New Year in Brazil

Fireworks going off at the start of 2021 in Novo Hamburgo - RS (photo: Diego Mandarino)

This post is about the way Brazilians celebrate the New Year from my perspective. It is a personal account rather than a deeply grounded academic study or even a meticulously woven journalistic report. The latter would have required a considerably larger amount of time and funding than just sitting down on a chair and writing from my personal experience - which is exactly what I am doing here;  the former - an academic research - would have required an immensely greater amount of time and even more funding in order to cover costs such as field trips and the work itself: reading, interviewing, photographing, recording videos, compiling everything, writing, editing, proof-reading, publishing and distributing.

As it is a personal account, it might differ from the customs of many other people in Brazil. My focus is on telling about what I perceive as being traditional in New Year's celebrations in general in my country. Feel free to add your input in the comments session, provided it is done in a civilized manner. 

Gathering

In Brazil, we call the transition between December 31st and January 1st, exactly at midnight, Virada ("flip", “turn”, “overturn”), or Virada do Ano ("year flip", “turn of the year”). In the same way, we refer to the whole event as Virada or Ano Novo, which consists of a gathering of family or friends (whether one stays with their family or spends the Virada with friends varies a lot) in the evening of New Year's Eve, extending to the fireworks displays at midnight or even further into the night, sometimes till the sun rises. 

Food

It is customary for Brazilians to eat pork for New Year's Eve dinner and often also for New Year's Day lunch. This is not a hard rule, though, as many people eat fish or something else instead. It is normal to sit at a table and eat New Year's Eve dinner when the family is brought together. At friends gatherings, people might have finger food instead of eating at a table. 

For those who do prepare pork as a dinner dish, it is usually roasted pork loin. The accompaniments vary, but they are similar to Christmas dinner's side dishes, like farofa (toasted cassava flour) and rice. 

People who eat pork usually say something like "The pig roots forward; the chicken scratches backward" (o porco fuça para frente; a galinha cisca para trás) when they explain why they eat pork for New Year as opposed to Chester chicken or turkey, which are common at Christmas. The saying means that, because it roots forward, the pig is a symbol of progress and forward-moving, instead of looking back and staying in the past as the chicken that "scratches backward" may suggest.

Another very important New Year food item in Brazil is lentils, which bring good luck according to popular belief.

As for Bolo Rei (King Cake), which is common in Portugal and some other parts of the world, including southern United States, it is not a Brazilian tradition. 

Drink

Sparkling wine, essentially, just like most of the world.

Brazilians open a bottle of sparkling wine, fill the glasses and wait for the countdown to the New Year. At midnight sharp, we shout Feliz Ano Novo! (Happy New Year), spectacular fireworks go off in major cities, we clink our glasses and drink, shake hands, hug each other sometimes, wishing a happy new year to each person. 

Clothing

The way one dresses to the New Year, or Virada, is usually a big deal in Brazil. Many Brazilians are superstitious about the colors of the clothes they are wearing when a new year starts; this cultural feature is so remarkable that even the many people who do not really care about this color stuff tend to conform to the rite so as to not raise too much attention from others - which would certainly happen if they, for example, wore black or another very dark color. 

The most common clothing color to usher in the new year is white, which represents peace. Many people wear a combination of white and some other color; for example, white shorts and a T-shirt or tank top in a different color (remember that it is summer in Brazil), or vice-versa. So, one might wear white shorts for peace and a yellow T-shirt for money. One might also wear red for love (if they want to find a partner, for example), green for hope or purple for health, just to name a few. Some people wear a combination of blue and white just because blue generally goes well with white.

Fireworks in Novo Hamburgo - RS at the start of 2021 (video: Diego Mandarino)

Firecrackers, a controversial topic

The fireworks that make a lot of noise are a contentious issue in Brazil, even at the Virada. Many people just love setting off these loud tiny rockets, much to the unease of animals like dogs, which are sensitive to such roar/rumble, as you probably know. This triggers a sort of "war" between noise enthusiasts and animals rights advocates. People argue a lot about that on social media. 

Personally, I don't get what the fun is about some crackers popping in the sky. What I love seeing is the actual fireworks. That said, I don't see a problem with a bunch of noisy crackers for five or ten minutes to welcome the New Year. In fact, I would probably feel a little lost and empty without a lot of noise in the first few minutes. The problem is that there are people who start setting off crackers at random every now and then on Christmas Eve and keep doing that on the days leading up to the Virada. Sometimes, it is a 30-second firecracker outburst without any apparent reason, sometimes it is just one single rowdy bass-drum-beat-like rocket explosion out of the blue during the day, just to scare the s*** out of the unaware folk who is just trying to relax in their hammock. I can't figure out what the fun about that is.

Some bills regarding firecrackers have been passed in different states and municipalities in the last few years. In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, a law banning firecrackers 🧨 that exceed 100 decibels at a distance of 100 meters came into effect at the end of 2020.

Jumping seven waves

Yes, that is a tradition for people who spend the Virada at the beach. It is a popular superstition that jumping over seven waves right at the start of a new year brings you luck for that year.

Iemanjá, the lady of the seas 

Some people make offerings on the beach to the lady of the ocean, "mother Iemanjá" (or "Yemoja"), - a deity in some African and African-originated religions (like the Candomblé) - at the Virada, asking for blessings. The most common offering is flowers, which are thrown into the sea, but I was just looking up on the internet and I found out that the offerings might sometimes be objects, including jewelry, mirrors and perfumes.

