• Columbus came to Cost Rica in 1502
• When Spanish came they were interested in Coffee
• When Spanish took over for 250 years they influenced food
• After Spanish started buying coffee (early 1800s) it became a CR's valuable export
• Built railroads to transport coffee (1890)
• To fund railroads they planted banana trees

Bananas were soon another valuable export of CR

• With money from exports funded education and health
• Today cost Ricans are coffee extreme coffee lovers (all businesses are closed around three because of coffee breaks)
• GALLO PINTO=RICE AND BEANS
• Most sea food exported so they don't eat much
• Variety of food because of multiple environments
• Makes lots of sugar
• Their food has Jamaican heritage
• Sugar cane is used throughout their food selection, even drinks
• Sweet corn makes up many of the traditional dishes: corn soup, corn pancakes
• Tortillas used in every meal
• When Spanish found little gold they turned to agriculture
• Before Spanish arrived Costa Rica so poor that they even the Governor had to farm his own food

The History of Costa Rican Food

Nobody knows much about the History of Costa Rica before 1502 when Columbus first arrived there. We do know that in the ages before Europeans invaded their culture they developed a typical Mexican diet centered around beans and rice. When the Spanish came and began to make stable colonies about sixty years after Christopher's first voyage to Costa Rica they had an instant interest in the coffee they found. However it wasn't until the early 1800s that coffee became Costa Rica's most valuable product. It was in such high demand that in 1890 railroads were built across Costa Rica to transport it faster. To help pay off the loans needed to make the railroads the Costa Ricans planted banana trees along the rail road tracks. In no time the banana fruit was another extremely valuable product to the people of Costa Rica. The Spanish rule of Costa Rica for 250 years certainly left an influence on many aspects of Costa Rican culture, including food. The strong trade routes of bananas and coffee beans are still running smoothly, as well as the Costa Rican love for coffee. They honor the role coffee has played in their history every day by closing down all stores and business to take a coffee break.

Quesadillas

Quesadillas is the first Mexican food I have ever tasted. It is also the top of my favourite Mexican food. The ingredients of Quesadillas are chicken, potatoes, refried beans, sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, black pepper, salt, butter and mushroom. In some part of the Mexico, cheese is also added. Quesadillas is also a part of Mexican culture and tradition. If you live in Mexico or go to Mexico, you can easily find Quesadillas in every restaurants, stadiums and theaters.

Tortilla

Tortilla is made from finely ground maize or wheat flour. It is one of the symbols of Mexican kitchen. Tortilla is a kind of omelette which is made with layers of eggs and sliced potatoes. Tortilla is made not only in Mexico but also in Panama, USA, South America and Central America. Eggs and potatoes are main ingredients of Tortilla.

Gaspatcho

Gaspatcho is one of the popular Mexican soup. Unlike Quesadillas and Tortilla, Gaspatcho is served cold. The ingredients of Gaspatcho soup are tomatoes, green pepper, red pepper, cucumber, olive oil, bread, salt and vinegar.

Tacos

Tacos is one of the traditional Mexican food. Tacos is made from corn flour, meat, chicken and mince. All these ingredients are mixed in a special pot called Taco. Most of the time, Tacos is mixed with spice.

Here are 6 of the strangest canned foods you can find being distributed at your local supermarket. I left out food meant for animals as that is completely different.

1. France - Canned Duck Fat

   
   
   This is a product that doesn't get much attention in the United States food markets. Canned duck fat is actually a rather rare treat for people in France. For 67.5 oz of duck fat you can expect to pay around $60. We usually cut the fat off of our meat which makes this a very weird canned food.

2. Sweden - Canned Cheeseburger

   
   
   This delicious cheeseburger originates from Sweden. It is strange simply because of the pieces used to make the cheeseburger. I would be worried about the quality of the bread, cheese, and meat after getting this shipped across seas. For the price of $6 you can get a cheeseburger in a can, or you can head over to McDonalds and get 6 of them for the same price.

3. New Zealand - Canned Tongue

   
   
   New Zealand lamb tongues are definitely something that is not seen in many American grocery stores. However in New Zealand this is a great delicacy that is a very common item at a dinner table. The prices range depending on the brand, expect to pay around $5 for this can of tongues.

4. Korea - Canned Silkworm Pupae

   
   
   These silkworm pupae are very popular snacks in and around Korea. They are prepared simply by stewing and seasoning them. You can get these at just about any supermarket or gas station in Korea as they are to them as something like peanuts are to us. Silkworm pupae are generally a cheaper food, you can pick up a can like this for around $4.

