|
|
|
Coco Wonder: Isla del Coco, an uninhabited island 365 miles west of Costa Rica's Pacific port of Puntarenas, has been nominated as a candidate for one of the new natural wonders of the world, according to nonprofit foundation New7Wonders. This puts the national park, known as Costa Rica's legendary “ Treasure Island,” up against some 300 other contenders to be voted on by the public starting January 2009. |
| Photo courtesy of www.underseahunter.com. |
 |
| U.S. Attorney Charges 12 In Costa Rica-based Online Gambling Operation |
Officials in the United States have unsealed an indictment against 12 men for their involvement in a Costa Rica-based online gambling site. Eight arrests were made yesterday in the states of New York, Maryland and Massachusetts, but the alleged ringleader, Carmen Cicalese, is still at large, possibly in Costa Rica. |
| See More... |
| Mexico's Molotov to Set it Off in Costa Rica |
World famous Mexican rock band Molotov is set to pop the lid off 2008 with their first concert of the year to be held in San José. |
| See More... |
| Prominent Nicaraguan Newspaperman Dies |
Journalists at the Nicaraguan daily El Nuevo Diario are mourning the loss of the newspaper's founder-publisher, Xavier Chamorro, who died Friday after a long cardiac illness at 75. |
|
| Isla del Coco Nominated to be New Natural Wonder |
Isla del Coco, an uninhabited island 365 miles west of Costa Rica's Pacific port of Puntarenas, has been nominated as a candidate for one of the new natural wonders of the world, the daily La Nación reported. |
|
|
|
|
Savory or Sweet,
Plantains Are a Versatile |
For centuries, plantains have been used as a staple food in tropical and subtropical regions from West Africa to Latin America. Their versatility lies in the fact that they can be eaten at any stage of maturity, and that yields are abundant in the right conditions.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
U.S. Attorney Charges 12 In
Costa Rica-based Online Gambling Operation |
Officials in the United States have unsealed an indictment against 12 men for their involvement in a Costa Rica-based online gambling site. Eight arrests were made yesterday in the states of New York, Maryland and Massachusetts, but the alleged ringleader, Carmen Cicalese, is still at large, possibly in Costa Rica.
Online gambling is effectively illegal in the United States following the adoption in 2006 of a law banning credit card companies from process payments to online gambling websites; a move that essentially closed the lucrative U.S. market to foreign companies.
Carmen Cicalese is alleged to have operated several Web sites, including betwestsports.com, and a toll-free call center that were collectively known as the “Cicalese Wireroom.”
The wireroom worked by getting hundreds of U.S. bookies to sign gamblers up to the Web site, allowing them to bet over the phone or via the internet. The individual bookmakers were responsible for collecting and paying out money from clients. The wireroom charged a fee of $15 to $30, collected in person by two so-called “runners,” per registered gambler per week to process online and telephone bets. Patrick Cicalese would collect the money from the runners and then move it out of the United States to Costa Rica by courier, debit cards and electronic transfers, according to the LawFuel news service.
The 12 defendants are charged with a range of offences including illegal gambling and conspiracy to commit money laundering for their involvement in the operation, which, according to Reuters, reaped millions of dollars a year since it began operating in 2005. Those charged include several bookmakers who used the wireroom.
|
-Tico Times
|
|
| Mexico's Molotov to Set it Off in Costa Rica |
World famous Mexican rock band Molotov is set to pop the lid off 2008 with their first concert of the year to be held in San José.
Frontman Tito Fuentes and his band of four are scheduled to play here Jan. 19, according to United Press International newswire. Molotov, a favorite of MTV Latino América, is sure to play material from “ Eterniamente,” the band's latest album released in October with the single “Yofo.”
Molotov is known for explosive lyrics charged with social commentary. Their Latin Grammy-winning hit “ Frijolero ” (a literal translation of a derogatory U.S. term for Mexicans, “beaner”), from the 2003 recording “Dance and Dense Denso,” is one such song. Its message: Gringo, don't call me beaner!