 

   

Christmas in Brazil

A Nativity Scene in the Novo Hamburgo Cathedral, Rio Grande do Sul (Photo: Diego Mandarino)

How is Christmas celebrated in your country? More specifically, how does your family celebrate it?

These are two interesting questions because, even though each country seems to have its own distinctive customs, traditions also vary accross different families of the same nationality. I'm going to talk about some Brazilian practices at Christmas, including food, and also how my familiy usually celebrates the holiday.

The Christmas Tree at my godparents' house (Photo: Cleia Catarina Wagner)

Decoration

As in most countries where this Christian holiday is observed, decorated Christmas trees are put up some time before December 25th, the Christmas Day. It consists of an often fake pine tree. Brazil, besides being partly equatorial, has almost all of its territory in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is summer on Christmas. So, actual pine trees either do not exist or easily die after a short time period if they are cut off and planted in a vase. That being said, a few people in the South, where the climate is temperate, have the habit of cutting off a bough of a real pine tree and placing it in their living room to be adorned from top to bottom.  

A Christmas Garland (Photo: Diego Mandarino)

There is not an exact date when Brazilians in general set up their season decoration; on the streets, some stores may display colorful tinsels and Christmas lights as early as late October! Which is obviously a suggestive way of reminding customers that they should get their end-of-the-year shopping done. In contrast, some families do not get to adorn their homes before December, without observing a specific date. This happens due to the fact that many people are either not aware of, or concerned with, the Christian tradition according to which the preparation for the birth of Jesus starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25th - it's the start of the Advent period - and that's when decorations are supposed to be put up. On the other hand, it is a widespread custom to take down the ornaments on January 6th, the date when Christians recall the narrative in the Gospel of Matthew about the arrival of three wise men from the east who visited newborn Jesus.

The ornaments on the Christmas Tree are varied, the most popular of them being the traditional colored balls, the baubles. Small angels, bells, Santas and other characters and symbols are also common. On top of the tree, a star resembling the Star of Bethlehem is usually placed, though sometimes there is no tree-topper at all. Differently from North-America, candy canes and stockings are not part of the Brazilian tradition.

Another very common piece of decoration in Brazil is the Nativity Scene (presépio) It may consist of a singular sculped object or a set of figurines put together to show baby Jesus in a manger, with Mary and Joseph standing on each side of it. Nativity Scenes often portray the Holy Family in a stable or grotto, surrounded by farm animals, some shepherds that have dropped by from the surroundings and, a little further away, the three wise men on their journey to the manger.

A Nativity Scene featuring the Holy Family in a stable (Photo: Diego Mandarino)

Another example of a Manger Scene (Photo: Cleia Catarina Wagner) / (and the drawing of a Christmas tree under the tree is from my 4 year-old goddaughter, Victoria)

 The Nativity Scene in the Novo Hamburgo Cathedral during the Christmas Mass (Video: Diego Mandarino)

Christmas garlands on doors are also ubiquitous at this time of the year in Brazil. What may not be so common is the tradition of the Advent Wreath. In my family, my parents usually place it on a coffee table. The wreath has four candles, each of a different color: the green one, representing hope, is lit on the fourth Sunday before Christmas; both the green and the red candle, symbolizing love, are lit on the following Sunday; on the second Sunday before the 25th, the green, red an pink candles (pink symbolizes joy) are lit; finally, on the Sunday before Christmas and on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, all four candles are lit, including the white one (peace).

An Advent Wreath (Photo: Diego Mandarino)

Gift Exchange

The exchange of gifts usually takes place in the evening of December 24th, when families gather to have dinner. In my family, each person or couple usually buys one present for each member of the family. In the companies where I have worked, the staff does a Secret Santa some time in December before Christmas Day. 

Santa Claus

Santa Claus (Papai Noel) has become a very popular character in Brazil as of the 20th Century. In some families and places like villages or neighborhoods, someone dresses up as Santa and delivers gifts and candy to the children. In virtually all shopping malls and some town squares, Santa Claus shows up to talk to the children and listen to their requests. 

Food

In Brazil, the main meal associated with the holiday is Christmas Eve's dinner. There is a distinctive dish that has become very popular in the country over the years: the roasted Chester, which is a particular type of very big chicken grown especially for the date. Its meat is tenderer than a turkey's. The latter is also common in Brazil. 

A “Chester” chicken with farofa on the side (Photo: Diego Mandarino)

The accompaniments are usually farofa (fried cassava flour) or rice and some type of salad. Raisins, contrary to what is normal in Brazilian cuisine in the rest of the year, are often added to these side dishes by whoever prepares the dinner, much to the disgust of many of the guests and children - so much so that the presence of raisins at the Christmas dinner has become the object of some jokes and internet memes. I actually like the raisins, and they are usually present in my family's recipes.

My family’s Christmas dinner this year: a salad with pineapple, carrots, raisins, cabbage and lettuce; “Chester” chicken with farofa and rice (Photo: Diego Mandarino)

Some families prepare a sweet side dish to accompany the chester or turkey, which is called fios de ovos (egg threads). Another common side dish is rabanadas, which consist of sweet fried slices of bread; this tradition comes from Portugal.

Outside the Christmas dinner per se, the panettone is a Christmas staple in Brazil. It is also a common gift. The panettone, of Italian origin, is a loaf of bread that is sweet and takes dried fruit; an even more popular version of it in Brazil takes chocolate instead of dried fruit (the latter is not the cup of tea of many Brazilians). In my family, we usually have both and I like them both, but I like the "chocottone" better.

