Continuing Education??? part 2

OK,  so a quick review on the last post and if you have not read it yet,  I suggest you do so before continuing with this read.  *click here*  I was invited to tag along with some students and faculty from the agronomy department of a couple of community colleges in northeast Iowa who are visiting Goiania.  I of course said yes and had a wonderful day as we toured the Federal University of Brazil's Ag department and a rice research center here in Goiania before we explored the the central market and a little of the city.  At the end of the day they invited me to join them for dinner and a "foteball" game and that is where we left of on the last post.

Since the time was short in between our arrival and departure at the hotel, I decided to hang out  instead of heading home.  One of the college professors (Dan) and I decided to take a quick walk to kill the hour so we headed south on the Avenida Republica Do Libano with it enormous palm trees down the middle.  The sun was hot but fortunately there is a lot of shade on our journey today.  Dan is a horticulturalist and since I used to work with plants for an interior plantscape company,  we talked quite a bit about plants and flowers.  We are both amazed at the plants that grow here that we use for indoor plants back in the USA.  It is amazing to see just how large they get here in their natural habitat.  Trees like ficus, lyrata, and rubber plants just to name a few.  And the flowers,  yes the flowers,  the kind that grow wild here like orchids and ginger or the many varieties we have never seen below.  I think he was impressed with how much I knew about plant material and I truly enjoyed talking with someone who appreciated it on a different level.  Our walk takes us to the Parque Aim Tamandare a few blocks away.  The group had gone to the sun moon fair here a couple nights ago so we talked about that a bit and just how different the square was during the day.  I point out a few of the well known places that line the park.  When we get to the far side of the park he asks about all the guys laying in wait with buckets and rags.  I explain they are waiting for the next  dirty car to pull in for a true hand car wash. Goiania provides water to these entrepreneurs who set up shop to make money.  This is a service provided in several parks throughout the city.  It is a nice afternoon and there are so many trees and flowers to show, but time runs out and soon we head back to the hotel.

Everyone loads onto the bus for the evenings activities with first stop being dinner.  After a short ride we pull into a McDonalds parking lot.  This is a little bit of a let down for me as I thought the plan was to eat at Flamboyant Mall and if you know me you know how little I like McDonalds.  But I am a guest this evening and we are probably saving time by eating here. The leaders of the group head to the mall next door to purchase tickets for a future days activity.  They leave Maria (another new Brazilian friend) and myself to help the students get their dinner ordered.  Well,  Maria started helping them out as they all formed a single line at one of the cashiers. When the last customer in the other line ordered I decided to break away and help one of

the students order  but a McDonalds employee tried to herd us back into line until I explained to her I spoke a little Portuguese.  She let us continue to the cashier with no line and soon I was assisting more students with their orders.  It was really easy enough as many of the items are in English like chicken bacon or bacon cheese.  The students only needed help if they didn't want something like tomatoes or onions on their sandwich.  Thanks to my experience ordering at Subway close to home,  I had all the sandwich terms down pat.  They also welcomed my help in dealing with the Brazilian money exchange.   After everyone was finished I ordered my big mac and sat down to eat with the Maria and Dan.
The stadium is only a few blocks away and soon the bus arrives and we all exit.  It is a fairly cool evening and by this time it is pretty dark.  The other foteball game I attended was an afternoon game so I am curious about this experience.  Several of the students purchase jerseys for the local Goias team and then we head into the stadium and find our seats.  The group sits on the family friendly side which will be an interesting difference as well.   The seats in the stadium begin to fill until about 1/3 are full.   The crowd on the other side begin their usual jumping and chanting.  Tonight Goias is playing Anapolis in a regular season game.

