ALAJUELA, Costa Rica -- The usual tourist routes don't allot much time for exploring this city, a regional capital in this Latin American country's central valley. Although it's the second largest city after San Jose, and only 15 minutes from Juan Santamaria International Airport, visitors tend to retreat to nearby resorts and hotels, exploring the nearby volcanoes and national parks without spending much time in the city itself.

But a food lover could spend a week investigating the sights, smells and tastes of the central market, not to mention the dozens of casual eateries nearby.

Alajuela is planned around a central park, with a cathedral to the east, and a large indoor market a block to the west. On a warm day in early February, the Italian ice vendors, one at each corner of the park, were doing a brisk business. The street was full of people running errands, shopping or simply relaxing on benches in the park.

A large McDonald's on the southeast corner was also a popular spot, with open-air seating, the international menu augmented with Costa Rican's national breakfast dish gallo pinto (rice and beans) and dulce de leche flavored ice cream for dessert.

Street signs are hard to locate, but it's easy to find the market -- just head in the opposite direction of the cathedral.

Gastro-tourism is on the rise, as more and more people explore foreign climes by taking cooking classes and walking through markets. Alajuela's central market is one of the best I've ever visited.

A city block wide and long, the market is filled with small stands selling everything a Costa Rican family might need: fresh meat and fish, bundles of herbs, and lots and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, many unrecognizable and all the more enticing.

Not every stall sold food: A few displayed cases full of jewelry and watches; others were miniature hardware stores. At least a half dozen are devoted to pet food and supplies. (Bus rides through town and the surrounding areas revealed that every Costa Rican household and a number of businesses seem to have at least two dogs.)

Enticed by a vendor, I tried a fruit called a water apple, my husband digging up the best of his high school Spanish to inquire whether it should be eaten "out of hand." "Yes, yes," the vendor replied.

A lovely red skin gave way to creamy white flesh. It tasted like a crisp, mild pear, each bite very juicy if not immensely flavorful. An incredible discovery? Not entirely, but an intriguing new taste all the same.

Were I stocking my kitchen, I could have filled several large bags in minutes with dried chamomile flowers, prunes cooked in syrup, whole red snapper gleaming on ice and stacks of fresh corn tortillas.

But, with no refrigerator and no clear understanding of what we could transport back to the states, I had to be satisfied with tasting everything I could, while drinking in the sights, smells and sounds around me.

Costa Rica isn't well known for its cuisine, which isn't as varied or complex as in a number of other Latin American countries. But I found that people cared deeply about food, cooking and presenting simple, flavorful dishes with care.

Along with stands selling ingredients, the market held several dozen casual eateries, called sodas. Spotting a particularly crowded one, we approached, uncertain of whether to take a seat or order somewhere else. Fortunately, a friendly server noticed our confusion and shooed us into two tiny stools at the crowded communal table.

All around us, Alajuelans sipped coffee or juice and nibbled on snacks -- the morning coffee break is considered sacred in Costa Rica. Only seconds seemed to pass before two empanadas arrived in a cloud of steam. A Costa Rican variation on traditional empanadas, they were made with corn masa rather than flour-based pastry. The stiff dough was crispy on the edges, softer near the center, giving way to a filling of spicy potatoes and cheese in one, braised beef in the other.

Back in town the next day, after a hike up Barva, less popular than the active Paos volcano, but with more reliable weather and a more challenging trail, I set out on a more specific culinary quest.

In "Gallito Pinto: Traditional Recipes From Costa Rica," (A Zona Tropical Publication), Andrea Corrales describes casado as "not a specific recipe, but a way of serving a constellation of dishes for lunch ... very much a defining feature of daily life in Costa Rica."

At Soda No. 28, the menu consists almost entirely of casado, each plate piled high with gallo pinto, a crunchy, tart cabbage salad; and a choice of meat or fish, like carne en salsa, tender chunks of braised beef in a brothy tomato sauce that seeped into the rice. The cookbook had promised plantains, but here they served spaghetti instead, cooked until soft and served in a slightly spicy tomato and pepper sauce.

Sweet plantains did appear on a vegetarian version, sliced and fried to order, creamy and sweet, the perfect contrast to tangy cabbage and salty rice and beans.

The soda's owner brought over a jar of spicy escabeche, pickled carrots, onions and small green peppers, and looked on at our enthusiastic appreciation for the spicy, flavorful condiment, delightedly repeating, "muy fuertes!" (very strong).

