Learning to Cook

I have always been surrounded by wonderful cooks and bakers. While this has been delightful for my taste buds, I always wondered if I would ever be able to cook like them. When I lived in Brazil, I was forced to learn how to cook because the ingredients at my disposal were so different. The experience was, at first, frustrating. But, once I began to experiment, the world of cooking opened up to me. My recipe box is now brimming, and I thought others might be interested in trying some of the recipes I have found. I haven’t tried them all yet, but I plan to in the future! I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to add your own suggestions/comments.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Caipirinha

1 lime (could alternatively use other citruses - ie: 1/2 tangerine)
2 ounces of cachaça
Sugar to taste
Ice cubes

Wash the lime and roll it on the board to loosen the juices. Cut the lime into pieces and place them in a glass. Sprinkle with the sugar and crush the pieces (pulp side up) with a pestle. (We have a long, wooden one from Brazil, made specifically for this purpose.) Just enough to release the juice, otherwise it'll get bitter. Add the cachaça and stir to mix. Add the ice and stir again. It is delicious and potent!

You can also make a pitcher of caipirinha. Figure out how many people and multiply amounts. If you can't find cachaça where you live, use a good vodka. The drink will then be called caipiroshka. No vodka? Use white rum and you will have a caipiríssima. Caipirinhas made with sake are all the rage in Rio now! Try one...We have a recipe for caipirinha made with tangerine, but you can also try the Brazilian fruit called lima, strawberries, kiwi, fresh passion fruit with mint, passion fruit with pitanga, watermelon, and so on.

From: http://www.maria-brazil.org/caipirinha_de_tangerina.htm

No comments: