Guaro leads the list of traditional alcoholic drinks in Costa Rica. But because it was once the province of the poor drinker, it has a reputation of being the "rot gut" of this country. Though that is changing, it still remains so in some ways and honestly the quality can be a bit spotty if not chosen well. Which explains why so many consider it a crude spirit and most tourists pass the stuff right by. But that's why they are tourists and we are travelers...

When I came here I knew I was going to seek out guaro. I have met people who have come home from Costa Rica raving about the stuff. But before you run out to the liqueur store you should know that guaro is also generic term for rum, so there is some confusion between actual guaro and rum. Like rum guaro is distilled from pressed sugar cane. The taste and quality varies in different parts of Latin America, but in Costa Rica the Cacique label is making a very refined guaro, distilled and filtered using only quality ingredients.

To avoid having a bad experience with 70-proof guaro, it's important to know something about it. It is potent enough, sure. It is also clear liquid with a very mild flavor, it most reminds me of vodka. Still, despite its mild flavor you do not drink it straight like tequila.

In Costa Rica guaro-based mixed drinks usually consist of pouring a shot or two into a glass with ice and pouring Fresca over it. Which has its appeal I have to admit. It also mixes nicely with other tangy citrusy soft drinks and fruit juices. This is the Tico way to enjoy this drink.

But I decided to make my first experience of it as a substitute for vodka in a slightly tropical version of a Bloody Mary.

I am in the middle of a weeklong tribute to the recipes of my mother. I am lucky to have so many of her recipes compiled into a cookbook my brother put together after she passed away in 1993, long before her time.

Up until today I chose recipes from this collection that were familiar to me. Foods strongly attached to the woman I knew as mom and the food she provided my childhood tummy. Some comfort foods from my past, or dishes that I find endearing because they highlight some aspect of my mother's quirky attributes, or maybe just plain old childhood favorites.

But my mother knew a heck of a lot more about food than merely being the person who filled the bellies of three ungrateful eaters night after night. She was well read and had a sophisticated palate. So, until today none of the recipes I have presented really spoke to my mother's great love of exciting flavors. She was at the front end of American housewives branching out into classical French cooking styles at home. My mother had strong attachments to culinary cities like San Francisco and New Orleans. I remember my parents traveling to these cities and I remember my mother coming home and talking about the food.