The weekend follows with a reggaeton romp on Jan. 20. Puerto Rican stars DeLaGhetto are among the performers set to put the booty-moving hip hop-dancehall fusion in motion. Then on Feb. 2, diehard reggaeton fans will hail the genre's reigning king, Daddy Yankee, who hits the Jacó Beach Music Festival as part of his “Big Boss Tour.”
|
-Tico Times
|
|
| Prominent Nicaraguan Newspaperman Dies |
Journalists at the Nicaraguan daily El Nuevo Diario are mourning the loss of the newspaper's founder-publisher, Xavier Chamorro, who died Friday after a long cardiac illness at 75.
Chamorro, brother-in-law of Nicaragua n ex-President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, had suffered from heart problems for four months and in his final days his health had deteriorated, Francisco Chamorro, his son and assistant publisher of El Nuevo Diario, told newswire EFE.
The newspaper's founder was born Dec. 31, 1932, in Managua, where he lived until his last days.
Chamorro was the closest associate of his brother, journalist Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, the publisher of La Prensa de Managua who was murdered on Jan. 10, 1978 by gunmen linked to dictator Anastasio Somoza.
After the assassination of Pedro Joaquín, husband of the future President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, Xavier took over the management of La Prensa together with doctor and journalist Danilo Aguirre.
Nonetheless, in May 1980, Xavier Chamorro, Aguirre and close to 85% of La Prensa employees decided to leave the newspaper in support of the Sandinista government, which had taken power by force of arms on July 19, 1979, and founded El Nuevo Diario.
Chamorro leaves five children: Francisco, Margarita, Gabriel, Ana María and Juan Sebastián Chamorro.
|
-EFE
|
|
| Isla del Coco Nominated to be New Natural Wonder |
Isla del Coco, an uninhabited island 365 miles west of Costa Rica's Pacific port of Puntarenas, has been nominated as a candidate for one of the new natural wonders of the world, the daily La Nación reported.
This puts the national park, known as Costa Rica's legendary “ Treasure Island,” up against some 300 other contenders which were compiled until Dec. 31 at the Web site www.new7wonders.com.
Starting in January 2009, people will be able to vote for the new seven wonders, in a contest whose outcome will finally be decided by mid-2010, according to the nonprofit foundation New7Wonders.
Swiss-Canadian adventurer Bernard Weber started the foundation in 1999 with the aim of promoting “respect and enthusiasm … for the beauty of our planet,” the Associated Press reported.
Over 100 million people participated in the first contest ending in July. That vote began a multi-step process in which the public was invited to make suggestions for sites, now posted by continent on the Web site.
Previous similar contests have also crowned manmade wonders such as Peru's Machu Picchu, Brazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer and Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid.
|
-Tico Times
|
|
|
Savory or Sweet, Plantains Are a Versatile |
 |
For centuries, plantains have been used as a staple food in tropical and subtropical regions from West Africa to Latin America. Their versatility lies in the fact that they can be eaten at any stage of maturity, and that yields are abundant in the right conditions.
The plantain (plátano in Spanish) is a type of banana. From the genus Musa, most edible bananas are cultivars derived from two species, M. acuminata and M. balbisiana. Of the major types of bananas grown worldwide, about 21% are plantains.
In plant classification, the plantain is actually an herb, not a tree. In fact, it is the biggest herb in the planet, reaching up to 50 feet high and producing bunches that can weigh up to 55 pounds. It grows best in humid, warm, tropical lowlands, where it takes nine to 12 months to mature.
 |
| Go Bananas: The versatile plantain can be used in a wide variety of dishes, such as Chef Marco's plantain lasagna with beef and tomato sauce. |
Marco González | Tico Times |
Bananas and plantains are considered the most important fruits traded internationally. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, they are worth more than $4 billion yearly in worldwide exports, making them the world's favorite fruit. In terms of gross value of production, bananas and plantains are the fourth biggest global food crop. Of the more than 1,000 species known, about 50 are cultivated worldwide, encompassing more than 25 million acres and yielding more than 100 million tons of fruit every year.