5. Scandinavia - Canned Reindeer

   
   
   This delicacy is actually very healthy for you compared to other red meats. Since reindeer are raised on a farm on diets of moss and lichen these animals have only a 2 percent fat content. Due to the time and costs in farming these animals you will have to dish out close to $30 for a can of this arctic delicacy.

6. Thailand - Canned Scorpion

   
   
   Scorpions are a delicacy in most of Thailand. These are already cooked and they can be eaten whole without risk of poison from their venom. There are thousands of different species of scorpions and you can eat a good percentage of them. Expect to pay around $6 for a can of scorpions.

Most of these are delicacies from other countries that are available in the United States as well. They are all eaten without disease however they may not look that appetizing to us. Next time you go to the supermarket look at all the different kinds of canned food you see. Did I miss anything?

The restaurant is open from 11:00am to 2:00pm every Tuesday through Friday for lunch, 5:30pm to 9:30pm for dinner every Tuesday through Thursday, and 5:30pm to 10:00pm every Friday and Saturday night. It offers a smaller, cheaper meals for lunch and larger, more expensive meals for dinner. All of its meals are fairly reasonable, however. For example, you can get the New York Strip for lunch for only $11.95. You could pay more than that at a lot of chain restaurants and it would not be nearly as good!

Both times I have gone, I have had the "Potato Crusted Flounder With a Beurre Blanc." This is a filet of flounder with a light potato crust and a white wine sauce served with butter and shallots. Not only was it delicious, but it was beautifully presented and remarkably filling. It appeared a small portion, but it ended up being more than sufficient.

The house salads are particularly disappointing, but the soups are very good. It seems that no matter when you go the "soup du jour" is almost always a good choice. The last time I went, they had a delicious shrimp bisk. The other time it was minestrone. They also have an extensive wine list to choose from if you would be interested in that. They do not seem to serve soft drinks, however, so if you are a teetotaler, be prepared to drink water with your meal.

The Garlic Press is a great place to take potential clients or enjoy a nice meal. Although it does not take a particularly long time to get your food, it is a good place to just relax and enjoy the atmosphere and the food. If the weather is good, you might even sit out on the patio. Inside or out, the Garlic Press can accommodate small groups, so remember them for your business party or meeting.

For more information, visit The Garlic Press . I have had some trouble getting a hold of them on the phone, but you can leave a message. Alternatively, you could just stop by the restaurant when you are in the area. They are located at the corner of Wadley & Garfield in Midland.

Come check out the latest in delicacies and be sure to enjoy your "golden" gastronomic experience.

1. The Grand Opulence Sundae

This is probably the world's most expensive ice cream and has a price tag of $1,000 per serving, especially available at the Serendipity Restaurant in New York. The premium ice cream sundae is beautifully garnished with a generous amount of 24-karat edible golden flakes.

2. Pizza Royale 007

Perhaps you have read about the world's most expensive pizza prepared by a Glasgow based restaurateur, Domenico Crolla. With a price tag of around £2,150, you'll get a pizza with premium toppings including edible gold flakes. Viola!

3. Frozen Haute Chocolate

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, "Frozen Haute Chocolate" is the world's most expensive dessert, available at Serendipity 3, New York city. At $25,000, this dessert is made up of exotic blends of cocoa, sprinkled with 5 grams of gold flakes and served in a goblet lined with a thin layer of an edible gold sheet.

4. Gold Liquor

It is believed that the gold flakes in liquor are meant to cut one's throat in very tiny areas so that the alcohol may enter the bloodstream quicker for a faster effect. Although this may be an urban myth, nonetheless, there are several liquors in the market which contain gold. For instance, the "Gold Flakes Supreme" is an ultra premium vodka produced in France and marketed by the Shaw Ross Importers at about $60 per 750ml bottle.

"Goldschlager" is another alcohol beverage which contains edible gold flakes. This Swiss cinnamon schnapps costs around $25 per 750ml bottle. Perhaps you can also opt for "Danziger Goldwasser", a Polish herbal liquor which also contains floating gold flakes, costing around $29 per bottle.

5. Seville Orange Marmalade

In 2006, to mark its 125th business anniversary, a UK fruit preserves manufacturer, F. Duerr & Son produced the world's most expensive marmalade. The "Seville Orange Marmalade", contains 24-karat gold flakes and comes in a crystal jar. It is maybe the most expensive marmalade spread for a piece of your toast.

6. DeLafee Chocolate and Lollipop

A Swiss company, DeLafee International has been developing luxurious gifts decorated with gold since 2004. DeLafee's products include golden chocolates and golden lollipops. DeLafee's gold chocolate is made of premium cocoa, wrapped in an edible 24-karat gold sheet. A small box containing 8 chocolate pralines costs about $100 per box. DeLafee's lollies on the other hand are red heart-shaped sweets garnished with 24-karat edible gold flakes. Costing nearly $29 per piece, it makes a nice Valentine's Day gift.

