I have with me that the best way to be "introduced" to a new culture is through the local food. What's on your plate is a reflection of people’s day-by-day and the history of the place.
Who has not done much research, is startled to find great bakeries in Calangute, a village in the state ofGoa , India Sao Paulo , Brazil Italy Singapore Southeast Asia which had the "lowest temperature in its history in 1934, 19.4 degrees Celsius! The people there love it cold! Everything on ice! For Brazilians who hate to drink it diluted with melted ice, it is just annoying!
Another reason for food to be my elected in the item “world exploration” is very simple: I love eating! And cooking too, if the whole day and great mastery is not required. I have passed every year of my life trying all sorts of food that have a chance and cooking quite a few years, especially this year.
A few weeks ago, I made a list of major Brazilian dishes I've ever experienced and I swore to cook them one by one. To kill the homesickness, to improve my knowledge on cooking and, of course, eating! Well, the list does not represent the whole country, of course, I still have much to learn about our traditional cuisine. But, it will keep me busy for a few months ... My intention is to share with you my experiences along the "journey".
For today, I will tell you that, last weekend, I did a barbecue with some friends - two Brazilians and six others of various nationalities - and I was glad to see the appreciation of two English girls about our beloved “maionese” (cold salad with boiled potatoes and other vegetables and, of course, mayonnaise) and a Filipino friend who was delighted with the papaya cream with cassis liqueur (here, I used cassis syrup because I did not find the liquor !). The “farofa” with breadcrumbs (didn’t find flaked corn flour, neither cassava flour) was requested by one of the Brazilians! The gringos looked askance at the plate with that flaky toasted flour, but ultimately surrendered to the flavor of fried bacon and fried banana with onion.
I have repeated these three recipes often lately. What? Simple? Yes, I agree that those recipes are simple, but when you’re cooking veeeeery far from where the recipes originated, it becomes more difficult to "get the right balance". So I've been experimenting with different types of potatoes and vanilla ice cream brands, as well as several recipes for the “farofa” (with or without olives, with bacon or with sausage etc etc). This is a factor that complicates and challenges the foreign cook, but at the same time makes it more fun because one is forced to use creativity to cope with the lack of this or that ingredient! :-)
A Brazilian girl speaking of “knowing the world” through a plate of Brazilian food?! It makes no sense!! Ah, it does if the dish is shared with people from other parts of the world! ;-)
Who has not done much research, is startled to find great bakeries in Calangute, a village in the state of
Another reason for food to be my elected in the item “world exploration” is very simple: I love eating! And cooking too, if the whole day and great mastery is not required. I have passed every year of my life trying all sorts of food that have a chance and cooking quite a few years, especially this year.
A few weeks ago, I made a list of major Brazilian dishes I've ever experienced and I swore to cook them one by one. To kill the homesickness, to improve my knowledge on cooking and, of course, eating! Well, the list does not represent the whole country, of course, I still have much to learn about our traditional cuisine. But, it will keep me busy for a few months ... My intention is to share with you my experiences along the "journey".
For today, I will tell you that, last weekend, I did a barbecue with some friends - two Brazilians and six others of various nationalities - and I was glad to see the appreciation of two English girls about our beloved “maionese” (cold salad with boiled potatoes and other vegetables and, of course, mayonnaise) and a Filipino friend who was delighted with the papaya cream with cassis liqueur (here, I used cassis syrup because I did not find the liquor !). The “farofa” with breadcrumbs (didn’t find flaked corn flour, neither cassava flour) was requested by one of the Brazilians! The gringos looked askance at the plate with that flaky toasted flour, but ultimately surrendered to the flavor of fried bacon and fried banana with onion.
I have repeated these three recipes often lately. What? Simple? Yes, I agree that those recipes are simple, but when you’re cooking veeeeery far from where the recipes originated, it becomes more difficult to "get the right balance". So I've been experimenting with different types of potatoes and vanilla ice cream brands, as well as several recipes for the “farofa” (with or without olives, with bacon or with sausage etc etc). This is a factor that complicates and challenges the foreign cook, but at the same time makes it more fun because one is forced to use creativity to cope with the lack of this or that ingredient! :-)
A Brazilian girl speaking of “knowing the world” through a plate of Brazilian food?! It makes no sense!! Ah, it does if the dish is shared with people from other parts of the world! ;-)
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