Too full to do anything but look at other options, we still couldn't resist picking up a couple of tamales, wrapped in plantain leaves rather than corn husks, and filled with corn masa, rice, pork and vegetables. Pairs were tied up with twine, a perfectly packaged snack devoured just a few hours later.

And of course, there's always room for ice cream: We headed to the streets, where almost every block seemed to include a heladeria, or ice cream parlor. Inside a large establishment, facing the park, a giant graphic menu filled the back wall depicting several dozen elaborate confections, each covered with more whipped cream than the last. Beneath it, however, a freezer case held a few dozen rustic Popsicles wrapped in paper cups in flavors such as mango, strawberry, cajeta (milk caramel) and chocolate. Refreshing and not too sweet, they were the perfect finish to an indulgent and fascinating visit.

Back in Pittsburgh, warm air, blue skies and views of coffee fields immediately became a distant memory, until one evening I pulled out Ms. Corrales' book and cooked up a casado of my own: Gallo pinto, stewed beef, cabbage salad and sweet plantains filled my house with incredible smells. The dishes weren't exactly the same (though the cabbage salad came remarkably close), but the flavors and textures were close enough, each bite transporting me to a small food stall in a crowded market in Alajuela, Costa Rica.

Stewed beef/Carne Mechada

PG tested

• 2 pounds of beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3-inch sprig of fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
• 1 14-ounce can tomatoes or 8 fresh tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves peeled
• 4 large bay leaves

Place the meat, salt, rosemary and Worcestershire sauce in a pot with enough water to cover the ingredients. Simmer over medium heat until the meat is very tender (about three hours) adding more water if necessary.

While the meat is cooking, puree the tomatoes, salt, olive oil and garlic in a food processor or blender -- there's no need to add water. Transfer to a pot, throw in the bay leaves and simmer the mixture for a few minutes.

When the meat is done, remove from the pot; allow it to cool slightly in the pot, and then shred or cut the meat into thin strips. Add the meat to the sauce and cook over low heat for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. If the sauce seems too thick, add some of the meat's braising liquid. Be sure to strain and save this flavorful liquid for another use.

Serves 6.

-- Adapted from "Gallito Pinto: Traditional Recipes from Costa Rica" by Andrea Corrales and Pili Aguirre

Gallo Pinto

PG tested

Gallo pinto, a zesty mix of rice and beans, is the principal dish of Costa Rican cuisine. It's typically served for breakfast and is so popular it's even on the menu at McDonald's. It also frequently accompanies meat or fish-based dishes at lunch or dinner. While a classic gallo pinto would include beans made from scratch, I used canned black beans to simplify the dish.

-- China Millman

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon of red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic
• 2 cups cooked beans
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups cooked rice

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the bell pepper, onion, cilantro and garlic and cook until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the beans, Worcestershire sauce and cumin. Stir thoroughly and allow to simmer for about 2 minutes. Mix in the rice, stir well and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir again before serving.

Serves 4-6

-- Adapted from "Gallito Pinto: Traditional Recipes from Costa Rica" by Andrea Corrales and Pili Aguirre

Cabbage Salad

PG tested

I left out the tomatoes in this dish, in part because it's February, and in part because that's how I tried it in Alajuela. I also increased the number of carrots to 3. The fresh flavors of this crisp salad are a great contrast to the stewed meat and rice and beans and it keeps well in the refrigerator, even overnight.

-- China Millman

• 1 large cabbage, chopped into thin strips about 3 inches long
• 3 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped, about 1/3 cup.
• 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Place the chopped vegetables and the cilantro in a large bowl. Mix the ingredients together and add in the oil, lime juice and salt to taste. Serve the salad immediately or refrigerate and serve cold.

Serves 6-8

-- Adapted from "Gallito Pinto: Traditional Recipes from Costa Rica" by Andrea Corrales and Pili Aguirre

Ripe plantains

PG tested

Plantains turn from green to yellow and then black as they ripen. Meanwhile, their flesh becomes softer and sweeter. For this dish, use plantains that are at least bright yellow. These can be served alongside rice and beans, or sprinkled with sugar and served as dessert.

-- China Millman

• 3 very ripe plantains
• Vegetable oil

Peel the plantains and cut them into circular slices about 1/2-inch thick. Although plantains are traditionally fried in a small amount of vegetable oil, you can use even less, if you use a nonstick pan. Either way, cook the plantains over medium heat until they turn a golden color. Serve plain or with a dash of sugar on top.

Serves 6.

-- Adapted from "Gallito Pinto: Traditional Recipes from Costa Rica" by Andrea Corrales and Pili Aguirre