Living in Costa Rica has allowed me to enjoy 12 months of spring and summer weather with no chance of snow anywhere, to meet some wonderful people and experience a new culture, and finally, to confirm what I believed in the beginning, that I could leave my “comfort-zone” in Canada and start a new life… Pura Vida.

One of my guilty pleasures that I have come to enjoy is Costa Rican coffees and some of the world’s best hand made/hand rolled cigars in the world. If you enjoy either, or both, you won’t be disappointed because there are many brands of each to appeal to the palette.

Coffee is a mixed blessing for me because the smell and taste of Costa Rican coffee is undeniable when fresh. Costa Rica is a major exporter of Arabica coffee beans (the best!!) I can easily find ground or whole bean in any store or Mercado at a very reasonable price. Such brands as 1820, Britt, Doka, and my favorite Costa Rican coffee, Naranjo, can be had for under $4.00 US per pound in Costa Rica. Sometimes I’ll find it on sale for less, but the freshness of local processing and delivery are undeniable. Heck, even Starbucks buys Costa Rican coffee!

If you come to Costa Rica on vacation, you can take an excursion to any of the coffee plantations like the Britt and Doka plantation, both within a short drive from San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital. You can experience a tour of a coffee plantation, where coffee is grown organically, the journey coffee takes from fruit on the bush, to the coffee cup on your table. I have several coffee bushes outside my home near Zarcero, and who knows, maybe The Loss Leader brand of coffee may find its way to a shelf at Sobeys or Loblaws.

I recently visited The Mirador restaurant with my daughter and her husband who were visiting from Canada. We enjoyed a smoky coffee from the Naranjo brand and it was delicious without my usual cream! The meal was great as well, but the coffee allowed us to relax, take in the view of the valley and beautiful fincas (coffee farms) surrounding the restaurant and just chat.

There are many websites where you can buy Costa Rican coffee, and of course, if you come to Costa Rica, a visit to a Costa Rican coffee farm will permit you to experience it first hand. Pura vida.