The biggest difference between a banana and a plantain is moisture content. The plantain averages about 65% moisture and the banana about 83%. Since hydrolysis, the process by which starches are converted to sugars, acts fastest in fruit of high moisture content, starches are converted to sugars faster in bananas than in plantains.
In unripe plantains, starch comprises more than 80% of the dry weight of the pulp. Sugars comprise only about 1.3% of total dry matter in unripe plantains, but this rises to about 17% in the ripe fruit.
Unripe plantain pulp contains a total of 3.5% dry matter as cellulose and hemicellulose and therefore constitutes a good source of dietary fiber. In relation to dry weight, the total protein value of plantains is about 3.5% in ripe pulp, slightly less in the unripe fruit and in bananas. Plantains are also a good source of potassium and vitamins A (carotene), B (thiamin, niacin and riboflavin and B6) and C (ascorbic acid).
With phenomenal culinary versatility, the plantain is used in the kitchen in a host of different ways, depending on ripeness. Green plantains are prepared in the same way as starchy foods such as potatoes, yams or yuca (cassava) and may be boiled, steamed, fried or baked for savory dishes. Their yellow or medium-ripe (when the sugars start to appear) counterparts can be combined with savory accents, creating an exotic approach to common dishes such as lasagna and sushi. When the fruit turns black, the maximum level of ripeness has been achieved, resulting in astonishing dessert dishes.
As a longtime staple food in many countries, the plantain has been developed into an amazing array of culinary combinations for its three stages of ripeness. Gourmet markets offer a variety of specialties, such as plantain chips, both green and ripe, plantain beer from East Africa, and frozen green and ripe plantains ready to fry, bake or grill, making the fruit's future as a tropical delicacy look promising indeed.
Costa Rican, other Latin American and African cuisines showcase plantains in many forms, with an exten-sive array of dishes ranging from savory to sweet and everything in between. In Costa Rica, plantains are particularly prevalent in the Caribbean province of Limón, where the fruit forms the base of many dishes, as well as serving as an accompaniment or garnish.
Green plantains are used for patacones (also called tostones), ceviche, chips, breads, soups and stews, while ripe ones are used mainly in sweet dishes. More and more, fusion chefs are giving the plantain the place it deserves in innovative cooking, using a combination of tradition and imagination to bring out the best in this truly incredible and once overlooked fruit.
Plantain Lasagna with Earthly Tomato Sauce |
Earthly Beef and
Fresh Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
2 cups ground beef or texturized soy beef
7 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
5 medium tomatoes, chopped, peeled and seeded
3/4 cup green beans, finely chopped
3/4 cup carrots, cut in small cubes
3 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tbs ground oregano
2 tbs tomato paste, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
3 tbs light soy sauce
1 tbs each of sugar, ground ginger and Chinese five-spice powder (available in Asian markets)
Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Brown ground beef (or soy beef following manufacturer's instructions) in a skillet. Drain well and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbs oil and sauté onions, garlic, red pepper, green beans, celery and carrots for 10 minutes or until al dente.
3. Add beef, soy sauce, sugar, spices, cilantro, tomatoes and tomato paste and mix well.
4. Bring to a light boil. Add 1/2 cup water and simmer until the mixture thickens.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Adjust flavors, remove from heat and set aside.
Makes three cups of sauce. |
Plantain Lasagna
Ingredients:
3 medium-firm, ripe plantains, peeled and cut lengthwise into five long slices each Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese
3 cups prepared Earthly Beef and Fresh Tomato Sauce Butter (to grease baking pan)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the plantain slices, five at a time, in 2 tbs vegetable oil, for about two minutes on each side.
3. Drain on paper towels and repeat with remaining two plantains. Set aside.
4. Grease a nine-inch glass baking pan with butter and cover the bottom with the first third of plantain slices, making sure the edges are even.
5. Add half of the tomato-beef sauce.
6. Top with the second third of the plantain slices to create another layer.
7. Dot with cream cheese, then spread it uniformly and add the remaining sauce.
8. Add the remaining third of the plantains and top with grated mozzarella cheese.
9. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned.
Makes six servings. |
|
|
|
| 
| 
| Exchange Rates
