Success!! - Our own bacon

Spoiler alert - the bacon turned out very well.  Salty, smoky and fried up nice and crispy.  We were all pleased, relieved and a bit surprised that the process was easy and straight-forward with a predictable, positive result.

 Yesterday afternoon I removed the pork belly from the ziploc bags and rinsed under cold, running water and then patted dry with paper towels.  You can see the cured pork belly in the photo on the left.

 The Primo Grill was then set up for indirect smoking with a mixture of lump charcoal and hickory.  The smoker  temperature was set for ~200F - low and slow.  An instant read thermometer was inserted into the thickest piece.  ~155F was the target internal temperature.

A couple of cold drinks later (~2 hours) and the pork belly was at 155F and I removed from the smoker to cool.

I could not wait for the bacon to cool for the full hour as directed - too anxious.  You can see the result below as I sliced a few thin pieces to fry up and taste.  Overall, it's pretty cool.

A couple of notes for next time

• four days is plenty long for the salt cure in the refrigerator; I went closer to six and likely contributed to the salty taste
• I'll rinse with cold water more thoroughly
• other than that the process and cure mixture will remain the same.

Have a great weekend!!

Aaah bacon! An Ode to Pork

I've written on and off about the skills and knowledge of our ancestors.  How did they ever survive without a refrigerator?  A modern grocery store?  A cold 12-pack?  They raised their food, preserved and stored it for winter.  Their survival depended on it.  They also accomplished this seemingly herculean feat without modern chemistry of dyes, hormones, pesticides and preservatives. 

Part romance for simpler times and part curiosity has led me on my latest quest - curing/smoking my own bacon from a pork belly.  I ordered my pork belly from an organic farmer (Arnold Farms) at the Davenport Farmers Market about a month ago.  It was $5.75/lb and was nicely wrapped and prepackaged when I picked it up on Saturday morning.  This slab went about 8 pounds.

 I modified a recipe that I found in Men's Health Magazine of all places.  The cure recipe that I used:

2 1/2 cups of salt
1 1/2 cups of  brown sugar
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
3 tsp of allspice
2 tsp of coriander
1 tsp of red pepper flakes

I cut the pok belly into four pieces and then liberally coated all sides with the salt mixture.  The slabs were then placed into ziploc bags, air removed and sealed.  They will now sit in the refrigerator for a few days before smoking at the end of the week. 

I have no doubt that it will be delicious, edible and likely different than our store bought, pre-packaged bacon.  Time will tell.

Dog Days of Summer

It has been hot!!  Yes, it's summer in the midwest and we're used to the heat/humidity that comes with the season; but now it's abnormally hot ~105F - too hot.  What is your favorite drink  on a hot summer day?

In July, 2005 we were in Kansas City when the temperature reached 108F.  We walked into a brewpub for a drink.  When our waitress arrived at the table we talked about the heat and the need for a refreshing drink.  Which of their beers would she recommend for a summer scorcher?  She says that she has just the thing and will be right back.  She returned with two frosty mugs of (can't remember what she called it) beer mixed 50/50 with lemonade.  We politely said thanks and looked at each other with perplexed/quizzical yet polite expressions.  And lo' and behold it worked.  We both liked the drink for a summer scorcher.  It was not too sweet, not overly tart, still had the taste of beer and quenched our thirst. 

Since then we've made them several times when we're outdoors and the temperatures approach those of the sun.

Caveman Ribs You Can Be Proud Of

Cooking pork ribs is not something I do very well.  No matter what I've tried over the years they're just not as tender or tasty as ribs from a restaurant.  Doesn't seem to matter if they're babyback or spare ribs, dry rub versus mop, or sauce/no-sauce.  They've turned out dry and chewy, tough and sometimes burnt and charred on the outside.  The closest I've come to edible ribs are ones that I braised in the oven for two hours and then finished for ~10 minutes on the grill.  Yes, they were good but because I cooked them in the oven I just couldn't feel good about them.  A good friend of mine says that his best result comes from simmering his in apple juice and like me he feels like he cheated to get the end product.  Hells bells, we're men; we cook with fire; and ribs (the most primal of cuts) are not made to be cooked in a kitchen.  They're just not!

After 25 years of effort to fulfill my quest, and giving up several times along the way, I finally cooked ribs over smoldering wood and charcoal that rivaled ribs from a restaurant.  Yeehaw!!

A few things made this possible....