As we sit waiting for the game to start I realize I know little about this team getting my support for the second time so I must find out a little about them.  This team Goias, of Emerald and white is one of the largest foteball clubs in west-central Brazil.  It was formed in 1943 and has a long history with the city of Goiania.  Its accomplishments include taking first place in series B in 1999 and 2014 as well as 23 state and 3 regional championships over the years.   They play most of their home games in a smaller stadium which accommodates around 10,000 fans but tonight like the previous game I went to watch them play is at Estadio Serra Dourada Stadium which can seat five times the number of fans.  (thanks wiki)

Well this brings us back to this evening and the game is played in front of a fairly small crowd. The rowdy section across the way is still loud and don't stop jumping around for at least the first half.  I have to admit I find myself wishing I was over there with them as it was such a different experience.  You feel the passion of Brazilian foteball.  For tonight I will have to be satisfied with the excitement generated as Goias is awarded a penalty kick and scores a goal.  Pretty cool as this is my first experience of Goias scoring and it is followed by two more goals in the second half as Goias wins 3 to 0.  The clock winds down and the referee signals the end of the game.  It is time to head back to the bus and say goodnight for the evening.  As we travel back to the hotel where my ride home awaits I am invited to join the group the rest of the week.  We will have to see how that all plays out.

LINK TO FIRST FOTEBALL SCORE!! 

Taste of Brazil - Teasers (little bites) IV

Every winter (which is June in Brazil) in the small town of Goias they have a film festival. Well this year we headed there for a concert on Sunday night (the last evening of the festival).  After we spent some time fighting the crowds and enjoying the music we headed to the little court yard in the center of town where vendors were set up selling a variety of foods,  hand crafted goods, and tie dyed clothing.  Of course one of the food booths caught my eye as I had not seen the likes of it before.  They were serving a dish called Acaraja da Dinda.  A typical street food originating from African slaves and popularized in Salvador, Bahia and northeastern Brazil.  I had to give it a try...

Acaraje is made from black-eyed peas which are formed into balls and then deep fried in palm oil.  How can you go wrong with frying in palm oil - right?   In the state of Bahia the vendor who are found making this regionally known cuisine are called "Baianas".  Mostly women  who are garbed in all white cotton dresses, a headscarf and cap.   The chef this evening is not your traditional Baianas.  She is dressed like everyone one else at the festival and would not stick out in a crowd.  I watch as she drops the ball of dough into the hot grease and wait. (she advises me that I must try a fresh one and thus a small wait is in order) A few minute later the dough is now brown and ready to be removed from the hot oil.  The Baianas wraps it in paper,  splits it open and stuffs it with caruru which is a mixture of shrimp, ground cashew, green tomatoes, red tomatoes, ocra, onion, palm oil and spices.  I am warned that this caruru  is known to be a little on the spicy side and anyone who know me,  knows that I grew up in Iowa and there was not a lot of  foods seasoned with hot peppers at our family table.  I am learning to enjoy the spicy side of food so I ventured a bite after being reassured by our chef that hers are not as fiery.  Of course anything deep fat fried has to have some flavor value and although the spice was good and not too hot,  I could not personally get past the little shrimps with their shells still on.   Besides this texture issues,  the flavors were good and I look forward to trying it again in Bahia  where they are infamous! 

Recipe for Acaraje at "Flavors of Brazil"

Brasilia! Part 2

Brasilia is definitely a city full of politics, people and passion.  Everywhere you look there is wonderful architecture surrounded by interesting vegetation and it is all full of life like the Brazilian people.  This post will be a mixture of my most recent visit and my first visit to the capital city of Brasilia.  I visited some of the main tourist areas in 2010 so they did not get revisited today but I feel they must still be include in my blog.

As I mentioned in part 1 - Brasilia is a planned city located in the middle of the country on the central highlands of Brazil.  It has a subtropical climate so there is a long dry season followed by months of heavy rain.  I only state this as my visit now is during the dry season and in 2010 it was during the rainy season so I believe you will notice the vast difference in the photos included.  In "Brasilia Part 1" I compared the central part of the city to Washington DC with a large

grassy green space running down the middle of lanes of traffic moving vehicles in both directions.    This grassy area (the Eixo Monumental) is where I will start my adventure and our first stop in 2010 was the National Cathedral.  Designed by Oscar Niemeyer,  it is truly a wonderful structure with large white columns curving as they open towards heaven.  The cathedral has seen limited use since its completion in 1970 due to poor acoustics and a ventilation system that does not offset the natural heat produced by the sun.   Recently renovations have been underway to fix these flaws and allow it to function in accordance with its grandeur. 

