Our Cooking Class at Rancho de Espanol was one of the highlights of our stay! We walked to an outdoor rustic kitchen area just as the afternoon rains began to fall.

      It was a relief to not have to be in the hot main kitchen of the Rancho, and we felt a chill in the air for the first time in Costa Rica.

     Paula was a huge help translating for us since Chef Marlenne didn’t speak any English, and her Spanish was muy rappido.  She already had a wood fire started in a cinderblock and cast iron topped stove which filled the kitchen with pungent smoke.  Chef explained that we would be making a traditional Costa Rican recipe that is commonly prepared for weddings. And, of course, being a traditional recipe, there was no written recipe — just the tradition of learning by making it alongside abuelas y tias.

     After washing our hands, the Chef set us to work chopping pre-boiled white potatoes.  She expertly peeled the potatoes and gave us each a plastic cutting board and serrated steak knife. We cut the potatoes into small cubes. In addition, we finely chopped cilantro, garlic, red pepper and celery.

      The Chef had pre-cooked marinated roast beef which she had us shred by hand before adding back into the flavorful marinade.

     These ingredients, including white beans, freshly ground cumin, saffron paste, salt and pepper, were all added to a smoking hot cast iron cooking pot.  The smell of the slowly cooking Picadillo de Papas was intoxicating in its complexity.