Volare Prepares Your Favorite Foods

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Volare Kitchen

Yamilet,, Volare's always helpful hostess, and sometimes-cook knows all the traditional ingredients and quite a few newer recipes to make food both fresh and delicious. Let us know and dietary restrictions (from vegan to meat and potatoes only... the whole range is available) or preferences.... but we don't really do spicy (bring your own tabasco sauce). Yamilet will decide what to make, buy the ingredients, and you will have surprises, but of the pleasant variety.
Pack a
picnic

We'll pack a picnic lunch with fresh and flavorful, an ice chest full of great tastes, favorite drinks, and snack foods. We'll pack a bag with towels and tablecloth, knives, forks and spoons, condiments. It's healthy and it's fun when you want to explore "moda Tica".
Loads of
fresh fruit

Costa Rica has excellent fresh fish from both coasts and freshwater trout and tilapia as well. Chicken is just as chicken should be, and beef is all grass fed (tougher than American beef, but in many cuts it is more flavorful).

No problem serving vegan or vegetarian or gluten free or kosher cuisine. Indeed, much of Costa Rica's better known foods rely on purely vegetarian ingredients - Gallo Pinto, Pico de Gallo, Tortillas de Queso, Crema de Pejebeye are such examples. At least give these dishes a try while you are with us, even if you eat meats. They are different and pleasing to experimental palettes. Non vegetarian soups start with home made chicken or beef stock with garlic and celery, simmered 2-3 hours and then cooled to remove fat layer from top before using as base for soups. No MSG, no soup mixes... just natural free-range chicken and grass fed beef.
Dining at night
on the deck

The breads of Costa Rica are terrible (well, if you like Wonder Bread you'll be content), but we make up for that with magic use of corn meal and yucca.

If you are a true gourmet, let us know and we'll try to get you to some restaurants where owners-chefs are making a reputation for themselves.

Some Items Yami Prepares

Volare serves FAMILY STYLE. This means everyone will be served the same selection so it is wise to consult everyone before placing an order. These dishes have proven to be favorites of our guests.

We can prepare special items for finicky children, like simple PB&J sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers etc.

You have to let us know at least the day before what meals you will want for the following day, because we have to shop down in Turrialba.

Below are mainly listed the side dishes. Yami is expert at fish and beef and chicken, but I like to take pictures of vegetables. She also has her traditional desserts, which I avoid (too easy to eat too much).

Moroccan Spice Vegetables	Moroccan Spice Ratatouille – zucchini, eggplant, onion, acorn squash, sweet pepper, tomato, chick peas roasted in olive oil and lightly spiced with Asian spices (vegan, gluten free). Served over polenta, rice or cous cous, and garnish with fresh parmesan cheese.
Tomato Avocado Salad	Tomato, Avocado, Onion Salad with pine nuts and fresh lettuce and a choice of great dressings. This side salad is enough good veggie to make a whole meal from it. (can be vegan, low fat, and/or gluten free)
Beef Tenderloin Charcoal Grilled	Charcoal Grilled Steaks – Costa Rica beef is strictly grass fed. The best way to treat a good steak is marinade it a few hours with garlic, wine, seasonings and olive oil then sear it over a charcoal fire. Served with steamed and garnished vegetables, mashed potatoes
Rice & Veggie Salad	Greek Rice Salad – Rice, tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet, sweet onions -with Feta or garbanzos of both. (can be vegan; gluten free)
French Master Salad	French Master ’s Salad – Tucker's specialty - large leaf, Boston, or bib lettuce, avocado, croutons, thin sliced onions marinated in aged balsamic and olive oil dressing (vegan)
Caprese Salad	Caprese salad – luscious tomatoes (Turrialba is the tomato center of Costa Rica, so the tomatoes are really delicious year round), fresh basil leaves, and, instead of buffalo cheese we use our local Queso Turrialba (gluten free)
Costa Rica! Gallo Pinto	Gallo pinto – the traditional Costa Rican breakfast – black beans cooked with garlic, sweet pepper mixed with cooked rice and a sauce reminiscent of a good steak sauce. Usually served with sour cream. (gluten free; vegan if you forego dairy sour cream, but we can also get vegetable base sour cream)
Papaya Salad	Papaya Avocado Salad – lettuce, cucumber, sweet bell pepper, avocado, papaya, rice vinaigrette with sesame seeds (vegan, gluten free). With no added oil, this salad is super healthy and low in fat.
	Roasted chicken – with dill, Italian Seasoning, and doused with sweet sherry to make a crusty skin.
	Chicken medallions in lemon mustard cream sauce – lightly pan fried pieces of chicken tossed with Dijon lemon cream and served with arugula.
	Beef or pork Fajitas – beef or pork tenderloin strips quick-fried with rosemary and oregano then wrapped in toasted flour tortilla with avocado, tomato salsa or vinaigrette, refried beans, cheese.
	Picnic Lunch- When you want something to spend the day exploring, nothing beats a picnic with a combination of some of the following: cut up fresh fruit in season, carrot sticks and cucumbers with cream cheese based dip, tortilla chips and refried beans, apples (to slice and serve with cheddar cheese slices.... very British!), bananas, trail mix, ham and cheese or egg salad sandwiches. Let us know at least 2 days in advance. The picnic basket has tablecloth, towels, dishes, knife to slice apples, spices and an ice chest for drinks that you decide to buy (or Yami can buy them for you, but you have to repay her).