A Panettone with dried fruit sold in Brazil (Photo: Diego Mandarino)

Eggnog ("gemada de Natal")

(ENGLISH VERSION BELOW) 

O eggnog é uma bebida tradicional na América do Norte na época de Natal. Feita com ovos, açúcar, leite, creme de leite e especiarias, tem sabor de sobremesa, e a mistura normalmente recebe uma bebida alcoólica como ingrediente adicional para ser servida aos adultos. Eu tentei seguir, nesta semana, uma receita de eggnog que encontrei na internet e compartilho aqui o resultado dessa experiência.

Vale ressaltar que essa bebida não faz parte dos costumes brasileiros. Portanto, essa não só foi a primeira vez que eu preparei o eggnog, mas foi também a primeira vez que eu provei a bebida. 

A receita que segui foi a disponível neste link. Ela usa apenas gemas de ovos, não as claras (que minha esposa fritou em separado como um lanche salgado).

- 6 gemas de ovo

- 100g de açúcar

- 480mL de leite

- 240mL de "creme pesado" (creme de leite fresco)

- 1/4 de colher de chá de canela em pó

- 1/4 de colher de chá de cravo em pó

- 1/4 de colher de chá de noz moscada ralada

- uma pitada de sal

- 1/4 de colher de chá de essência de baunilha.

- 60ml de uma bebida alcoólica (conhaque, uísque ou rum)

Primeira tentativa

O ingrediente mais incomum aqui no Brasil é provavelmente o "creme pesado", que encontrei aqui como "creme de leite fresco" - é este o tipo de creme de leite aqui no Brasil que tem 35% de gordura, algo muito próximo do "creme pesado" da receita, contra cerca de 20% do creme de caixinha, o mais comum por aqui. O "creme de leite fresco" é vendido em garrafas em prateleiras refrigeradas nos supermercados. 

Na minha primeira tentativa, em casa, dois dos ingredientes que usei eram diferentes dos da receita original: usei açúcar mascavo em vez de açúcar branco refinado; e usei leite desnatado em vez de leite integral.

Comecei batendo as seis gemas com pouco mais de 100 gramas de açúcar mascavo em uma tigela. Em uma panela com cabo, coloquei o leite, o "creme de leite fresco", três cravos (em vez de usar cravo em pó), um pouco de canela em pó que coloquei "no olho", sem medir, e ralei um pouco de noz moscada que também coloquei "no olho". E, ainda, a pitada de sal.

Aqueci a panela mexendo constantemente. Quando algumas bolhas apareceram, eu desliguei o fogo e despejei o conteúdo da panela na mistura de ovo com açúcar, batendo sem parar. Depois, despejei o conteúdo da tigela de volta na panela com cabo e de novo aqueci. Mexi um pouco enquanto a mistura aquecia, mas parava às vezes para ver se já haviam começado a subir algumas bolhas. Quando elas começaram a aparecer, desliguei o fogo.

Adicionei, então, a essência de baunilha (também não medi, apenas coloquei um pouco numa colher de sopa e adicionei). Mexi um pouco mais e coei com a ajuda da  minha esposa. Foi aí que percebi que havia bolotas um pouco mais grossas na mistura, e o líquido estava menos grosso do que deveria. O leite havia coalhado. 

De qualquer forma, depois de mais de duas horas resfriando na geladeira, a bebida estava muito saborosa sem álcool. Não acrescentei dessa vez porque não tinha nenhuma bebida em casa. O sabor era como de ambrosia.

Segunda tentativa

A segunda tentativa foi na casa dos meus sogros. Desta vez, não se formaram bolotas e a consistência ficou igual à da receita do Youtube.

Nesta segunda tentativa, usei todos os ingredientes como os da receita, inclusive o açúcar branco e o leite integral. Segui os mesmos passos. A única coisa diferente foi que esqueci de fazer o segundo aquecimento em fogo baixo. Por causa disso, quando o eggnog se aproximou de ficar pronto, senti um cheiro de leite queimado. Felizmente, foi só um pouco que grudou no fundo da panela e não afetou o sabor da bebida.

Acrescentei a essência de baunilha depois de coar, mas isso não fez diferença. Na hora de beber, provei sem álcool e, em seguida, coloquei um pouco de whisky Johnnie Walker Red Label. O sabor era novamente de uma sobremesa bem doce, mas não enjoativa, provavelmente por conta das especiarias. Com a bebida, ficou muito bom.

É uma bomba calórica, com certeza, e provavelmente melhor para se beber no inverno do que no verão, que é a estação do Natal no Hemisfério Sul. De qualquer forma, um copo de eggnog foi uma experiência diferente, e vale a pena provar!

ENGLISH VERSION

The eggnog is a traditional drink in North-America at Christmas. Made with eggs, sugar,  milk, milk cream and spices, it tastes like a dessert, and liquor is usually added to the mix when it is served to adults. This week I tried to follow an eggnog recipe that I found on the internet, and I share here the outcome of this experiment.

It's worth pointing out that such drink is not part of the Brazilian customs. Therefore, not only was this the first time I made the eggnog, it was also the first time I tried the beverage.

The recipe I followed was the one available here. It takes only egg yolks, not the whites (which my wife fried separately as a savory snack).

- 6 egg yolks

- 100g of sugar

- 480ml of milk

- 240ml of "heavy cream" ("fresh milk cream")

- 1/4 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon

- 1/4 teaspoon of ground clove

- 1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg

- a pinch of salt

- 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla essence

- 60ml of a liquor (cognac, whisky, bourbon or rum)

First attempt

The most uncommon ingredient here in Brazil is probably the "heavy cream", which I found here as "fresh milk cream" - this is the type of milk cream here in Brazil that has 35% of butterfat, something very close to the recipe's "heavy cream", in contrast to the 20% of the more usual milk cream here in the country, which is sold in small cartons. The "fresh milk cream" is sold in bottles on refrigerated supermarket shelves.

