5 Things I Learned in Brasil ~ Licao Dois

Or Lesson #2 ~ Never Eat or Drink with Your Eyes.

You just might miss out on some of the greatest culinary experiences of your life!

Now...my Momma always raised me to never be disrespectful in someones home who is blessing me with a meal. You can always pick around it or just push it around if you don't like it. But sometimes, there are things that I just don't even wanna put on my plate because it makes me wanna toss my cookies.

I learned VERY quickly here that no matter what it looks like, I will more than likely LOVE it.

You see...food here is not like food in the states. These people (or the maid) goes to the market every day to get their fresh foods. Hardly anything is premade like just about everything is here. They get their fresh meats, vegetables, fruits and even their herbs and spices just before the meal they are about to cook. They come home and begin preparing it. Even their "fast food" restaurants (very few and far between) prepare everything fresh right there.

Case in point:



Almost every single thing you see in this fridge was either bought on the day that I took this photo or the evening before. Yes, that looks like a lot of food. It's because it IS A LOT OF FOOD! When these people cook, you would think it was an American Thanksgiving feast.

Only without the turkey but lots of other meats! See:



At just about every meal there was this much fresh meat! Then, to most side dishes they added some sort of smoked, dried or cured meat. Mmmmmmm! I'm hungry just remembering it all!

And here's a sidebar: Those "Brazilian" restaurants around town...have it all wrong! LOL!

And the fruit...holy pajamas...the fruit!



It was everywhere! When we would go out for a drive somewhere, we would stop on the side of the road and pick up more. We would eat it in the car, we would eat it when we got to where we were going, we would eat it at home. Fresh fruit was always the go to snack. And it wasn't like the fruits we have here that are chemically enhanced. Even 'organic' fruit here doesn't hold a candle to fruit there. Take a banana or tangerine...the outside skin would literally fall off to reveal some of the sweetest fruits I've ever tasted.



They even make fresh juices from some of the weirdest fruits. This is passion fruit juice and I could have gone for a swim in this whole pitcher!



But Kenya might have taken my hand off LOL!

Speaking of drinks...yes, they have Coke there. It tastes much sweeter than it does here, but it does quench the need for a soda. However, allow me to introduce you to heaven in a bottle...



This is their soda of choice there and I have to say...I agree! I've never enjoyed a soda as much as a good Dr. Pepper until this. When I was on my 10 hour leg home, they actually served this on the plane. I kept sucking it down because I knew I wouldn't get anymore. The flight attendant...he got to where he would just walk by and fill me up or bring me another one. As we were deplaning, he pulled me aside and slipped me one for the road! Yesss!!!! Yeah, Sabian! You are officially my new favorite flight attendant.

Not my hips' favorite, but mine for sure.



Even their spices...most of these were ground while we were there for use. No wonder the food was so full of flavor! I mean...there was no salt and pepper just sitting on the table. There was no need.



No...there was one thing I just couldn't even attempt if I wanted to. See that blue and white box? That is their milk. Strait from the pantry. They don't keep their milk cold. Now. That was just something I couldn't try even if I wanted to!

But I'm so thankful for Ismael...the head of the house where we were staying. He made a "pacto" with all of us that were staying there that we would not eat or drink anything with our eyes. Which is basically what we tell our children every day...try it...you might like it. But we are sure ok with not doing that ourselves. But in this once of a lifetime experience, I'm sure glad I did!