• the Primo Grill held the temperature steady and allowed me to smoke the ribs over indirect heat for just over four hours at ~230F
• Alton Brown and the Food Network.  This recipe worked very well.  I will adjust the dry rub for our palate next time around.  His tips on knowing when the ribs were done were most helpful.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/barbecue-st-louis-pork-ribs-recipe2/index.html

As much as enjoyed the ribs we also smoked a couple of pounds of chicken drumsticks at the same time.  Tossed them in a dry rub of paprika, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders and then 225F for 90 minutes (turned them half way through) and then into a roasting pan with smoky, spicy barbecue sauce.  Tracy and Josh enjoyed the drumsticks as much as the ribs.

Mistakes of a Primo Rookie

We purchased a Primo Grill for our outdoor kitchen area.  The promise of a wood-fired oven as well as a smoker for low and slow cooking of prime cuts of meat was just too enticing.  We chose the Primo over its more popular rival (The Big Green Egg) for a couple of reasons..

• The oval shape and cooking surface
• We like the dealer on the Illinois side of the Quad Cities - Corn Crib Nursery

For those not familiar, the Primo is a kamodo-style ceramic cooker.  It weighs ~200 pounds empty and burns lump charcoal - not briquets.  I was pleased when they offered to deliver the grill at no additional charge.

A few claims on the Primo Grills are worth noting...

• heats up in ~10 minutes
• Lighter fluid is not needed
• Holds temperature very steady
• Can reach temperatures of 550F or hotter
• Ideal for cooking low and slow - 225F

So how did it do against these claims?

Well the first night was as close to a cooking disaster as I've had in awhile.  I followed the instructions closely and I could not get the temperature above 350 even after an hour.  It was frustrating.  I had the vent holes fully open on the top and the bottom vent fully open and yet the temperature would not increase and certainly not in the 10 minutes that was claimed.  After about 90 minutes I got the temp to ~350 and said the heck with it and cooked the pizzas anyway.  Not bad pizza but the Primo Grill was a disappointment.  More research was needed.

Day #2 - much better results after I discovered my mistake.  The Primo Grill is great; the instruction manual is terrible and could be greatly improved for a much better user experience.
The issue was that the entire top vent can open; not just the vent holes.  Once I figured that out two things happened

• The grill came up to temperature, and
• It did it in ~10 minutes.  Problem solved.

Now for the next test, how would the Primo cooker do for the ultimate test of low and slow cooking of pork spare ribs?

It passed with flying colors.

Evolution of an Idea

I have a lot of ideas.  Mainly because my brain is constantly in motion while I multi-task with computer, iPad, television, radio, books and magazines.  Some of the ideas find their way into my journal but most are never put into action.  I’m still looking for that one big idea.  In any case, this is the story of one of my ideas becoming a reality; thanks in large part to my talented and lovely wife – Tracy.

Sometime in April I had the idea that I could build a wood-fired, brick oven in my backyard for authentic pizzas and artisanal breads.  The thought of real, wood-fired pizzas with a thin, crispy crust while not leaving the comfort of my home made me salivate.  This was the ticket.  I promptly turned to the internet and learned from others who built their own backyard ovens.  What did I learn?

·         I didn’t have the skills

·         I didn’t have a good location for the oven, and

·         It was a bit beyond my intended budget

No wood-fired pizza oven for me.

We continued to talk and discuss plans for a new gas grill and improvements to our deck off the rear of the house.  How about an outdoor kitchen?  We could extend one area of the deck and then add some cabinets, countertops and grill with a small table/bar area for entertaining.  Tracy agreed that this had promise.  We even sketched out our idea on the plane.  It was taking shape.

Somewhere in this process I learned of a kamodo-style ceramic oven; aka The Big Green Egg.  Hmmm, with one of these I could smoke meats low and slow for hours and use it as a wood-fired oven as well?

Once we returned home we continued to sketch and like most engineers, we drew up plans and then changed and changed some more.  The deck extension would not work.   I wanted it under roof to extend the season; the roof turned out to be impractical.  We wanted to build it from stone or brick; turned out to be very expensive plus our deck could not handle the extra weight.  In the end we are very pleased with the project.  This gives you an idea on how the finished project came together….

 A couple of key decisions we made can be seen in these two photos.