In my first try, at home, two of the ingredients I used were different from the ones in the original recipe: I used brown sugar instead of fine white sugar; and I used skimmed milk instead of whole milk.

I started off by whisking the six yolks with a little over 100 grams of brown sugar in a bowl. In a saucepan, I put the milk, the "fresh milk cream', three cloves (instead of using ground clove), a bit of powdered cinnamon that I added "by eye", without measuring it exactly, and I grated a bit of nutmeg that I also added "by eye". And the pinch of salt.

I heated up the saucepan, stirring constantly. When the liquid came to a simmer, I turned off the burner and poured its content into the yolk-sugar mixture in the bowl, whisking non-stop. After that, I poured the new mixture back into the saucepan and heated it up again. I would stir it a little and then stop to check if it had already started simmering, stir it a little more, stop again to check, and so on. When the liquid finally came to a simmer,  I turned off the fire.

I then added the vanilla essence (also without measuring it out; I just put a bit in a tablespoon and added it). I stirred eggnog a little more and strained it with my wife's help. It was then that I realized there were lumps in the mix, and that the liquid was less thick than it was supposed to be. The milk had curdled.

Nonetheless, after having been chilled in the refrigerator for a little over two hours, the drink was super tasty without alcohol. I didn't add any beverage that time because I didn't have any spirits at home. The taste was like the one of ambrosia.

Second attempt

The second attempt took place at my parents-in-law's house. This time, no lumps were formed and the consistency turned out exactly like the Youtube recipe.

In this second try, I used all the ingredients as they were mentioned in the recipe, including the white sugar and the whole milk. I followed the same steps. The only different thing was that I forgot to heat up the liquid over low heat after mixing it with the sugar and yolks; I heated it up over high heat instead, and so, when the eggnog neared completion, I smelled burned milk. Fortunately, it was only a bit that sticked to the bottom of the saucepan and didn't affect the drink's flavor.

I added the vanilla essence after, rather than before, straining, but this didn't make any difference. I first tried the eggnog without alcohol and, then, I poured in a little Johnnie Walker Red Label whisky. The flavor once again turned out like one of a very sweet, though not cloying, dessert - probably because of the spices. With the added liquor, it turned out really flavorful.

It is a calory bomb, for sure, and probably best to drink in winter than in summer, which is the season when Christmas takes place in the Southern Hemisphere. Be that as it may, a glass of eggnog was a new experience for me, a one worth trying!

Pinhão: the Brazilian pine nut

Brazilian pine nuts: the pinhões

Pinhão, the seed from the Brazilian Pine, is a cherished food in the country, especially in the south, where it abounds in the mountains and plateaus. It is a synonym for beauty, and also a synonym for home for many of us, who automatically feel welcomed in our homeland when we see its trees, these towering dark green chalices, standing out in the landscape, whether it be green highland pastures or hilly Atlantic Forest country.

(Confira a transcrição do vídeo desta postagem em português e inglês ao fim do texto / check out this post's video transcription in English and Portuguese at the end of the text).

Araucárias in a rural property in São Jorge da Mulada, Caxias do Sul

Even way before the 15th century, when European explorers set foot in what today we call Brazil, the people who inhabited this land already appreciated the Brazilian pine nuts. Research carried out a few years ago by Brazilian and British scientists concluded that indigenous peoples who inhabited the southern Brazilian highlands not only used to consume pinhão, but were also responsible for an expansion of the pine trees - also known as araucárias - that took place more than a thousand years ago in this region.

Today, pinhão is normally eaten alone as a snack, but it can also be mixed with other ingredients in the preparation of dishes like paçoca de pinhão, where it is ground after cooked, mixed with beef or pork mince and seasoned with herbs or spices. Cooked pinhão can also be chopped up and fill pastéis, also preferably with ground meat.

A shelled pinhão after cooked

There are three main ways to prepare Brazilian pine nuts. Check out the video that follows to learn more about this unique tradition, including the spellbinding sapêco do pinhão: the scorching of the pine nut.

Video doesn't show up? Watch here.

Pinhão preparation: Pedro Paulo Mapelli and Isabel Spido Mapelli
Images and editing: Diego Mandarino
Music: https://www.bensound.com

More than a nutritious seed, the pinhão means tradition and coziness. Being a hallmark of the Southern Cone* autumn, when temperatures often drop to nose-chilling levels, it can be found in countless dwellings in the region, on top of lit wood-burning stoves surrounded by curled up family members who cannot wait for the roasting pinhões to be ready.

Pinhões being roasted on top of a wood-burning stove

The long-established sapêco (scorching) of the pinhão

*Southern Cone: South American region encompassing the four southernmost Brazilian states (São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul) plus Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile - no araucárias like the Brazilian ones are to be found in the latter though; Chile is home to araucanas, which are also found in Argentina. 

Transcrição do vídeo / video transcription

DIEGO: Very, very hot.

DIEGO: Muito, muito quente.

DIEGO: Hello there, folks! Behold, the Brazilian Pinhão! Or pine nut. It comes from the Brazilian Pine Tree, which is native to southern Brazil and certain high parts of southeastern Brazil.

DIEGO: Oi, pessoal! Contemplem: o Pinhão brasileiro! Ou "pine nut". Ele vem do Pinheiro Brasileiro, que é nativo da região Sul do Brasil e algumas partes altas da região Sudeste do Brasil.