7. Gold Wine

Jayson Woodbridge, the owner of Napa based Hundred Acre came up with "GOLD" wines containing 24-karat gold flakes. GOLD comes in two 2005 vintages; one is made from California's Napa Valley's grapes and another is made from Australia's Barossa Valley's grapes. They are currently available in the US market for about $25 per bottle.

8. Golden Beaver Hot Sauce

The Golden Beaver Hot Sauce contains habanero pepper extract and of course, floating 24-karat gold flakes. It costs $49 per bottle.

9. Gold Sake

In Japanese culture, sake containing edible gold flakes is often consumed during the New Year's eve for luck and prosperity. There are several types of sake brands in the market which contain gold flakes. The more familiar one in the market would be the "Kuromatsu Hakushika Gold Yamada Nishiki Sake". This sake is made from premium Yamadanishiki rice and comes complete with floating gold flakes. It costs $30 per 720 ml bottle.

Cheers and Bon Appetit!

For example, Thailand you can find a variety of edible insects to choose from for your culinary pleasure. In these countries, insects are thought to be quite tasty.

If the idea of eating insects intrigues you, what varieties do you have to choose from? Online you can find such offerings as slow roasted giant water bugs; extra hot crushed giant bug paste; scorpions preserved in brine; fried hairy tarantula spiders tossed in a spicy sauce; ant eggs; delicately roasted termite eggs; and even a bug sample pack consisting of seven, slow roasted insects for snacking purposes. This is just a small selection of the edible insects available to you. In fact, there are over 2,000 known edible insects.

Another surprising fact about edible insects is how nutritious they can be. One hundred grams of insects supplies a full day's supply of vitamins and minerals and over 50 grams of protein with a calorie content of about 400 kilocalories. In fact, because insects are so nutritious, many people in the know are advocating they be used as sources of protein in areas where food is scarce, such as central Africa.

Are we missing out on the nutritious and tasty world of edible insects in this country? Our culture doesn't seem to readily accept this practice as of yet, although there might be advantages to this trend catching on in our part of the world. We have a rich supply of insects that are essentially wasted. Plus, bug farming provides humans with a source of protein that's much more environmentally friendly than the farming of animals such as cattle. Plus, it's an easy solution to the animal rights objection to raising farm animals for food. Fewer people would argue that bugs have rights.

The next time you see a giant bug ambling across your kitchen counter, ask yourself if he might be tasty with a touch of salt and garlic.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere at Mama's Cafe is a little bit confusing at first. With a name like Mama's Cafe, you may automatically think that it's a southern type of restaurant. And for the most part, you would be correct. The thing that confused me the most was the fact that there was a stuffed cow head attached to the wall, and yet Green Day(a rock band) was playing in the background. It just didn't seem to mix well.

As for the restaurant itself, it's your typical average restaurant. It's somewhat old fashioned and run down looking, and the people vary somewhat. You'll find older people and younger people at this restaurant in equal doses. As for the seating, Mama's Cafe has both tables and booths. Typically, larger groups will sit at the booths and smaller groups will sit at the tables.

The Staff

The staff were friendly enough, but they appeared to be somewhat lax at times with attending to what their customers needed. Some of the staff members had a dirty unkempt appearance to them, which might make you a bit uneasy. One of the staff members even walked away from some of their customers for some reason.

Suffice it to say, the customers didn't appreciate that too much. When the waiter came back, he complained that he was suffering from a headache. This just added to the awkwardness and confusion. But overall, the staff did an okay job at serving their customers.

The Food

Basically, the food at Mama's Cafe is just average. There is a fairly wide selection for you to order from, but it just isn't that appetizing. I ordered chicken fried chicken, and it was okay. The meal came with garlic mashed potatoes, and they tasted like cheese in my opinion. Maybe if I had ordered something else the meal might have been better, but I doubt it.

Some of the food that you can select from is chicken fried steak, hamburgers, chicken, pastas; etc. You can also select some appetizers to go with your meal and some dessert as well. And of course, they have alcoholic beverages.

Pricing

As for the cost of your meal, it probably will not be too much. Mostly the meals vary between six and fifteen dollars, and a few may cost a little more than that. But it is definitely inexpensive food, and it should be since it's just average fare.

As you can see, Mama's Cafe isn't one of the better restaurants that you can dine at. However, if you still want to give them a try, feel free. Just remember to keep your expectations low.