• Novik vinyl siding to simulate the look of stone.
• Wrought iron table top (wished we had went 54" diamter instead of 48")
• Umbrella and canopy instead of a structured roof
• Countertop of 12" x 12" granite tiles

Thanks Food Network!!

I was on the road this week and while the food was good, I can honestly say that nothing was really outstanding or memorable.  It was more about good company with colleagues and friends from work.  The best meal I had all week was the one that we cooked last Sunday.  It was simple.  It was quick. It was delicious.  And it would not have been possible without FoodNetwork.

In 1997 we subscribed to DishTV and were introduced to the FoodNetwork.  In those days it was almost all Emeril although on Saturday evening we laughed at Iron Chef dubbed in English.  Over the years we've watched it grow and evolve with a number of celebrity-chefs - Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Giada, Rachael Ray and Michael Chiarello. 

My cooking has evolved along with FoodNetwork.  I've learned that my dishes don't have to be complicated nor take all day to prepare to be delicious and satiisfying.  The recipes I've learned have been good but it's really been the techniques and methods that have had the biggest impact on my kitchen game.

Our dinner last Sunday would not have been possible without what I've learned from my favorite celebrity chefs.

The menu....

Sirloin steak rubbed with olive oil and Montreal steak seasoning
Grilled red onion and portobello mushrooms
Grilled asparagus
Garden fresh salad

Nothing fancy or noteworthy except for a few simple items.

1. After grilling the steak I let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.  Sounds easy and it is; but what a difference it makes.
2. Grilled mushrooms and vegetables while steak rested.  Kept it simple and just brushed with olive oil with a light sprinkling of kosher salt.  Grilled over high heat.
3. The salad was fresh from our garden and dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

It was the best meal I had all week and took ~20 minutes start to finish.

Thanks Food Network!

A Quick and Elegant Breakfast

We enjoy a nice breakfast at home on the weekeend.  We always have enjoyed cooking eggs, bacon, bisuits, pancakes and the rest of the breakfast staples from the midwest US.  Our children looked forward to Dad's breakfast on the weekends.  It was a tradition around the house.

Well now it's just me and Tracy; and we want the nice breakfast but without quite as many calories.

This recipe works very well and has quickly become one of our favorites.

Two split/toasted English muffins
1 Frozen, 10 oz package of Creamed Spinach - cooked
3 slices of crisp, pan fried bacon
Four perfectly poached eggs

Top the English muffin halves with the creamed spinach.  Top each half with a poached egg and then garnish with crumbled bacon. 

Last count had this one below 400 calories for a hearty breakfast in ~20 minutes.

The Irish Car Bomb - A brief personal history

First, my apologies to any politically-correct Irishman that may be offended; but given my Irish ancestry and the fact that Irish and politically-correct are rarely used in the same sentence I should be free to discuss this delicious concoction.

I was first introduced to the Car Bomb at a friend's 30th birthday party in 2004.  He was the second oldest in attendance while I was well into my fourth decade.  The young, hard-drinking crowd insisted that I had to drink an Irish Car Bomb.  Given the name and the crowd I was a tad anxious.  My anxiety only increased when I watched them prepare the car bombs.  For those that are not familiar an Irish car bomb looks like this....

1/2 pint Guinness Stout
1/2 shot Irish Whiskey
1/2 shot Bailey's Irish Cream

Drop the shot glass into the 1/2 pint of Guinness and then down the hatch - pure, logic-defying deliciousness.  I had one more that night.

Interestingly enough, they did not know what a car bomb was in Ireland.  I may have even offended the bar tender for asking.

I have had a few more over the years but it's been a good three or four years since my last until two weeks ago when I was given an Irish Car Bomb Cupcake.  Kudos to Kat Nelson for baking them for her Dad's (Bill Nelson of Rock Island) birthday. 

Guinness chocolate cupcakes
Filled with Irish Whiskey Ganache
and topped with
Bailey's Irish Cream Buttercream Frosting

Yeehaw!!

Thanks Kat.

Brazil - Random Thoughts and Photos

It was a great trip and well worth all of the effort and preparation.  I do recommend visiting Brazil for many reasons…

 

Rio de Janeiro is one of the most photogenic cities in the world – spectacular vistas and unique, vantage points.  I love this photo that Tracy took of the sunrise over Copacabana beach.

The people are warm, friendly and will bend over backwards to demonstrate hospitality.  They laugh easily and love much.

The climate through the middle of Brazil is temperate year round.  Winters are very mild.