When we visited in 2010 these renovations were underway as construction trailers surrounded the base of the building and we had to park the car on a make shift grass lot a short distance away.  The beautiful white house of worship lacks curb appeal as the front lawn consists of six foot wide slabs of cement with one foot strips of grass separating each slab.  I would expect something different in a city so rich with green space. We exited the car and as we approached the cathedral we were greeted by four statues.  On one side stood three statues representing the synoptics, Matthew, Mark, and Luke while the stature of John stands alone facing them on the other side.  They were like soldiers with spiritual weapons guarding the front of the religious palace.  After passing them,  we continue down into the dimly lit tunnel entrance almost like going into a culvert or man made cave.

Approximately fifteen feet into the tunnel my ears perked up as I began to hear angelical music and soon my eyes were treated to glorious light.  It was the stunning sanctuary where the local congregation was singing homilies during a traditional Catholic Mass.   Above the alter in the middle of the congregation, three angles floated in the natural blue sky and white clouds from outside.  This transparent natural beauty was accented by waves of blue and green stain glass all bringing your eyes to the alter and crucifix.  I remember, standing there in awe of the beauty complimented by the sounds of the wonderful singing.  How majestic and inspiring it was and I wanted to stay a little longer but the time to leave came and we quietly exited to continue our journey.

We traveled down the "Eixo Monumental" to the northwest end which is called the Praca dos Tres Poderes (Three Powers Square).  This large concrete square is where the three highest authorities in the country can be found -  - Presidential Palace, Supreme Court and right  across the street is the National Congress.   Let's start our journey with these three buildings.  Each of the buildings were designed by Oscar Niemyer and symbolize the future of Brazil.  The "Palacio do Planalto" (Presidential Palace) is where the President of Brazil and many other major

Palacio do Planalto 

governmental officials have offices and work from.  A large reflecting pool zig zags along the front of the building.  In the middle a ramp connects the square and the front door of the Palace.  This entrance is only used on special occasions or when the president addresses the citizens of Brazil.  Members of the Presidential Guard Battalion and 1st Guards Cavalry of the Brazilian Army take turns standing guard at the entrance.  I

Presidential Guard Battlaion
Guarding the Palacio do Planalto

understand tours are available but not offered today so another "must come back to see" added to the list.  The architecture is very simple and modern using fine lines and waves to create columns along the exterior of the building brushing up against the reflecting pools.  The buildings architecture is very similar to that of the Palacio da Alvorada, where the President and his family lives.  The Palacio da Alvorada lies on a peninsula at the edge of Lake Paranoa a few miles away which we will journey to later on this visit.

The Supreme Court Building

Back to the square and our next building the Supreme Court which houses the highest court of the country.  This building was designed by Mr. Niemeyer as well and has the same glass surrounded by white curved concrete columns and lies adjacent to the Palace.   There is not a whole lot more to say about this building as it blends with the rest and probably has less significance then the other things on the square.  I did find the large parking area in front a little distracting to the details of the architecture.

 The final building considered part of the square is the National Congress and it actually lies across the avenue in the Eixo Monumental.  Another wonderful design by Oscar Niemeyer,  it consists of a semi-sphere opening to the earth and a semi-sphere opening to the sky with two vertical office buildings towering in unison dividing them.  These buildings as well as several others around the edge of the eixo monumental house the Congressional offices of Brazil.  All the office are connected to the two main towers by tunnels under the city.  Brazil's Congress consists of the Senate

(the upper house) and the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house). On the opposite side of the building lies another great reflection pool and the large lawn.  When I read a little about their politics,  I found it interesting that there are 27 political parties in Brazil.  In 2010, 22 of them were able to elect at least one representative in the Chamber, while fifteen of them were able to elect at least one in the Senate.  Much different then the 2 political party system found in the United States (thanks again Wikipedia)

