Gallo Pinto

When I was in Santa Ana with Mom we stayed at Villa Antigua. Every morning for breakfast Denis' sister or another one of the women who worked there would get up and make gallo pinto for us.

I have been craving it so much recently that I decided the first real meal I would prepare in my new apartment would be gallo pinto. So after a two weeks of sandwiches, soup and other "on the go" food I actually went grocery shopping.

I bought beans and I soaked them. I bought cilantro and chopped it up really fine with an onion and a pepper. I bought rice and I fried it dry first, which according to the website is the true "tico" way to do it.
I called Mom and told her that if she brought over eggs in the morning I'd serve her a real Costa Rican breakfast. She showed up with eggs and I put the finishing touches on the rice and beans, pulled the toast from the toaster and poured two cups of coffee. "It smells right," said Mom. My little Cambridge kitchen smelled heavenly and exotic.

We each took a bite and then sighed a little. It was good. It was really good, we agreed. But it didn't taste the same.

"Of course it wouldn't," I lamented, "there are so many variations."
"Well someone who never had that version might think this is amazing."
"Yeah. But I still want to fix it."

So now I have to dig up Denis' email address. See if I can get the actual recipe. And when I do, you can absolutely come over for the best start to a morning you can ask for. As long as you bring the eggs.

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