Over the next four years they will host three of the world’s biggest events

·         2013 World Youth Day with Pope Benedict

·         2014 World Cup

·         2016 Summer Olympics

Now the flip side…..

I would not classify Brazil as a poor country, but it is still developing and has many poor families living in hillside “favelas”.   Brazil is by far the most economically advanced and politically stable country in Latin America.  There is a wide gap between rich and poor with the inevitable crime.  You must be careful when traveling in Latin America.

As a developing country their infrastructure is also developing.  Sao Paulo state accounts for a large portion of Latin America’s industrial output and as such have the best infrastructure.  When you go a level deeper (even in Sao Paulo) you’ll roads, bridges, power grid and airports in need of investment and repair. 

Rio’s infrastructure is not only behind Sao Paulo but poses unique challenges to city planners and engineers; namely, an ocean coast and mountains in very close proximity.  These changes in elevation provide unique challenges for highways, mass transportation and for distribution of water/sewer utilities.  Imagine New Orleans with a couple of mountains placed within the city limits.

Rio has much work to do to be ready for the big events mentioned above.

You will need to slow down and adjust your expectations – everything just takes longer.  It’s not that people are slow or are not hardworking, quite the contrary.  It’s just when you have 20 million plus people living in close proximity, you are generally going to wait in line for most everything.  Gear it back a notch or two and you’ll be fine.

In North America we tend to be obsessed with efficiency – speed and quantity tend to trump quality; multi-tasking rules.  You will rarely see a Brasileiro multi-task anything.  It is one task at a time with their full attention devoted to that task.  It doesn’t matter if it’s eating dinner, having coffee, talking with a loved one or attending church.  To those in Brazil, if it’s worth doing; then it’s worth doing it well with their full attention.  I think that I will work at this a bit more on my return.

The best example I can provide to illustrate is the small retail shop where we purchased a Brasil futbol shirt.  This store was no larger than 200 square feet and had three sales clerks on hand.  One of the clerks very nicely gift-wrapped our present and placed in nicely in the shopping bag while another clerk politely operated the credit card terminal and handed us our sales receipt – very different.

This is one of the best articles that I’ve come across that details the geo-politics of Latin America.  Explains why many of the countries are mired in the last century.

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/299154/what-s-wrong-argentina-matthew-shaffer#

These little suckers were hot – stickers in my tongue for ~15 minutes after tasting a drop of the oil.

 

Brazilian Cachaca and The Caipirinha

This cocktail is as simple as they come.  There are only three ingredients....


Lime
Sugar
Cachaca

If you don't have cachaca (pronounced ca-sha-sa) then substitute good quality vodka and make a caiporoska.

Slice the lime thinly and place in a cocktail glass with two heaping tablespoons of sugar.  Muddle the lime slices and sugar with the back of the spoon to release as much of the lime juice as possible.

Add the Cachaca (or vodka); I added about a shot and a half.  Fill glass with ice and give one last stir.  Enjoy!!

Happy Mothers Day!

Brazilian Cheese Bread - Pao de Queijo

My work assignment in Brazil is winding down.  Only a few more days before the overnight op return flight to Atlanta and then home to Rock Island.  There are many items we miss from home with our children and grandsons at the top of the list.  We're also missing.....

Chai Tea Latte's
Cooking
V8 juice
Mass in English
American breakfasts
Watching the Cardinals

There are also some items we'll miss from our time in Sao Paulo.  Mostly, the sweet, juicy, fresh pineapple for breakfast each morning and the Brazilian cheese puffs - known here as Pao de Queijo.  We'll work to replicate this recipe on our return assuming that we can find the tapioca flour in the Quad Cities.  They're light and tasty and served warm at breakfast.

http://www.food.com/recipe/pao-de-queijo-cheese-puffs-brazilian-68293

Soulard on Steroids - The Rio Market

My friends in St. Louis know the history of the Soulard Farmers Market.  It’s still a great place for fresh produce and farm-raised poultry and meat.  When we visit St. Louis it’s one of our favorite places to visit on Saturday mornings.  Our children even enjoy the Soulard visits. 

Today we caught a glimpse of the farmers market in Rio de Janeiro.  This one is located one block west of Copacabana beach and about two blocks north of our hotel.  I would love to tell you we planned it and knew it would be there; alas, we’re not that smart.  As we left Sunday morning Mass at Our Lady of Copacabana it was staring us in the face.  Four blocks of produce, fresh meat, fresh fish and shellfish, cheeses and street food - our kind of place.