View of Palacio do Planalto
from the square

To talk a little about The Praca does Tres Poderes is to talk about Brazil's commitment to democracy and freedom after years of military rule.  Besides these three powerhouse buildings, the square is full of unique sculptures celebrating Brazilian artists.  Many of which were inspired by this theme with literal and abstract reference to doves, traditionally a symbol of peace and democracy.  Before I continue discussing what other finds are located on the square, I want to share my first impressions of it.  Like a lot of Brasilia's main attractions, the use of concrete seems overbearing to me.  I know it is a medium that Oscar Niemeyer uses quite often but a nice green lawn in front of the cathedral would be more inviting then the vast slabs of concrete.  The "Praca does Tres Poderes"  has no grass and the concrete radiates heat in the south of the equator sun.  It is just not very welcoming to me without some vegetation.

City Museum  in the middle - designed in the shape of a dove
on the right you see the "Dovecote" 

 For a city with a huge rectangular lawn down the middle in a country with such a diversity of plant life,  it seems like these areas would be filled with more natural beauty and not just concrete.  OK, just my first impression and now back to the square.  Tourist can visit the large glass and concrete visitors center which is filled with tourist information about the country.  There is a large tower designed my Mr. Niemeyer referred to as "Dovecote".   The tower is filled with holes to house doves which were an important part of western European history and as stated above the dove is a symbol of peace.  Today it is more referred to as "The Pigeons Towers" as they have  moved into the holes designed for the doves.  As you move along the square towards the Supreme Court building there is a sculpture called "Justice" by Alfredo Ceschiatti.   A women sitting blind folded in a chair with something in her lap.  I

honestly did not get close enough to give more details then this so I encourage you to share with me more about this beautiful piece of history or go and visit it yourself.   Several museums find their home on the square as well as a monument in honor of politician Israel Pinheiro and the UNESCO monument honoring accomplishments of the city.  My favorite monument is two bronze statues of abstract figures named Os Condangos.     This monument represents the pioneering spirit of those who built Brasilia and for me it is simply grand and a great place to stop for this post.  Brasilia has a lot more to see so I will continue with Part 3 soon.  Until then feel free to leave a comment or go and read some of my other entries.

Go back and read Brasilia Part 1 by clicking here. 

Historic Museum of Brasilia 

The Brazilian Flag that flies in the Eixo Monumental
One of the worlds largest continuous flying flags

Brazil National Congress Building 

One of the three synoptics statue -
National Cathedral

Part of Historic Museum of Brazil 

Brasilia! Part I

As many of my post start out it was a sunny morning with just a few white puffy marsh mellow clouds in the sky.  On several of my trips to Brazil, I have either caught a connecting flight in Brasilia or due to less expensive airfare it has been where stop I flying and find other ways to travel the remaining distance to Goiania.  The times when it has been my stopping point, we have met up with Lucia (Luiz's friend) who is from Brasilia. She has graciously given us a ride to the local bus station for the next leg of our journey.  Every time she has given us a ride,  she has asked us when we are going to return for a behind the scenes tour of the city and we have decided that today is the day.  Our friend Markos is with us and will act as our GPS, at least until we meet up with Lucia as he has spent some time in

Brasilia and knows his basic way around.  We head out of Goiania as the sun begins to shine on the vacant construction buildings this Saturday morning.  (Vacant only because no one is working Saturday morning)  It is a nice drive through the "cerrado" (a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil, particularly in the states of Goiás and Minas Gerais) with not a sign of rain.  The trip goes quickly with only a couple of stops; a quick stop for coffee of course and the second at a little hammock store along the roadside.  I have decided hammocks make great gifts for family and friends and when I spot a little store selling them, I insist we stop.  How can I go wrong with a gift that encourages you to take a nap and enjoy the outdoors all at the same time.  I second guess my request as we step out of the car and the odor of fish consumes us, but soon I notice there is a bait shop in the back of the store which makes it ok and I continue  looking around.  The

price is right and I purchase a couple hammocks for my next journey stateside.  The rest of the journey through the countryside goes quickly and soon we are maneuvering the streets of Brasilia.  I notice right away that the city is not as green as my previous visit (in 2010).  Everything is brown and dusty as it is the dry season and there has been no rain for two to three months. We have chosen the international airport to meet up with Lucia as we know there is plenty of parking,  we know where it is, and the limited signs all direct us to that one location.  We locate it quite easily and soon the phone rings.  It is Lucia calling to let us know she is nearing the airport.  We jump into her car and off we head to see the city .

