When I was growing up, we always ate oyster stew and meat pie during the holidays. My grandma boiled the oysters in a clear pot. I loved to watch them bounce around as they cooked to a rubbery finish. The meat pie….I could devour a whole one by myself. I am sure the pound of butter in the crust was a big draw.

In Costa Rica, tamales are the Christmas tradition. Families gather in a central kitchen and spend the entire day chopping and blending everything. The ingrediants are then plopped into a banana peel and wrapped and tied with string. It´s normal to make at least one hundred of these things. To warm them up, they are boiled.

I do not like tamales. But for the Costa Ricans, it´s a central part of the holiday fare. I do like the family tradition. It´s a kick to watch someone then eat one and rate it. Of course everyone protests they can´t eat too many because of the pound of pork or cow lard used in the making.

I am not sure many would like meat pie unless they grew up with. It´s not much different than tamales or potato pancakes or blessed goat meat: it´s the family togetherness that counts. And maybe there´s something to this boiled thing….