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!!

Modo Mio - "My Way" Philadelphia, PA

It seems to come back around to good food, family and a few good friends.  Do we really need more than that?  Tonight was another good example of living the good life with a special emphasis on really good food at Modo Mio in Philadelphia, PA.

When traveling put your guide books aside (no offense to Zagat's or Fodor's) and talk with the locals.  They know the best food and the best values in the locale.  It helps if you know a local who shares similar tastes and values.  I'm fortunate to have a foodie friend in Philadelphia - Joe Demarco.  So tonight it was Modo Mio on Girard Avenue.  Modo Mio is not a restaurant that I would ever likely choose for a few reasons....

• It's more than 5 miles from my hotel
• It's small and advertises little
• It's not in the suburbs.  It's not in a bad part of town either, but is grittier.
• You need reservations

You don't go to Modo Mio for the location or the decor - you go for the food and the ambiance.  The interior was functional with two rows of closely spaced tables.  We had a nice conversation with the couple next to us.  The service was top-notch - friendly, unpretentious and knowledgeable.  They were happy to answer our questions without looking down at us for asking questions - much appreciated.

Now the food.  We went with the "tourista" package - four-course tasting menu - highly recommended.  My choices...

Appetizer - veal sweetbreads with aparagus and crispy pancetta
Pasta - papparadelle with rabbit ragu
Main course - duck breast with cherries and blue cheese

I'll cover dessert later. The first three courses were all superb. Sweetbreads were tender and tasty; the fresh made pasta was thin and delicate while holding the rabbit ragu perfectly and Joe and I both loved the combination of duck with cherries and blue cheese.  It all worked.  Kim's pasta course was tortelloni with goat cheese and cauliflower - very nice.

We shared three desserts at our table - zuppa inglese, flourless chocolate torte and a blueberry/almond tart. While all three were delicious the biggest surprise was the blueberry tart that was served with a paper thin slice of pecorino romano cheese on top.  We were all a little leary of the cheese but after tasting agreed that it added a saltiness and depth of flavor.  It was impressive.

Lastly, it is intimate and friendly.  As we were leaving the couple next to us shared their Limoncello as an apertif.  It was a fitting end to a great meal with cheers/saluds to all.

Many thanks to the Demarco's tonight for a great evening.

Sweet Potato Waffles

What is it exactly about sweet and savory that many of us find so comforting?  We ran across this recipe last night on Flipboard.  The recipe is Alton Brown's from the Food Network.

Sweet Potato Waffles

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sweet-potato-waffles-recipe/index.html

I cut the recipe in half.  It was still enough to make 4 or 5 8"- round waffles.  They turned out light.  (I was concerned that the sweet potato would make them too dense.)  The most important ingredient is the orange zest.  Don't omit it.

What is the best side dish to serve with waffles and maple syrup?  That would be salty, crispy, pan-fried bacon.


Today is a travel day for me.  I leave this evening for Philadelphia.  Tuesday night we're having dinner at Modo Mio.  If this menu gets close to my expectation, it will be quite a meal.

Enjoy your Sunday with good food and family!!