CAPTION: Pinhões are savory and must be cooked.

LEGENDA: Pinhões são salgados ("não-doces") e devem ser cozidos.

DIEGO: So, there is this flat part here at one end, and then it's plumpy on this part. And at the other end, you can see that it's tapered. And we're interested in what is inside this brown case. 

DIEGO: Então, há essa parte chata aqui em uma das extremidades, e aí ele é gordinho nesta parte. E, na outra extremidade, você pode ver que ele é afinado. E a gente está interessado no que está dentro desta casca marrom. 

CAPTION: Pinhão is rich in calories, fiber and potassium.

LEGENDA: O pinhão é rico em calorias, fibras e potássio.

DIEGO: I can further open the case with my teeth. So I just have to bite the pine nut at that plumpy end, and make the pine nut inside slide out of the casing.

DIEGO: Eu posso também abrir a casca com os dentes. Aí eu só tenho que morder o pinhão naquela extremidade gordinha, e fazer o pinhão que está dentro deslizar para fora do envoltório.

DIEGO: Now, let's take a look at the Brazilian pine tree, where these guys come from. So you can come with me over here...

DIEGO: Agora, vamos dar uma olhada no pinheiro-brasileiro, de onde esses caras vêm. Então pode vir comigo por aqui...

CAPTION: These pine trees are also known as "araucárias".

LEGENDA: Esses pinheiros também são conhecidos como "araucárias".

DIEGO: ...and this is our east-facing window. This is a typical autumn Saturday morning in Brazil, sunny... in southern Brazil, I mean. Sunny... and those are the Brazilian pine trees, very common here...

DIEGO: ...e esta é a nossa janela voltada para o leste. Essa é uma típica manhã de sábado de outono no Brasil, ensolarada... no sul do Brasil, eu digo. Ensolarada... e aqueles são os pinheiros-brasileiros, muito comuns aqui...

DIEGO: And this is our north-facing window...

DIEGO: E esta é a nossa janela voltada para o norte...

CAPTION: They are also native to parts of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

LEGENDA: Eles também são nativos de partes da Argentina, Paraguai e Uruguai.

DIEGO: ...there is downtown Caxias do Sul, over there, as you can see... you can spot more Brazilian pine trees over there, by the church.

DIEGO: ...lá está o centro de Caxias do Sul, lá adiante, como você pode ver... você pode avistar mais pinheiros-brasileiros ali adiante, junto à igreja.

CAPTION: Araucárias are also called candelabra due to their shape.

LEGENDA: Araucárias também são chamadas "candelabros" devido à sua forma.

CAPTION: Paraná pine is still another name.

LEGENDA: Pinheiro do Paraná ou pinheiro-do-paraná é ainda um outro nome.

DIEGO: So, you can prepare the pinhões - the Brazilian pine nuts - in a number of ways, and you can find them in a number of dishes.

DIEGO: Então, você pode preparar os pinhões - os "pine nuts" brasileiros - de uma série de formas, e você pode encontrá-los em uma série de pratos.

CAPTION: Dishes with pinhão include PAÇOCA, where it is ground and mixed with minced meat (pork or beef) and spices.

LEGENDA: Pratos com pinhão incluem a PAÇOCA, onde ele é moído e misturado com carne moída (porco ou gado) e temperos.

DIEGO: So, the main ways to prepare pinhões are: you can cook them under pressure; you can roast them on a hot plate (for example, a griddle - but, traditionally, this is done here in the south of Brazil by placing the pinhões on top of wood-burning stoves, so you roast them); and you can also scorch them, so you roast them directly on fire, and you litteraly let them scorch. And this is in fact the most traditional way to prepare pinhões here in the south. So people light the sprigs of the very Brazilian pine tree on fire, and with that fire they scorch the pine nuts.

DIEGO: Bom, as formas principais de se fazer pinhão são: você pode cozinhá-los na pressão; você pode tostá-los em uma chapa quente (por exemplo, um grelhador de chapa - mas, tradicionalmente, isso é feito aqui no sul do Brasil colocando os pinhões em cima de fogões a lenha, e aí você tosta eles); e você pode também chamuscá-los ou sapecá-los, então você tosta eles diretamente no fogo, e você literalmente deixa eles chamuscarem ou sapecarem. E esse é na verdade o jeito mais tradicional de fazer pinhões aqui na região Sul. Então as pessoas colocam fogo nos ramos, ou grinfas, do próprio pinheiro-brasileiro e com esse fogo elas sapecam os pinhões.

CAPTION: Araucárias are nowadays critically endangered, mainly due to logging and farming expansion in the past century.

LEGENDA: Araucárias estão hoje em dia em perigo crítico de extinção, principalmente devido à derrubada para madeira e à expansão da agricultura no século passado.

CAPTION: Pinhões can be collected from the ground around the pines.

LEGENDA: Os pinhões podem ser catados do chão em volta dos pinheiros.

DIEGO: Now, look at the size of that tree, the Brazilian pine tree... this is tens of meters tall. And by its base, on the ground around it, you can find /(...)/ empty shells, because there are some animals that also feed on these Brazilian pine nuts; as you can see, there are tons of pine tree sprigs on the ground that we're gonna be using to make the fire.

DIEGO: Olha só o tamanho dessa árvore, o pinheiro-brasileiro... isso são dezenas de metros de altura. E pela base dele, no chão em volta dele, você encontra /(...)/ cascas vazias, porque há alguns animais que também se alimentam desses pinhões brasileiros; como você pode ver, tem um monte de grinfas no chão, que a gente vai usar para fazer o fogo.

