Wed Aug 23
Today we woke up to heavy rain so we decided to forego our plans to hike Poas Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens. We had a relaxing morning and did some laundry. We decided to try coconut milk in our coffee- it added a nice velvety creaminess with a hint of nutty sweetness. James went for a run when there was a break in the rain. Later it completely cleared up so we decided to do a coffee tour. Costa Rica is well known for their coffee as they have an ideal climate and fertile volcanic soil. We decided to go to Hacienda Alsacia, about a 40 minute drive away, through mountain greenery and small towns.
On our way, we stopped at a soda called Comidas Chitos. James had an Imperial lager (the national beer found throughout Costa Rica), while I had a papaya milkshake. Feeling a tad hungry, we shared an order of chifrijo. Chifrijo is a typical bar snack that is commonly found throughout Costa Rica. There are layers of flavors and textures, and each place adds their own twist. Ours consisted of brothy rice and red beans, pico de gallo, chicharrones, avocado, fresh tortilla chips, and a squeeze of lime over top.
This dish was AMAZING. We have really enjoyed the food and ingredients in Costa Rica, but up until now, no specific cultural dish really stood out to us. Casados are good, but they aren’t exciting. They are basically a homestyle combo plate of different sides and a meat. The ceviche is fresh and tasty here, but you can find ceviche in other cuisines, it’s not really unique to Costa Rica. But chifrijo! I’ve never had anything like it, and the combination of hot and cold ingredients just works. Normally, I don’t like Spanish chicharrones as I find them to be too fatty and chewy for my liking. I don’t like the Mexican ones either since they are basically crisp fried pork fat/skin. But Costa Rican chicharrones are a whole other story!These chicharrones were so meaty, tender and crisp, with very little fat. I think the fat must have melted out through the cooking process, adding flavor to the pork but not a heavy mouthfeel. All together with the cozy rice and beans and the bright fresh pico, it was truly a dish that hit every note and satisfied every craving. I’m so glad we didn’t miss out on trying chifrijo.
We continued on to Hacienda Alsacia. It is the only coffee farm in the world that Starbucks actually owns (bought in 2013). Normally Starbucks is a coffee buyer, not a producer. Even though they own this coffee plantation and are completely involved in the production process, Starbucks only takes 5% of the coffee yield. The other 95% can be sold to whoever Hacienda Alsacia chooses. There is a gorgeous Starbucks cafe on the premises, overlooking part of the farm and a waterfall.
The main purpose of this plantation is to experiment with and try out new production processes and technologies. This farm is at the forefront of coffee development and aims to be an example for the rest of the coffee world in terms of better production with an emphasis on human rights, fair labor practices and sustainability.
Our tour guide, Geraldine, took us through the complete coffee process, from seed to roasted bean. We learned about different varieties of coffee plants, the growing process and the importance of having other plants like banana trees on the property to provide shade and protect against soil erosion. We also learned about the coffee picking method (it must be by hand!) and how to differentiate between good cherries and unripe or overripe cherries.
What I found most interesting was the political issues concerning fair labor and trade practices in the coffee industry worldwide. In Costa Rica, the coffee pickers are mostly workers coming from Nicaragua and Panama. They come to Costa Rica usually in families or large groups and work the coffee fields, moving from region to region over the span of about 4 months. By law, coffee plantations must provide basic, adequate housing for these workers. When it comes to harvesting the bean, there are lots of chances for workers to be exploited and not paid fairly for their work, and also opportunities for workers to steal. The best coffee growing zone is around the equator and these countries are the ones facing problems in general with corruption and lack of, or very minimal, worker’s rights.
We learned about some practices that Hacienda Alsacia implements to ensure transparency and fairness as well as a safe space for their workers. It was fascinating to learn about the problems in the coffee industry and what “fair trade” really means.
We also learned about the different techniques (modern and traditional) and the different machinery used in the coffee sorting, drying, storing and roasting processes. At the end of our tour, we finally got to sample some coffee!
Geraldine guided us on how to properly taste coffee, judging the aroma and flavor notes. It really reminded me of doing wine tastings at vineyards. James picked up on the chocolate notes while I picked out the lemon, citrus notes- we got two of the three main flavors, the other one being a nutty almond note.
The sun was starting to set and the rain clouds were rolling back in, so we headed home. Just as we got back it started raining again. Tonight’s dinner was carne de res (beef), yuca, broccoli and roasted onion and bell pepper. This was our final day in Costa Rica. Tomorrow we are off, bright and early to the San Jose airport for our Mexico flight!