Brasilia, well as you may know it is Brazil's Capital and the fourth largest city in the country with over 2,500,000 people living there.  It is an example of modern urban planning and even though it is a new city (built 1956-1960),  the dreams of a centrally located capital date back to 1827 when Jose Bonifacio, an adviser to Emperior Pedro I conceived the idea of a new capital city with a more central location.  He proposed moving it away from the heavily populated eastern coast and Rio de Janiero in order to create more equally represented government.  The concept  was not actually realized until President Juscelino Kubitschek ordered the construction of Brasilia to fulfill an article of Brazil's first republican constitution of 1891.  President Kubitschek began the move by awarding the main urban planning contract to Lucio Costa by way of a contest with over 5550 people competing for the opportunity.  The building began in 1956 under Lucio's direction with a majority of the public building design being overseen by world renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer.  Amazingly,  the core of Brasilia was built in just 41 months and in 1960 the city was officially inaugurated as the new capital of Brazil.  Today the city is home to most of the countries governmental offices.   (thanks wikipedia)

Well -enough about Brasilia's history,  let's get back to our journey today and after a short drive around,  Lucia takes us to a famous local restaurant located in one of the cities many parks.  We fortunately find a parking spot close and soon are under the thatched roof of the little establishment enjoying the shade and cool breeze. It is not long before the waiter brings out rice, beans, yuca, beef, collard greens, and a tomato salad all served family style.  Let's not forget the Guarana - a Brazilian soda with a refreshing exotic flavor.  It is a great traditional meal and gives Lucia time to catch up with Markos and Luiz. I spend the time intensely listening for Portuguese words I  know and attempting to figure out what the are talking about.  Lucia's daughter has come along and knows a little English so I provide her with a little practice as well.
 (this will act as my Portuguese lesson for the day)

Soon lunch is over and we are back in the car heading to our first destination the "Eixo Monumental" (Monumental Axis).  A large rectangular green space in the center of the city with eight lanes of traffic moving vehicles in opposite direction on each side.  Along this parkway is where most of the government buildings, museums, monuments, and other important structures to the cities vitality are located.  This vast sea of grass is anchored on the northwest end by the countries Supreme Court building, Congressional building, and Presidential Palace (where the president and other key officials perform their daily work).  The area reminds me some of the "the mall" area in Washington DC.

 Our journey today will start at the opposite end of the "Eixo Monumental" where there is a historical area dedicated to the founder of Brasilia Juscelino Kubitschek (JK).  It is a wonderful sculpture and museum designed by his friend Oscar Niemeyer.   The museum has artifacts of Kubitschek's life and is where he and his wife's remains lay entombed. We decide to pass on visiting the museum on this visit and I add it to my must see later list.  We do take time to investigate some great sculptures laying on the lawn in front of the monument.  These great metal spheres created with human figure cut outs and painted a variety of colors are set poised on the grassy area ready to begin their roll but 

no rolling is allowed.  It is easy to see how Mr. Niemeyer could be seen as a great visionary for the country of Brazil.  After about twenty minutes it is time to see more so back in the car for a short drive in the afternoon heat.  It is quite warm outside and shortly after getting into the car we find a great parking spot in some shade close to a wonderful garden of flowers in full bloom.  A color oasis of sorts in the middle of a brown dry plain.  With cameras fully charged and ready to shoot we leave the car in the cool shade to await our return.

Huge trees surrounding a field of red, pink and white flowers flowing endlessly as water shoots from the fountains into the blue sky.  It is a perfect place to sit and let our food digest and relax a little while.  I take in the sounds and smells of the garden and of course take a few photos.  Soon it is time to head on our way again.

