Rich, creamy and rare

IF THE avocado has an original terroir or habitat, Costa Rica can’t be far from it. About 500 years ago, when Spanish explorers penetrated the Mesoamerican forest, they found people eating a tasty, nutritious fruit with lime-green flesh which looked quite unlike any edible plant they had ever seen. In due course its cultivation proved a stellar success in places from Florida to Israel to New Zealand. It became a feature of Australian beach-parties and London dinners.

Why then are people in Costa Rica moaning that they can’t get enough of this lovely food, or at least not at the right price or quality? “Steak is now cheaper than avocado!” fumes a tweet from a Tico, as the country’s people are called.