My first full day in Nicaragua and I was almost bright-eyed and bushy-tailed…but could I use a cup of coffee! Not only was I going to have coffee but I was having organic coffee raised and roasted at Finca Esperanza Verde (FEV), made with certified mountain spring water. You haven’t had coffee like this at your local coffee shop! My coffee adventure was only beginning.
As I walked down the path from our lodge, which I shared with five other wonderful women, I marveled at the views and the foliage, pinching myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
The covered, open-air, dining room at FEV overlooks a beautiful tropical forest allowing the diners to take in the view yet enjoy the fresh air. Our tables were set, as they were the night before, with our name on a clothes pin attached to the napkin. The staff moved our napkin and clothes pin at each meal, giving us a chance to get to sit with everyone in the group. Genius!
We were served fresh, local fruit from the farm including watermelon, pineapple, papaya in addition to fresh local maracuya (passion fruit) juice.
Next we were served Gallo Pinto, fresh tortillas made by the staff over a wood stove, and scrambled eggs topped with crumbled cuajada cheese and pico de gallo. The farm-fresh eggs are from the FEV chickens! (Reminded me of home and the fresh eggs on our Iowa farm.)
What a wonderful experience to eat local, eat fresh in the splendor of the tropics.
GALLO PINTO
3 cups of cooked rice
2 cups of cooked black beans
1 onion, finely chopped
1 chopped red pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons oil
¼ cup chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons Salsa Lizano (or Worcestershire Sauce)
salt and pepper to taste
- Fry onion, red pepper, and garlic in the vegetable oil, about 3 minutes.
- Pour in the beans and sauce, black pepper and seasoning. Let it cook for a few minutes, but keep it moist.
- Pour in the cooked rice and mix with the beans. Sprinkle with crumbled cuajada cheese. Optional: sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro.
After breakfast, we were scheduled for a nature hike to begin to explore the gorgeous plants and flowers of the tropical forest and our first introduction to how coffee is grown. Our guide took care to highlight local birds and foliage.
Coming from the high desert of Colorado, I was amazed at the plant life. How can so many plants live on one tree? This is the trunk of the Ceiba tree, which was a mystical tree in pre-Columbian cultures. This photo captures the mystical experience of the tropical forest hike.
After a wonderful morning out, it was time to return to the lodge and lunch…what wonderful treat would be awaiting us?
Fork Lore 