Costa Rica takes pride in two of its most iconic food traditions – coffee and tamales – which come together as beloved centerpieces of the festive Christmas season. Families gather on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to share hearty tamales stuffed with chicken, pork, rice, vegetables, and olives, the masa and banana leaf wrappers steaming on the plate.
The meal is washed down with generous cups of smooth, full-bodied Costa Rican coffee, often from family-owned farms. The coffee’s balanced fruit tones and mild acidity perfectly complement the rich corn and meat flavors of the tamal. As Ticos joke, “What would Christmas be without our coffee and tamal?”
The two act as perfect partners during a season filled with love, family, and keeping spirits bright. In Costa Rica, the warmth and joy of Christmas is best savored through a mug of flavorful coffee and a forkful of tender tamal.
We hope your holiday season holds many tamales, Christmas breezes and other delights… or, if you’re far from Costa Rica, dreams of tamales past and future.
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The Tico Times
