Friday, February 26, 2010

Special Edition: Brazil!

I'm off to Brazil today, and am not returning until the 21st of March. Needless to say, I won't be doing a lot of cooking there, but I WILL be eating!
What do they eat in Brazil, you ask?
Feijoada! This is described by Wikipedia (I love that Wikipedia has become my source of all this food knowledge...) as a black bean and meat stew that is popular at a meal on Wednesdays and Sundays. I am sure I'll be eating this, but can't guarantee that it will be on a Wednesday or a Sunday. I'll report back. I'm not sure I'll end up cooking this dish, as I'm not much of a meat-eater, but I'll definitely give it a try.
What else do Brazilians eat? Coxhina, which is a chicken croquette shaped like a chicken thigh. It looks appealing. I believe salgadinhos, which are like tapas-type snacks, are pretty popular, and sold on the streets. I LOVE street food, so that sounds fun!
But the more important question is... what do Brazilians DRINK!?
Caipirinhas! This is the national cocktail, made with an alcohol made from distilled sugarcane, called cachaca, mixed with limes and sugar. I've had them before, but obviously not in Brazil, so I'm looking forward to trying them there.

Lest you think I am going to Brazil merely to try the food and drink, I should explain more... I'm taking a class at the Yale School of Management and working with a group of MBA students as a consultant for a social enterprise business in Sao Paulo. The best part? The organization is called Gastromotiva, and they train young adults from the favelas (the slums) in gastronomy, catering, and business management skills. I'm sure I'll learn a lot while I'm there, and also have a chance to try a lot of local food in the process!
When I return, I'll be sure to post some pictures of my meals there, and then continue on in my International Cooking Challenge. (Our pasta maker arrived yesterday!! I can't wait to make homemade spaghetti!!)

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