Brazil - Barbecue, fish and fruit

........Prawns, meats, fish all grilled on skewers, right there in front of us. Smoky, charred and savoury with spices and marinades. The snacks that we usually ordered were all deep fried. Small pasty like savouries with a variety of fillings like cheese, ground beef or prawn, cheese balls made with yuca flour. Whole small fish grilled and eaten in their entirety were also popular, as was Moqueca, a coconut based stew with fish. In Salvador, we were warned about the oil, dende, which is infamous enough to upset even people who have lived their whole life in Brazil. It's negative effects on the body are legendary, although I think I could taste some in a paella I ordered, with no sickness following. 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Most desserts in Brazil centre around the sweet and strong dulce de leche, condensed milk, which lends a sweetness to cakes and pastries and the famous brigadiero sweets, like chocolate or coconut truffles. Also impressive were the sweet trolleys rolled around to your table at the end of a meal and sporting such delectable desserts as creme brulee, creme caramel and cheesecakes. This would usually be followed by the aperitif and liqueur trolley, making it a  particularly indulgent ending to the meal.

Ouro Preto, Brazil

But of course, in Brazil, it's all about the barbecue. On one of our first nights, our Brazilian friend took us to a restaurant where we ordered a piece of pork to be marinated, barbecued and served to us. A huge piece arrived for each of us on separate plates and we ate it, salivating and satisfied. "You know there's more to come right?" said our friend, and with that 2 more huge pieces each arrived! No salad, vegetables or rice, just meat, a carnivore's dream. We sat, with eyes like dinner plates, wondering how on earth we would get through so much meat. We managed.

Rio, Brazil

Going to a barbecue house there is an event. Some people spend all day eating, chatting and drinking. As soon as you sit down, the snacks and appetizers start coming. The fried savouries I mentioned earlier, seafood, bread. Then there is the buffet. Sushi, sashimi, whole giant prawns, salads, stews, casseroles, vegetable preparations and salads. You want to try everything but know that the meat is coming, you must make room. 

Rio, Brazil

Then, after you have picked, nibbled and grazed, you are given a card with a green "Si Por favor" or red "No Obrigado" on either side. If your card lies on the table on the green side, you will be offered everything the barbecue men bring. Steak fillet, steak with Parmesan cheese. Pork loin, pork shoulder. Lamb chops, lamb fillet. Chicken hearts. Sausages, veal, kebabs, anything and everything will come your way, not to mention the giant dishes of paella and Feijoada to accompany. When you feel full, (very quickly), you can turn over your card to the red side and not be offered anything until you are ready to go green again. But, of course, if you want, you can just continue eating from the buffet and wait for dessert.

Angra, Brazil

 Angra, Rio State, Brazil. A French restaurant where I tried frog legs for the first time. Tasted like frog's legs.  Another restaurant had a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner with enough food and variety to make your eyes water.

Angra, Brazil

Angra, Brazil

On one of our last days, we hired a boat and driver and visited all the small islands around Angra. We stopped for lunch and were visited by a 'restaurant boat', complete with menu for food and drinks. After placing our orders, they went away to prepare everything on the boat, kitted out with a charcoal grill and deep fat fryer and then returned to deliver it to us. As you can see from the photo, this wasn't a Coke and sandwich kind of place, this was the real deal, albeit while floating.