Our next destination is the television tower in the center of the Eixo Monumental.  The tower is known for its observation deck with wonderful views of the city.  In 2010 we toured some of the main tourist areas of Brasilia and  this was one of our stops.  At that time there were vendor shacks lining the sidewalk between the parking area and the tower.  Today there is a newly constructed open air flee market to house these

vendors and their trinkets in preparation for the 2014 World Cup.  It is a short distance from the tower but it surely gives the tourist attraction a different feel.    We walk along the empty sidewalks and turn the corner, only to find the area fenced off.  To our slight disappointment,  they are in the middle of renovating the observation platform and it is currently closed to visitors.  I am OK with this as I was able to enjoy the views during my 2010 visit but Markos has never had that experience. The closed attraction does allow me to notice something at the foot of the tower.  I get a faint sound of music

being piped in and upon further investigation I notice the huge pond of water at the base of the small incline.  The pond has a blast of water shooting from the center some twenty plus feet into the blue

sky. Around the edges of the pond, smaller sprays and gurgles of water begin to dance in unison to the music.  What a wonderful show to watch and I soon find out this water feature is called the fonte da torre de tv (fountain of the television tower).  We stay a little while enjoying the Brazilian music and dancing waters.  I understand they have nightly shows which include light displays so I have added the fonte da torre de tv to my must return and see list.   As we begin walking away back to the car, I begin to wonder how I could have missed this on my last visit.  Maybe it wasn't on?  Maybe I just overlooked it?  Anyway,  I am kind of glad the tower is closed today so I did not miss it this time and was able to enjoy this beautiful aquatic display.

(link to video of fountain)

Well, this seems like a good place to pause in our adventure.  Don't worry it will be continued shortly.  Hope you have enjoyed it this far ...

JK Museum 

more of the beautiful fountains 

view from the tv towers observation platform - financial district

another view - hotel district 

yet another view - notice the newly constructed flee market below

view of construction for the new soccer stadium. 

view down the eixo monumental - see the fountain below
it was not working on my 2010 visit! 

Taste of Brazil - Whether it looks good or not -- Eat it! part 2

"Whether it looks good or not --eat it" is all about showcasing all the different Brazilian food I am tasting.  It has been a while since my first post on the subject but I think I have some more great foods to share with you and tempt your taste buds with.  This time I will just list the foods as there has not been a food which would take over the first (Camarao na Moranga) or second (Feijoada) or even my third favorite (broa) spots from my previous post.

Again I will look for a recipe if I can find one and if you have a great recipe for a Brazilian food listed and want to share, leave a comment with an email address (I will not post the comment) and I will create a recipe page on my blog.  Hope you enjoy.

A) Pequi - This orange fruit has found its way into a second posting on my food about Brazil.  Since it is a regional fruit and found in the Goias region of Brazil (where I am).  I have to give it the respect and mention it deserves.  Pequi has a very strong distinct flavor that is thought by many locals and non locals to be an acquired taste.  It doesn't seem like many Brazilians from other parts of the country find the flavor favorable but to locals they crave it driving several blocks to find the local grocer who has the fresh harvest of the day.  The previous post I shared about it cooked with rice and chicken and today the recipe is just straight up boiled pequi.  I actually like the flavor even though not to the extent of craving it and pequi finds its way into this post for how it is ate more then the flavor it gives.  After the fruit is boiled,  the little round fruit is picked up with your fingers and the small layer of flesh (only about 1/8 of an inch thick) is nibbled off leaving the hard but penetrable pit.   When I ventured to eat my first pequi, I was severely warned not to nibble too deep and by all means do not bite down.  Why you ask?  Well, after eating the outer edge we proceeded to cut the pit open and the answer was easy to see.  Lots of small needle like thorns laying in wait inside the core for anyone attempting to eat a little too much of the fruit and threatening the seed. These spines would not be a pleasant experience to your gums so my advice is to follow the direction of my friends.  I have read that you can dry the pits with spines and then open them up and eat the seed or roast the seeds.  Maybe someday I will be posting about that experience as well.

