Papaya Flower Picadillo Dish Presentation
The typical Foods and Beverages Contest was held in Palmar at the Cultural Heritage Center of the Ministry of Culture and Youth, where the winning recipe had to be original and unpublished. Attractive prizes drew the attention of 301 amateur cooks from Osa, Corredores, and Golfito. Picadillo comes from the word picar, which means chop.
[singlepic id=2103 w=320 h=240 float=right]One of the requirements was to present the dishes in typical wooden trays, iron pans, or banana leaves. Elida Meza Zuñiga (from Ojochal) participated with a dish called “chopped papaya flower picadillo,” a recipe her grandmother taught her how to prepare. She explained that only the male tree is able to produce flowers, and it is necessary a kilo of flowers to prepare the dish.
She presented her creation in a bed of banana leaves. She won the first prize among 301 competitors because her dish contained no animal fat, and it was the most original.
[singlepic id=2108 w=320 h=240 float=left]The Meza Zúñiga family owns the land around a beautiful waterfall in the lush mountains of Ojochal. It has a natural Jacuzzi, and the horseback rides organized by Don Lalo, often make a stop at Elida’s house, which is nestled in the middle of a tropical garden.
Please, stop to greet doña Elida before you go for a refreshing dip to the waterfall!
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Photos by Ruben Roman