The photos below tell the best story…

These were some of the tiniest, most colorful peppers I’ve seen.  They looked incredibly hot.

We did run across this unusual looking fruit.  You can see the lady in the back separating the edible part from the fruit.

A bit later we asked another man about the strange looking fruit.  He pronounced it “jaka” (sp?) and offered us a sample.  It reminded us of a sweet apple – dense and richly flavored.

How can you visit a market like this and not sample the street food?

In the background, the young man is grinding fresh sugar cane while the man in the foreground pours the fresh, sweet nectar into glasses.  We enjoyed it with our pastel de carne (fresh meat pie) for R$ 5.5 or about $3 USD – a great deal.

 

What a Day - Sao Paulo to Rio

First, the trip was not that bad.  A bit of traffic on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, but overall a very nice, scenic drive throurgh east central Brazil.  It took us about 5 1/2 hours of actual drive time from the western suburbs of Sao Paulo.  Once you leave Sao Paulo it quickly turns into rolling hills with lush green, tropical vegetation.  Around Sao Jose do Campos you begin to view the industrialized side of Sao Paulo state and the multitude of multi-national corporations - Nestle, Mars, Guardian Glass, Embraer and Volkswagen. 

The last half of the trip becomes mountainous with some very curvy switchbacks about 90 minutes from Rio.  Tracy took some great photos.  It was a memoroable drive.

Rio's infrastructure has some catching up to Sao Paulo.  It's also much smaller than Sao Paulo.  If we had not been to Sao Paulo first, then Rio would have seemed much larger.

As much as we enjoyed the drive the real surprises were yet to come.  Kudos to the JW Marriott on Copacabana.  They could not have been located any better.  Check out the photo from our hotel room.  It's located right in the middle of Copacabana beach on the east shore of Rio. 

We took a walk down the beach and enjoyed a couple of draft Brahma beers before returning to the hotel bar for dinner and drinks after sunset with two more surprises yet to come.

I love pizza - New York style, Chicago style stuffed  and our favorite - super, thin crust St. Louis style with Provel cheese.  Finding a pizza that leaves a lasting impression is not easy; they are all good.  However, the combination of ingredients on tonights pizza were unusual, memorable and one we'll work to replicate when we return home.  The magic toppings were prosciutto de parma, artichoke hearts and blue cheese over a thin crust with small amount of pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese - pizza kismet.

If that was not enough while we we were enjoying our drinks I thought I recognized a gentleman at the bar - an American no less.  The problem was that I could not completely recall his name.  Pretty sure that he was on ESPN and one of the originals - something Lee, Sunday mornings, Outside the Lines.  What was his name?  I picked up Tracy's iPad and did a quick search - Bob Ley.  We introduced ourselves; learned that he's doing a story on preparation for the 2014 World Cup and he graciously agreed to the photo below - 6000 miles from home.  It was quite a day.

We haven't even been to Corcavado with Cristo Redeemer or Sugarloaf Mountain yet.

Traveling with Technology - The Good and Not So Good

We have been aided greatly by modern technology on our latest trip.  We have used a number of gadgets and tools to take advantage of digital technology in our connected age.  When you don't speak the language, Technology is your friend.

Tracy has an iPad 2.  It has been invaluable to assist with our journey.  Google Earth and Google Translate have worked well.  Tracy showed the young girl at the hotel front desk the aerial view of the neighborhood to locate the Catholic church.  The directions we had previously received were incorrect and the few minutes spent with the young lady with an interactuve picture made the difference. 

We also loaded Skype onto the iPad before we left.  Skype has allowed us to stay in touch with friends and family - inexpensively.  We just have to have an internet connection which is no longer a problem.  It's been nice seeing our grandsons through video chat.  My mother-in-law has really got a kick out of her webcam and video chats with Tracy.

We're also using Facebook, Blogger.com, digital photos and my laptop to chronicle and share our experiences as well as stay in touch with news, sports and weather back home.  It was a pleasure to see the Blues advance in the playoffs and the Red Wings eliminated.  The Cardinals are off to a good start.

