Gringa

The Urban Dictionary defines a Gringas as: A female native speaker of English, unrelated to race. Gringa is often defined as disparaging slang for a foreign female in Latin America.

But that’s no longer true in Costa Rica, if it ever was. We are gringos, the locals are ticos.

However, there is another kind of Gringa to be found in Costa Rica and throughout Latin America: A variety of tacos which uses as a base a quesadilla, consisting of a flour tortilla filled with cheese and “al pastor” meat, topped with cheese. This is then grilled in the same manner as a quesadilla.

Some say the name appears to come from the dark spots that appear on the white surface of flour tortillas when heated, that resemble of freckles in white skin, a “gringa” skin. In general, the name was established from the idea that (wheat) flour tortillas are preferred north of the border. Las pochas is the name given to another variation of tacos made in the same manner, but instead of wheat flour tortillas, corn tortillas are used and instead of “al pastor” meat, grilled meat, pork or less frequently beef is used.