While driving down the ocean road from Barra da Tijuca to Sao Corado during rush hour, traffic was at a standstill. My young cousin, Marcos, decided to cross the double yellow line and drive on the on-coming traffic side of the road. He called this a "jeitinho brasileiro" (jay-cheen-yo) the Brazilian "knack" or "way" for lack of a better word.
It seems this jeitinho is used in everything from negotiating parking spaces to admission to crowded nightclubs, as we did at a packed hotspot in Rio's Lapa neighboorhood. My compadres walked past a block-long queue waiting to enter the oh-so-popular Rio Scenarium. They told the bouncers that their American cousin (me) just wanted to just have a look around.
Once in, our little look-see turned into platefuls of "salgadinhos" (appetizers) and several multi-fruity Caipirinhas, the national cocktail. Three hours of live Samba music and Forro dancing later, we strolled out. It was well past midnight and the line into Scenarium was even longer.
Only in Brazil.
Only in Brazil.
Caipirinha
Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil. A loose translation of the name is "hillbilly." Made with a sugar-cane liquor called cachaca (kah-shah-sa), you can substitute vodka if you can't find any brand of cachaca. It's mixed with lime and sugar so it's sweet, tart and boozy.
You can use superfine sugar (like I do) or make a sugar syrup with sugar and a little water (bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved). If you can't find superfine sugar, take regular granulated sugar and process it in the food processor for about a minute).
Today, there are many recipes for caipirinha -- all made with all. Make it vodka and it's called a Caipirovska. Fun!
For each Caipirinha:
1 lime, quartered
2 tsp. superfine fine sugar
2 ounces cachaca (or your vodka if you can't find cachaca)
Squeeze the lime wedges into a rocks glass (the short one). Place the squeezed wedges into the glass. Pour the sugar over the limes and stir well (muddle or press the sugar into the wedges with a spoon). Fill the glass with crushed ice (or small cubes). Pour the liquor into the glass and stir well.
You can use superfine sugar (like I do) or make a sugar syrup with sugar and a little water (bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved). If you can't find superfine sugar, take regular granulated sugar and process it in the food processor for about a minute).
Today, there are many recipes for caipirinha -- all made with all. Make it vodka and it's called a Caipirovska. Fun!
For each Caipirinha:
1 lime, quartered
2 tsp. superfine fine sugar
2 ounces cachaca (or your vodka if you can't find cachaca)
Squeeze the lime wedges into a rocks glass (the short one). Place the squeezed wedges into the glass. Pour the sugar over the limes and stir well (muddle or press the sugar into the wedges with a spoon). Fill the glass with crushed ice (or small cubes). Pour the liquor into the glass and stir well.
No comments:
Post a Comment