MapQuest has work to do to be relevant outside of the US.  We struggled to navigate their website to the correct cities and corresponding maps.   Specifically, in and around Sao Paulo were not very helpful.  We actually used two GPS systems in tandem to navigate our way to Campos do Jordao.  One was a TomTom that spoke English and the other was standard in the Honda Accord.  The Honda version does not have an English language file so the voice is Portuguese only.  The verdict - neither one delivered us to our destination without incident.  The Honda system locked up about 10 miles from our destination when we needed it most and the TomTom was not quite up-to-date.  Both systems would get us close but we had to use our instincts,  a couple of maps and local landmarks to reach our final destinations.

Brazil with a little bit of Argentina – Libertango

Truth be told I fell in love with Buenos Aires the first time I visited in 2002.  For me it was the European feel of the wide boulevards, café’s, preference for wine and the music of the tango.  The soulful, mournful tones with the accordion in the background drew me in.  The pace was a bit slower, meals longer and the emphasis was on relationships and good conversation around the table – my kind of lifestyle.  I have always said of the cities I visited, Buenos Aires was at the top of the list to take Tracy.

When we arrived in Campos on Saturday it was raining steadily and getting wet.  We needed a place for lunch and to dry off.  We basically popped into the first place we came to which was Famiglia Parmigana and we met “Little Jorge” Serodio, the owner and manager.  Little Jorge had lived in Orlando for 5 years with his family and was pleased to offer us service in English – yeehaw!  We enjoyed Beef Parmigana and Trout Parmigana for lunch.  As we spoke with Jorge we learned that his family also owned Libertango on the other side of the covered walkway.  They would gladly accept our dinner reservations for Saturday evening.

We were quickly greeted by Jorge, Sr and his other son – Chiago (likely just butchered the spelling).  We couldn’t help but be drawn in by their passion for food and hospitality.  They went out of their way to make us feel comfortable.  We enjoyed a 2008 Malbec from Argentina with our steaks, chimichurri and a side dish of mashed pumpkin and gorgonzola.  Our dessert was a crepe filled with dulce de leche and topped with fresh ice cream.  It was a memorable meal.

If there is a better combination of good beef, blue cheese and red wine I'd love to know what it is.

Campos do Jordao – An alternative to the beach

How many of you know that within Brazil that there is a European-style mountain village?  It’s only recently that we learned of Campos do Jordao in Sao Paulo state.  It sits about 5000 feet above sea level and is patterned after a Swiss mountain village.  It is a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of Sao Paulo. 

When North Americans think of Brazil generally a few sites and landmarks come to mind…

·         Rio de Janeiro and Carnival

·         The Amazon

·         Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches

We are learning that there is much more to Brazil.

Our hotel is Pousada Recanto Almeida – strongly recommended.  The staff has been gracious and Max at the front desk speaks English.  We found this hotel through Expedia.  The customer reviews on Expedia were spot on.  Our room is large and comfortable with a terrific view of the countryside. 

When we were out on Saturday evening it was comfortable in the mid-50s; a little damp but no wind.  My sweater was really all I needed for warmth.  For Brazilians on the other hand, any time the temperature is in the 50s it is cold.  They were all wearing winter coats, gloves and hats.  The upper Midwest winters have prepared us well.

Great Pizza, Good Friends and "Muito" Hospitality

 It's a bit embarrassing for me to admit but I had one year of Spanish in High School - that's it for my foreign language education.  I think back on all of the excuses and reasons for me not to learn a foreign language.  It's a regret.   The result is that when I travel abroad I am at the mercy and gracious hospitality of my hosts for them to speak in a second, unnatural language.  By the grace of God, English - by default- has become the international business language; otherwise, I would not be able to make it. 

Thursday night we dined at Bendita Hora with our hosts - Mariano Gracino, Otavio Dias and his girlfriend Priscilla.  Earlier in the day I had asked Mariano if there was good pizza in Alphaville.  The gracious host that he is wasted no time in finding a recommendation - Bendita Hora.  We loved it!!  The pizza was fired in a traditional wood-fired, brick oven with an abundance of fresh toppings.  Tracy chose the "Tres Funghi" pizza and Priscilla chose the "Bareu".  The thin, crisp crust was perfectly cooked and paired well with Argentinian Carmenere wine. 

As good as the pizza, the company and atmosphere of the restaurant were even better.  Our hosts educated us on the Portuguese language, culture and the rivalries and history of Sao Paulo futbol.  Pele' played for Santos.  The best player today is Neymar and he is only 20 and plays for Santos as well.  Mariano and Otavio like Corinthians while Priscilla supports Sao Paulo.  With this group it was all good-natured fun, but I have no doubt on game day that the rivalry matches that of Louisville - Kentucky or Michigan - Ohio State.  Our hosts patiently answered our questions in English while we enjoyed good food and wine.