CAPTION: We first set a layer of sprigs and spread some pine nuts on top. 

LEGENDA: A gente primeiro coloca uma camada de grinfa e espalha alguns pinhões por cima.

CAPTION: We then add some more sprigs, pine nuts, and keep repeating the process...

LEGENDA: A gente então coloca mais algumas grinfas, pinhões, e segue repetindo o processo...

CAPTION: The araucária sprig is called "grinfa" or "grimpa" here in the south.

LEGENDA: O ramo de araucária é chamado "grinfa" ou "grimpa" aqui na região Sul.

CAPTION: A fire is lit at the base of the heap.

LEGENDA: O fogo é aceso na base do monte.

CAPTION: A fairly tall heap produces a tall flame...

LEGENDA: Um monte razoavelmente alto produz uma chama alta...

CAPTION: ...which is ideal for roasting the pinhões.

LEGENDA: ...que é ideal para assar os pinhões.

ISABEL: "Can you hear the pinhões pop?"

ISABEL: Tá ouvindo o barulhinho dos pinhões,  lá ó?

DIEGO: Mhm... They're starting to pop.

DIEGO: Mhm... Eles tão começando a estourar.

CAPTION: This preparation method is called "sapêco" (scorching).

LEGENDA: Esse método de preparo é chamado "sapêco" (chamusco).

ISABEL: "You can take it and eat it if you want."

ISABEL: Ó, pode pegar ele pra comer, se tu quiser.

CAPTION: This is my first time eating pinhão prepared in this way...

LEGENDA: Esse é a primeira vez que eu estou comendo pinhão feito desse jeito...

DIEGO: Very, very hot.

DIEGO: Muito, muito quente.

DIEGO: Mmm... hmmmm! Hm-hmmmmmm!!! Very good! It's crunchy! ("It is crunchy!").

DIEGO: Mmm... hmmmm! Hm-hmmmmmm!!! Muito bom! Tá crocante! (Ele tá crocante!).

ISABEL: "It is different."

ISABEL: Ele é diferente.

DIEGO: Mhm. Tastes better than the one we cook under pressure. Definitely. That's why this is the traditional way to prepare it! Now I know.

DIEGO: Mhm. É melhor que o que a gente faz na pressão. Sem dúvida. É por isso que esse é o jeito tradicional de fazer ele! Agora eu sei.

DIEGO: "It comes out really tastsy."

DIEGO: Ele fica bem gostoso.

ISABEL: "It comes out different!"

ISABEL: Ele fica diferente!

DIEGO: So tasty, crunchy...

DIEGO: Tão gostoso, crocante...

CAPTION: The pine nut season is in fall, when temperatures start to drop from an average of 20ºC in late summer to as low as around 5°C, or even lower.

LEGENDA: A temporada do pinhão é no outono, quando as temperaturas começam a cair de uma média de 20ºC no fim do verão para mínimas de até 5ºC, ou até menos.

CAPTION: Pinhão is thus often associated with coziness in chilly days...

LEGENDA: O pinhão é, portanto, frequentemente associado a aconchego em dias frios...

CAPTION: ...specially when it is prepared on a wood burning stove...

LEGENDA: ...especialmente quando ele é preparado na chapa de um fogão a lenha...

CAPTION: ...which warms up the house.

LEGENDA: ...que aquece a casa.

CAPTION: Finally, you can alternatively cook them in water...

LEGENDA: Por fim, você também pode cozinhá-los na água...

DIEGO: Now I'm gonna put the pine nuts, the pinhões, in the pressure cooker...

DIEGO: Agora eu vou colocar os "pine nuts", os pinhões, na panela de pressão...

CAPTION: I add enough water so that they cook under pressure for at least 40 minutes.

LEGENDA: Eu adiciono água suficiente para que eles cozinhem na pressão por pelo menos 40 minutos.

CAPTION: When the shell cracks, the pinhão is ready to be eaten.

LEGENDA: Quando a casca se rompe, o pinhão está pronto.

CAPTION: When cooked in water, it remains soft and somewhat flexible.

LEGENDA: Quando cozido na água, ele fica macio e um pouco flexível.

CAPTION: Pinhão can also be eaten as a pastel filling.

LEGENDA: O pinhão também pode ser comido como um recheio de pastel.

CAPTION: It tastes better when combined with ground meat!

LEGENDA: Ele fica melhor quando combinado com carne moída!

MESSAGE: Thanks for watching!

MENSAGEM: Obrigado por assistir!

SOURCES

Revista Piauí Online: O POVO QUE FEZ DO PINHÃO UMA FLORESTA. Available at https://piaui.folha.uol.com.br/o-povo-que-fez-do-pinhao-uma-floresta/

The Conversation. Climate breakdown is pushing Brazil’s iconic Araucaria tree to extinction – new research - Oliver Wilson. Available at https://theconversation.com/climate-breakdown-is-pushing-brazils-iconic-araucaria-tree-to-extinction-new-research-123068

Araucaria Angustifolia. Wikipedia English. Available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_angustifolia

Araucária. Wikipédia em português. Available at https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arauc%C3%A1ria

Flora de Uruguay. Wikiwand. Available at https://www.wikiwand.com/es/Flora_de_Uruguay

Southern Cone. Wikipedia English. Available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Cone

Global Trees Campaign. Paraná Pine. Available at https://globaltrees.org/threatened-trees/trees/parana-pine/

Brazilian Pastel - golden brown and crunchy

The pastel is a typical turnover pastry in Brazil, traditionally savory, and usually eaten as a snack. This popular dish can be found anywhere in the country, from convenience stores to bakeries, cafes and even specialized restaurants.