B) German Food - OK this is not necessarily something I would traditionally put on the Taste of Brazil post but I have to recognize a little known fact about Brazil.  Just like the United States,  many Europeans migrated here to escape persecution and the influence of those settlers is still seen today in corners of its cities and towns.  In Goiania we have found a wonderful German Restaurant "Natur Bier Haus Restaurant" that does an excellent job of mixing the flavors of Brazil with those of Germany.  Most of the ethnic food I have had in
Brazil,  seems to have lost the flavors that I would associate with its ethnicity for more flavors along the lines of Brazilian beans and rice.  This restaurant serves the most ethnically true food I have tasted here except of course for the Brazilian food. Cabbage, sauerkraut,  smoked pork loin, German potatoes and of course many different styles of sausage. Oh, and one cannot forget the good beer if you are talking German food can you.  The service is good and the buffet is all you can eat - not by weight like most places in Brazil.  I am not saying I eat a lot when it is our choice for food,  I just seem a little more adventurous when the food is not paid for by weight.  If you find yourself hungry and in Goiania,  you should check it out.

(link to website) 

C ) Kibe - Kibej - Kebbeh - or Quibe - This confused dish, well only confused by the different variations of its name and then by the different ways it can be cooked is another dish fixed for me by Chef Ana Maria and it sure made a great impression.  That girl has got skills!  Traditionally it is balls of spiced ground meat either lamb or beef mixed with bulgar wheat (cracked, parboiled and dried  wheat / very Middle Eastern) and then the balls are stuffed with a little cheese and some more ground meat.
The meat can then be fried, baked, or served raw.  I have tried it all three ways and to my surprise I like the baked (which is the best for you calorie wise) version the best or maybe it is just Ana Maria's tender loving care.  If you ever have the chance this Arab-Brazilian creation is definitely one that will tease your taste buds.
(click here to try recipe - for the fried kind)

D) Peixe a Cubana - This delicious dish made for me by my sweet dear Ana Maria was simply wonderful and could definitely make a run for one of my top three favorite dishes here in Brazil.  This dish is traditionally a Cuban recipe and Brazilians have added their own flavors.   Made with bananas, cod, cheese and lots of cream.  When she advised me there were bananas in the fish dish,  I have to admit I was skeptical and not sure about this one.  But as the title of this blog states - "whether it looks good or not - eat it" - and this actually looked good, it just did not sound appealing.  I tell you,  once those flavors hit my taste buds it was a home run of home cooked flavors.  May I say it again? DELICIOUS!   I searched the internet but could not find a recipe anywhere - I guess I will have to ask Ana Maria for it and post it later.  I think it is a dish that everyone should try at least once in their lives since I would never put banana and fish together, but then again Brazilians love banana on pizza.

E) Spaghetti Bar - This entry makes it in because of its originality and not for anything else.  At several of the local malls there are fast food restaurants that specialize in pasta.  Not like the pasta buffets found in the United States,  these are attended by a cook who loads your pasta choice into a small kettle of boiling water as she begins to add ingredients of your choice into a sauce pan to create the sauce.  The ingredients seem endless with cheeses, onion, ham, peppers, egg, heart of palm, tomatoes, spices, all possibilities just to name a few.  After you have breezed through all the possible options,  she strains the noodles and stirs the sauce and pasta together over a low flame.  Pouring it onto a plate it become a simple but wonderful meal which is quick and always fresh. I will have to think and watch when I am back stateside if I have ever had an experience like this. 

A) QG Meal - OK - how can I talk about food in Brazil without talking about at least one of the fast food franchises that call this country home.  Yes,  QG is a fast food restaurant that from what I can tell dreams of being McDonald's someday with burgers and fries being the main attraction.  I do find it refreshing that on all the local chain restaurant's menus,  there seems to be a traditional meal with beans, rice and meat. In this case it was chicken and although the wait was a little longer then I would expect at a "fast" food restaurant, it was fresh and the flavors were spot on.  There were actually spice on the meet and so it exceeded my expectations. 

Read Part 1 - click here!

German Restaurant 

German Restaurant