The next night Tracy and I ventured out to the Tambore' shopping complex and visited Agua Doce (translated as "Sweet Water").  It reminded us of Buffalo Wild Wings.  The beer was cold and the food was similar to bar/tavern food.  We liked the small meat pies that were stuffed with cream cheese and corned beef.  Our waiter for the evening was proud of his English and helped us through our dinner - much appreciated.

Chaos!! Driving in Sao Paulo

Driving in Sao Paulo is not for the faint of heart.  In fact, if you are here for a week or less, then my advice is simple - don't drive.  Like most things in Brazil, I struggle to relate the experience to my friends and family in the tame, relatively tranquil, predictable midwestern United States.  Yes, we have tornadoes and violent Spring storms but in some ways they are more predictable than driving and traffic in Sao Paulo.

First, due to the length of my stay the company arranged a car for my use.  I am grateful; it provides a level of control and flexibility that I enjoy when I travel.  We can explore where and when we choose.  Plus we can take some sidetrips on the weekend - the beach or mountains. 

The car is a 2012 black Honda Accord with a GPS.  One problem, the GPS only speaks Portuguese!!  We thought we had it programmed this morning to English, but no.  We'll try again tomorrow.  Other than the language the car is perfect - very nice.

Here are some of the challenges you face when driving in Sao Paulo (don't imagine that Rio is any different)...

•  I swear that there are 20 million people in Sao Paulo and 30 million vehicles
• There are no trains for freight in a country the size of the US which means that everything, and I mean everything moves by truck - all shapes and sizes, makes and models and some slow and some fast
• Although they drive on the right side of the road (Thank God!) the traffic patterns are very different.  One-way roads, traffic circles, very few left turns, turn-abouts and merging traffic everywhere are some of the differences.
• Then we come to pedestrians, motorcycles and bicycles.  They are everywhere.
• The motorcycles are the worst.  They obey no rules of the road that I know of.  They drive between the rows of traffic and weave in/out at will usually on both sides of the car.  Their single rule maybe simpler than I think - get from point A to point B as quickly as possible.

Say some prayers for us.  St. Christopher the patron saint of travelers is most welcome with us.

I'll relate one humorous story, my only regret is that I did not have my camera.  It was Friday night in stop-n-go traffic on the Castel Branco motorway heading west to Alphaville.  Cars were moving in and out of traffic and merging onto the highway while motorcycles sped between the rows of stopped vehicles.  A motorcycle passed me on the right with a large box duct taped around his waist and his chest. 

"Toto we're not in Kansas anymore."

Sao Paulo Day Trip - Embu de Artes

About 30 minutes outside of Sao Paulo, just off the Bittencourt Motorway you'll find Embu - often referred to as Embu de Artes.  It's a tropical enclave of artists and craftsman representing some of the best of Brazilian culture.  And what is a day of travel and exploring without a couple of surprises.

 Embu is an old city with cobblestone streets and mature trees that provide shade to the thousands of tourists that visit each weekend.  The draw is the 900+ shops and vendors with their arts and crafts.  We viewed paintings, sculptures, hand woven rugs and blankets, artisanal cachaca (distilled sugar cane spirits), a variety of leather goods and beautiful items to brighten any home.

One of my favorite pieces was the life-sized sculpture of St. Francis of Assisi in the photo below.  My pasty, white legs quickly identifies me as a "Nord Americano".  

 A couple of logistical notes on visiting Embu.  The weekends are crowded

especially on Sunday and parking is sparse.  Be patient.  Also, we thought we had seen most of the shops and booths but on leaving Embu we saw another side of town with more shops that we missed.  Explore a bit more and push the boundaries.

As it came up on 1:30 it was time for lunch.  We found a small table outside with shade and ordered "dois chopp" - two draft beers arrived frothy and cold.  The food was traditional Brazilian; not bad but not necessarily memorable either.  The entertainment is another story and was our surprise from Embu.



"We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year, running over the same old ground.  What have you found?  The same old fears.  Wish you were hear."  Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here

Meet Nell Filho, struggling but very talented musician.

