Category: Brazil

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greek moussaka is wonderful


One of my favorite meals is to dine on Moussaka! It is a meat and vegetable dish that has a lot of appeal in certain parts of the world, but it  is virtually unknown in others. However, not everyone enjoys Moussaka and I think it is not so much because of how it is prepared but because of some , or one , of its ingredients. How one prepares the eggplant either makes or breaks this marvelous dish!

I am finally getting down to making  Moussaka today …and I am reminded that slicing and frying the eggplant very thin is key! Personally, I love the addition of zucchini and potatoes also sliced and fried thin. In the sauce, I use a mixture of lamb and pork which produces a soft and delicious meat filling.

When my daughters returned from their conference in Rio de Janeiro they met Laura in another conference  in Boston. Kindly, they had brought with them some cookbooks for me… in Portuguese. Now translating cookbooks is relative easy regardless of the language, but Portuguese is a  language that English speaking people find possible. Thanks , ladies!

3 cookbooks from Brazil and one from Boston

Now, I am busy!

BTW. Greek Festival in San Luis Obispo if you are looking for something fun this weekend!

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Congratulations Karen for being all but dissertation

Karen Freberg the Public Relations Doctoral Candidate
"Have Great Conference, Will Travel!" Whether it be Beijing, Amsterdam, or Rio de Janeiro, Karen is networking, presenting and gaining experience.

A special congratulations to my daughter Karen Freberg for jumping another hurdle and passing her oral exams and becoming ABD ( this stands for ‘all but dissertation’). Karen is a hard working and creative soul, so I am sure her dissertation will be something interesting, indeed. In the meantime, all your hard work is paying off!

love, Dad

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pistachio and brazil nut biscotti

using Brazil nuts and pistachios in my biscotti

Creating a Biscotti recipe isn’t like a normal recipe because it is one of those wonderful things that was designed not to ‘stand alone.’ I don’t know about you, but I would never eat a Biscotti by itself as it would be somewhat drab and way too dry…. but let’s not dwell. When you dip a good Biscotti in coffee , it comes alive!

My daughters have been asking me to bake up some Biscotti with Brazil Nuts  ( which tastes interestingly enough like other wonderfully caloric nuts — Cashews and Macadamia nuts, for example —  when baked).  But I was looking for more than just another buttery Biscotti. I wanted something with a little bit more ‘zing’ and Pistachios — I thought — might just do the trick.  This worked.  So, I also made a bit more ‘sticky’ batter ( with a little more corn starch and a potato flour mixture) that seemed to hold it all together. Oh yes, it was good in the ‘test kitchen.’

Ah, now to coffee!

Roger Freberg

PS. click for the basic recipe on the picture above.

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shellfish vindaloo with the flavor of Brazil

shellfish vindaloo
our Vindaloo with lobster, shrimp and crab

Shellfish Vindaloo

“Vindaloo” is one of those wonderful dishes that is rich in history, travel and taste. I first ran into the name studying Brazilian cuisine, which interestingly enough is where it really started, although adapted widely and augmented by India and others.

Vindaloo is a spicy meat dish often made with Curry and Garam Masala. As you know, both Curry and Garam Masala are spice blends and vary based on where it is made and who is assembling it. Generally a ‘hotter’ curry is used. Here is how Wikipedia  describes the dish:

Vindaloo or vindalu is an Indian dish. The term vindaloo derives from the Portuguese dish “Carne de Vinha d’ Alhos”, a dish of meat, usually lamb, with wine and garlic. Alternate terms are vindalho or vindallo. “Carne de Vinha d’ Alhos” was first brought to Goa by the Portuguese and became a Goan meal often served during special occasions. The traditional Portuguese dish was made with pork preserved in red wine or red wine vinegar, chili pepper, and stewed with garlic. The dish evolved into the vindaloo curry dish when it received the Goan treatment of adding plentiful amounts of spice. Restaurants often serve this dish with chicken or lamb sometimes mixed with potatoes. Traditional vindaloos do not include potatoes, the discrepancy arising because the word “aloo” means “potato” in Hindi.

Most of the recipes on-line show Vindaloo with potatoes but I did see a travel picture of this remarkable dish served with rice. My preference is to serve it ON rice.

Here is my version of Vindaloo

If you a luck enough to travel to Brazil, this is something to try… if not… make some for yourself and someone you love!

Roger

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the wonderful food of Brazil

the culinary regions of Brazil
the culinary regions of Brazil

Brazil is a culinary wonder with a wide variety food offerings depending on where you are visiting. The world of Brazilian foods is divided into four distinct styles: from the North, North-East, South-East and the South.

In the South-East, Rio de Janeiro is known for their seafood. Also well known is ‘feijão com arroz’ or rice and beans. In São Paulo, the large Italian heritage expresses itself in pasta and pizza, while sushi is making a presents even in non-Japanese restaurants.

Below São Paulo, it the region referred to as South, churrasco (a Brazilian barbecue) is probably one of the best known Brazilian meals outside of Brazil.

In the North, Maniçoba is a distinctive dish served. It takes at least a week to make. One author describes it as such:

“…as the leaf of maniva (of the cassava plant), after ground, should be boiled for at least four days with the intent to remove the hydrocyanic acid that contains. After that is added charqui, fat, tripe, calf’s foot jelly, ear, foot and salted pork ribs, sausages, sausages and bunkers, basically the same ingredients of a feijoada completa. It is served with white rice, flour water and hot peppers to taste.”

In the North-East, the abundance of large cattle ranches and availability of fruit — mango, papaya, guava, orange, passion fruit, pineapple,  and sweetsop – adds to the culinary uniqueness of the region.  Vatapá (vat-a-pah) is a meal made from bread, shrimp, coconut milk, peanuts and palm oil all ground and mixed together (check out picture above).

Here’s an interesting recipe for Vatapa Soup on the net.

Brazil is a county of many choices, sounds and flavors and all to be savoured! Here is a link to more fun Brazilian Recipes!

Roger