes
1-2 T raw agave syrup (you may omit syrup if your papaya is very ripe)

*We recommend use of organic ingredients where possible.

Blend all ingredients in a blender and drink up!

Note: while papaya is probably our favorite "fruta in agua," be sure to sample whichever tropical fruits you desire.  One large, ripe mango, 1-2 ripe bananas, a bit of ripe pineapple, and other fruits will taste just as good!  Also feel free to mix and match fruits if you like!