(Pictures: Diego Mandarino) 

Check out the video below to learn more about the Brazilian pastel. At the end of the text you will find my recipe for the ground beef I fill baked pastéis with.

                                                    Video doesn't show up? Watch here.

Pastel preparation: Isabel Spido Mapelli and Diego Mandarino
Images and editing: Diego Mandarino
Music: https://www.bensound.com

Many people in the country say that the perfect accompaniment for pastel is the sugarcane juice (caldo de cana), a beverage suited specially for hot weather - the sweet juice from a freshly pressed cane in a glass with ice cubes is a soothing balm on the oppresive, sultry days of summer. But its combination with pastel is generally regarded as a fine snack all year round throughout Brazil. 

To me, pastel is an awesome dish, no matter where, no matter what season or time of the day it is. On the cold, wintry days here in the south of the country, it is particularly great with soup for lunch or dinner, and also between meals with a cup of coffee, tea or even hot chocolate. 

Pastel to take away or dine in

I can think of at least two shops here in my neighborhood in Caxias do Sul that sell pastel fried on the spot. You will often find pastéis in display counters at bakeries, snack bars and cafes; they are usually very good, though not as good as if they had been fried at the moment. 

However, be mindful that, in some cases, the fried pastel might have been sitting in these counters for hours, so its pastry has probably become a little rubbery. It is a good idea to ask the attendant how long ago the pastel was fried. Otherwise, the only way to know its quality is by having one; most places care for their reputation, whether they are big or small, fancy or humble. But there are always those that do not offer a good standard of food.

Half-moon-shaped or rectangular

In general, pastéis that are sold at food shops, markets and restaurants are of a larger size than the usual homemade pastel, and sometimes of a rectangular shape rather than a semicircle. The round piece of dough for the latter is usually a little over 10 centimeters in diameter, while the former is typically at least 15 centimeters in length after folded. Some places, commonly pubs and bars, serve tiny pastéis (pasteizinhos) in portions. At birthday parties, people in Brazil use to serve nibble-sized pasteizinhos of no more than 3 cm, which are placed in a tray that customarily rests on a table for the guests to help themselves.

Flavors

Ground beef and heart of palm with cheese fillings

At pastelarias - stores specialized in serving pastéis - you can find a wide variety of fillings. Here are the most traditional ones that I can recall:

- Ground beef (commonly with pieces of boiled eggs and sometimes olives)

- Cheese

- Shredded chicken (sometimes with corn)

- Heart of palm (often with cheese)

- Shrimps

- Codfish

- Corn (often with cheese)

- Guava paste with cheese (a sweet combination popularly known as "Romeo and Juliet")

Ground beef filling for baked pastéis

This is my recipe for the ground beef filling. You will need:

- BEEF: Approximately 500g of minced beef

- ONION: One small or medium-sized onion

- GARLIC: 4 or 5 cloves of garlic

- BUTTER: A soup spoon of butter

- SALT

- TOMATOES: 3 or 4 tomatoes

- EGG: 1 or 2 eggs

- PAPRIKA: Sweet paprika

- BASIL: A handful of dried basil leaves

(Note: these amounts are enough to make two dozens of pastéis, using approximately 500g of dough)

Chop up the onion, the garlic and the tomatoes. In a wok or saucepan, put the butter and add a few pinches of salt. Start sautéing the onion and add the garlic a little later so that it doesn't overcook. You then put in the beef and try to sear most of it before adding the tomato pieces. After you put in the tomato, boil the egg or eggs for 3 minutes in a separate pot, remove their shells and add them to the mix, cutting them into pieces with a knife. 

While letting the water released by the ingredients reduce, sprinkle the sweet paprika over the surface of the beef and add a handful of dried basil leaves. Taste the mix and adjust the salt as needed. Stir if necessary and, when there is only little water left, turn off the burner. It is important that the mixture remains moisty, as it will be afterwards heated in the oven, inside the pastel dough.

(Check out how I bake the pastéis in the video above).

Baked pastéis that have just come out of the oven

Homemade pastéis to be fried in a skillet

Check out these other contents:

- What a nice smell! The Gaucho churrasco!

- Cassava (aipim): a South American root

- Milk sweet: a spread that tastes like home

Caxias do Sul - RS, Brazil: The Pearl of the Colonies

Caxias do Sul is the second largest city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul after Porto Alegre, the state's capital
Photo: Diego Mandarino

I live in Caxias do Sul, an industrial hub in the mountains in the south of Brazil. Although it is a prosperous city with half a million inhabitants, the “Pearl of the Colonies”, as it is also known, keeps many features of the quiet countryside village it once was. Its roots as a rural settlement (a colony) of Italian migrants in Brazil in the last quarter of the 19th century are still strongly felt in today's culture and habits of its population.

For example, many people have lunch at home instead of eating in a restaurant near their workplace or taking a lunchbox to work*. As a consequence, rush hours in Caxias include not only the usual morning and evening hours, when most people commute, but also the period at the end of the morning and beginning of the afternoon. Another example is that, even though the city does have a thriving downtown commercial area with many trendy stores, restaurants, and pubs, it all gets surprisingly dead on Sundays, to such an extent that it looks like an old-western town in the United States, with a ball of hay rolling on the main street. Not much cultural activity takes place here – that is, in the urban area; religious feasts and balls happen at different times of the year in rural communities in the municipality of Caxias do Sul, but those are usually meant for community members themselves and invited friends, not the general public.

