Availability of Bean varities

[rf2cr]

Does any one know if pinto, red kidney & navy beans are available (dried), want to plant some in the vegetable garden and need to know if I need to take seed with me or if they are available locally.

Thanks – Ruth

[Andrew]

This is very much a ‘bean’ (frijoles) type country, ‘Gallo Pinto’ is one the staple dishes and is rice and beans

The Avenida Central market had dozens of people selling all sorts of beans…

Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.com

[rebaragon]

A variety of beans (frijoles)are consumed daily in CR, but due to some previous agricultural trade agreements, the amount of national production has been drastically reduced and much of it is now imported from neighboring countries because it appears to be cheaper to import than to grow nationally. By 2003 about 80% of the black beans consumed in CR were being imported. You will find an immense variety of beans, but it depends what you’re looking for (organic, regular agricultural production, genetically manipulated or genetically engineered). If you’re looking for organic, go to the organic markets, but otherwise I don’t think stores will be able to assure you of the sources as many times these categories are bundled together before exporting them. The University of Costa Rica’s School of Agricultural (San Pedro, SJ) has seed programs and so does CATIE (in Limon). I would imagine Universidad Nacional’s Agricultural School will also have some programs (Heredia). It will depend on what you’re looking for–what type of bean and how that bean was produced. Best of luck…

[jenny]

I’ve lived in Costa Rica for about 5 years and Pinto beans, Navy beans, black eye peas are hard to find. I really miss the three bean soup. You can get a large variety of beans from Panama but not here in Costa Rica in most places. I usually get beans when I go to the USA or have someone bring them when they come.

That sort of goes with the smoked turkey and ham hocks, collard greens and all that good stuff. You can find mustards but no collards. Costa Ricans eat some small white beans, black beans and I think the people in Limon eat red beans. I may have missed something but from my observation you can not find those other beans here in most stores.

[rf2cr]

Thanks all for the help,

Will try the central market in San Jose when we make the treck down from Arenal and for now will take a supply of seed quality beans down with us. Black beans are fine for many dishes but just do not have the right flavors for good mexican food.

Jenny, Collards have never been a favorite of mine but will take some seeds with me and try them out in the vegetable garden I believe that if mustards will grow, collards should too.

Ruth

[jenny]

Collards grow very well, the only thing they are not as sweet. I have had customers bring seeds from the US. I’ve planted blackeye peas and they grow crazy and very rapidly here. I guess going to the market downtown San Jose is much closer then Panama (smile).

Peas, green peas, and sweet corn that is sweet and juicy. So many of those things have been hard to find. Of course I am an old Nebraska girl so good old country eating is part of my heritage. Perhaps if we check San Jose and the surrounding area markets we will find almost everything.

Does anyone know about wheat flour, soy flour, rice flour and whey. Where can you get it. In fact where can you get health food from, are there any health food grocery stores in Costa Rica. Maybe a substitute for somethings I want are in some of the oriental stores. If so where are some of them. We are on a change of diet kick right now.

I know the subject has gone from beans to everything else, forgive me.

[alexgil]

There is a chain of health food shops throughout the country called macrobiotica. There are two little oriental markets around the back of the Asian resturant Tin jo. Er, directions are rough, forgive me, but head from avenida central towards Tin Jo Calle 11; Avenidas 6 y 8 (opposite the theatro luchini I think), and walk one block past the resturant and one or two blocks to your right. Sorry, only been once and had to trundel around those streets to find the place so I lost my orientation. The staff in Tin Jo know exactly where it is if you stop for lunch there and then go shoping they might save you a bundle of time. 🙂

[jenny]

Thanks a lot I will try it.

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