Just as we were sitting down I heard the music and did a double take - that can't be Pink Floyd?  In English no less?  Nell sings American classics mostly from the 70's but there was some Garth Brooks thrown in.  He performed songs from John Lennon, Elvis, Bob Seeger, Bob Dylan and Southern Cross by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young in impeccable English.  We spoke with him between sets to learn that he is native to Sao Paulo and has not travelled beyond Brazil.  We also learned that he does some nice accent work from south London and Dublin.  We would like to see him perform in the US one day.  We ended up buying his CD for R$10.

All in all, it was a successful side trip.  We bought some leather purses for our daughters and a handcrafted, leather map of the Americas circa 1640 that was beautifully reproduced.

How do you explain Brazil?

For folks like me who have lived in the midwestern United States, it's difficult to accurately convey Brazil.  A few words or a couple of snapshots do not begin to address the energy, size, contradictions or beauty that you'll find here.

First, we're in Sao Paulo.  It's the largest city in the southern hemisphere and one of the Top 10 largest cities on the planet at ~19 million inhabitants.  It's size is mind-boggling, especially for someone who lives in a community of 300,000.  It's also the business capital of Latin America.  You come to Sao Paulo for two reasons - visit family or business.  It does not have the tourism draw of it's more popular, smaller sibling - Rio de Janeirio.

So in the midst of the traffic, turmoil, noise and congestion you can find an occasional oasis of natures beauty and peace - Felix Bistrot. 

Felix Bistrot - Cotia, Brazil

The setting was spectacular and the food was classic French.  We had a table outdoors around the pool surrounded by lush, tropical vegetation.  It was quiet and peaceful - two commodities that are difficult to come by in a large city.

TripAdvisor rates this restaraunt 4.5 out of 5.  It's not too far off and maybe even a bit low from my perspective.  The oysters were some of the best I've had and the pistachio-crusted boar filet was unique and delicious.  All accompanied by a good bottle of Argentinian Malbec.  A great evening. 

We're looking forward to getting out this weekend and taking photos of Sao Paulo and it's people.  In short, the people are friendly and the food is fabulous. 

Homegrown and Homebrewed

In our pre-packaged, pre-assembled western world it's easy to lose sight of true craft and art.  Technology has removed much of the mystery that surrounded the foods we eat and the beverages we drink for thousands of years.    Thousands of years of collective lore, experience and technology have evolved to give us our food and beverages of today.  How did it all begin?  Who first learned that fermented barley with some hops added would yield a tasty, relaxing beverage we know today as beer?  How did the ancients learn to preserve food for the winter with salt? 

As I ponder life's mysteries, I like to return to our roots, learn a little craftsmanship and marvel at God's world around me.  As you watch a seed sprout and grow to bear fruit and a homebrew come to life you can't help but marvel at the mysteries of life and universe.  It's far easier to see the mysteries in lGod's creation when watching your homebrew come to life instead of popping the top on a cold can from your refrigerator.

We have a small home garden.  This photo was taken on March 25.  You can see the spinach and onions in the foreground.  I've also planted lettuce, swiss chard, leeks, radishes and spring peas.  We'll harvest spinach on Monday night for a nice salad before we leave.  I'll admit that I enjoy watching the garden come to life and bear fruit.  It's very satisfying to walk out the kitchen door and pick your vegetables for dinner. 

Back in February I began a batch of homebrewed beer.  I had recently come to appreciate the Kolsch-style ale by the Schafly Brewing Company of St. Louis and wanted to replicate it's flavor.  The homebrew supply store was very helpful and pointed me to the ingredients I would need for my Kolsch.  It's an all-malt beer with a combination of cracked Vienna malt and two cans of malt extract and 2 ounces of Hallertauer hops.  It fermented about 4 weeks before I added the priming sugar and transferred to the 5 gallon keg pictured below.

  

About the time that I bought the ingredients, my daughter and son-in-law purchased homebrewing equipment on Craig's list.  We now have homebrewed Kolsch on tap.  This is the best batch I've brewed - good balance with the hops and smooth with no funky flavors.  Each year the yeast available for homebrewing get a little better.  You can

see the result in the cold, frosty mug.

Get back to basics and learn a little about God's mysteries around you.  Start a small garden from seed, start a batch of homebrew, make some homemade sausage or make some corned beef or sauerkraut.  Just take a few minutes to appreciate the gifts that God gave our ancestors and has passed along to us.

Happy Easter!!