Meat - Hannah

I feel better about the meat quality here than I do back home. Several years ago I read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser and I didn't buy or eat ground beef for at least three yeas. Among other things, the book talks all about the unsanitary meat handling practices of the beef industry in the United States--sadly much of the lower quality beef ends up in public schools. I couldn't stomach beef until a JCWs hamburger converted me back. Still, though, even after JCWs, we didn't eat a lot of beef.

But here, I feel a lot better about buying meat, especially beef. I got a recommendation for a butcher from our landlord, and haven't gone anywhere else since. Our landlord told us that the butcher often slaughters the cows that morning or the day before, so it's super fresh. Also, the cows here feed on grassy hills, and since they get plenty of exercise climbing up and down the hills they're super lean. We call them mountain cows, because they walk around the hills like mountain goats. Look how the skin just seems to hang off the cow's body. 

Jonah always likes going to the carniceria. The nice lady behind the counter always talks with him and often gives him a piece or two of chicharon. I like that I can specify how much meat I want, and how I want it cut, and they'll put it in a little bag for me. I just do one bag per meal, and then I can just dump the bag in the pan and not even have to touch it. It's much better than buying the bulk meat at Walmart or Costco and then having to divvy up the meat into individual freezer bags. I know, I'm a baby, but I just don't like touching raw meat.  

I still stick to pretty safe, known meats though. I'm much more adventurous when it comes to trying new fruits than I am in trying new meats. This cow tongue and other mystery meats never make it onto the menu.

The market where I buy my meat is across from the main supermarket. At one location, I get beef, at another I can get fish, and at another I can get chicken. Because I make multiple transactions on my shopping trips, I'm much more confident in my ability to use Costa Rican currency than when I first got here. 

Now if only JCWs would open up a restaurant here in Puriscal, and I could go buy a jalepeno burger, I would be completely satisfied :).