Raffle during a rural community feast in Caxias do Sul
Photo: Diego Mandarino 

In fact, urban Caxias seems to be all about daytime, weekday business: it is essentially a Monday-to-Friday city (and arguably Saturday, when shops in town are open as well). Differently from other towns and villages in this region of mountain ranges, tourists in Caxias do Sul are typically industrial executives traveling for business, trying to strike good deals during their stay. Hotel occupancy is high from Monday to Friday, but laughable on weekends. That is even odder considering that traditional leisure tourism flourishes in towns close by, for the region is a major wine producer and its magnificent landscapes and cuisine attract countless visitors.

Superb food  

Caxias do Sul is, nonetheless, a vibrant city during weekdays, with high-quality restaurants, some of which bring about very localized activity - also on Saturdays and Sundays at lunchtime, amidst an awkwardly “sleepy” urban territory, with its tall buildings and wide, empty streets. Caxias is an outstanding destination if you enjoy eating out, so much so that some domestic tourists come from Porto Alegre – the state’s capital – and surroundings by car to have lunch in Caxiense eateries after a two-hour drive with a few enjoyable scenic features.

In this regard, much of the city’s strength lies in the Italian settlers' cuisine, which is marked by a variety of pastas and roasted chicken, and the Gaucho churrasco from Rio Grande do Sul. Other less-known specialties include a particular style of “xis” (pronounced like “sheeze”), a regional word used in the state of Rio Grande do Sul that comes from the English “cheese” and is an abbreviation of “xisburguer”, meaning a sandwich with hamburger and cheese (cheeseburger); and the local “bauru”, which, unlike the homonymous sandwich found throughout Brazil, is a dish that consists of beef steaks covered with slices of ham, cheese and tomato sauce, with rice and mayonnaise potato salad served on the side.

A wider diversity of cooking styles would be welcome, though. In any case, a handful of assorted ethnic restaurants have been established in town lately, and more will hopefully keep joining this promising colorful scene. 

A kiwifruit vineyard in Caxias do Sul
Photo: Diego Mandarino

As I mentioned at the beginning, Caxias do Sul is an industrial city, but agriculture has remained strong in the municipality since the early European settlers. The main crop is grape, as the region is a strong wine producer - the Grape Festival (Festa da Uva), usually held every two years during the harvest period, is the city’s only major tourist event. But Caxias is also important in the production of fruits and vegetables in general.

The Palanquinhos Canyon in the Caxiense country landscape
Photo: Suelen Mapelli

A charming soul...  

Despite the urbanization process that started a little over a hundred years ago, Caxias do Sul has kept its rural, colonial soul across several generations. And this is where liveliness, however not in urban’s terms, is still to be found to this day, along with stunning scenery. Just like João do Rio’s “charming soul of the streets” in early 20th century Rio de Janeiro, the Pearl of the Colonies also possesses a charming soul, but in its rural environment.

If you are a regular tourist in Rio Grande do Sul, you might rather want to visit other towns here in the Serra Gaúcha (the Gaucho mountains) region, which are more tourism driven. But if you search for a different experience, you might want to venture in the Caxiense scene. By car, preferably, so you can explore the innumerous country roads.

Interestingly enough, I think I would not have been able to make the most of what Caxias do Sul can offer had I not come to settle here (I am from a different Gaucho region myself). I think it is by truly becoming one with the locals that I have been able to experience some of the place’s unique attractions.

Church of the Rocca, on a Caxias rural mountaintop
Photo: Diego Mandarino

*Cultural note: in Brazil, the main meal is usually lunch, not dinner as it is in many other countries. We do not have just a sandwich and fruit around noon; we always sit at the table to eat, on a plate, foods like rice and beans, meat, potatoes, salad, oftentimes pasta, and so on. In some families, lunch and dinner are equally important. Lunch is always a big meal in Brazil.

♫ Gumdrops keep sweetening my head ♫

Following the Easter celebrations, zillions of homes in the world are flooded with sugary treats brought by the bunny. While many people are now filled with guilt for binge eating chocolate, I invite you to go a different way. Instead of consuming yourself with worry about your body shape, let us dwell for a few moments in yet another sweet childhood memory in this blog: gumdrops.

Here in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, we call them balas de goma (literally: gum candies). In other parts of the country, they are called jujubas.

Strawberry, lemon, pineapple and tangerine-flavored gumdrops
Photo: Diego Mandarino 

I had the opportunity to meet these colorful sugar gems once again this Easter, after a long while. So much time had passed that I had grown doubtful about the quality of gumdrops, thinking it might have been a childhood passion that would not persist in adult life.

But... how surprised I was a few days ago when I chewed the first one from a small bag of ten. All of a sudden, my sugar-coated memories proved to be consistent enough, for the taste of the slightly sticky pellet brought those elusive sensorial remembrances back to life as it massaged all the areas inside my mouth and its aroma hit my tasting nerves.

The first thing I have always liked about gumdrops is that their colors are not random, but each one indicates a specific flavor. The second important aspect for me about them is that these candies are indeed fruit-flavored; our taste buds can feel the strawberry signature in the red drop,  the lemon trademark in the green drop, and so on. They are not bland at all, as is sometimes the case with other sweets. No; gumdrops have distinctive savors.

I like all gumdrops, but the pineapple one strikes a special chord. It's often the yellow one in a pack. The orange one, tangerine-flavored, is also special. 

What about you? Do you like gumdrops? How are they called where you come from? Do you have a favorite flavor?