I recently went on vacation in Costa Rica and couldn't wait to try out Costa Rican desserts. A popular dessert among Costa Rican locals is the rice pudding. I tried some and liked it, but it was nothing spectacular. Instead, since Costa Rica is quite famous for the quality of its produce, I'd like to tell you about a unique banana flambé I had in the small town of Brasilito Beach, on the Pacific coast.
The main street of Brasilito, or Little Brazil, is lined with restaurants serving mostly local fare with a little Brazilian food sprinkled around. My travel companions and I blindly chose one, sat down, and ordered some Costa Rican cuisine like arroz con pollo, as well as some some surf and turf for good measure. I wasn't planning on ordering the banana flambé, but when I heard they made it with a Costa Rican liqueur, I was sold.
Most banana flambé recipes I've seen call for some banana liqueur, rum or Grand Marnier. Café Rica, however, is a coffee liqueur, and its flavor worked surprisingly well with the dish. I got a tiny bit of butter flavor mixed in with the liqueur and I didn't taste tons of sugar, so the coffee and banana flavors were not overpowered. The sweetness of the liqueur was perfect for the banana. The just-ripe banana was cooked the way I like it- not mushy but giving just enough yield, and it was served in the open-faced banana peel, just enough to remind you you're in a sleepy and picturesque beach town. A hefty scoop of vanilla ice cream and a bit of chocolate syrup rounded out the dish. A delectable dessert with a Costa Rican twist!
Side note: I normally give addresses where you can find these treats, but I was surprised to find out many locations in Costa Rica don't have street addresses! And anyway, I don't expect my friends to go all the way to Central America for a banana flambé. So if this dish piques your interest, I really suggest ordering some Café Rica (or something similar) and making your own variation.
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