Catupiry- Brazilian Cream Cheese

Catupiry- Brazilian Cream Cheese

Catupiry is the American equivalent of cream cheese. It was first made by an Italian immigrant in Minas Gerais in 1911. Catupiry is not as thick as cream cheese and much easier to spread. Just looking at it and its consistency you might think it looks more like mayonnaise than cream cheese, which is what I thought when I first saw it.

Catupiry can be used on bread or toast, or really anything you want to put it on. I have only tried it on Pao de queijo, however I prefer the pao de queijo plain instead of with catupiry. 

My First Brazilian Restaurant Experience

My first Brazilian Restaurant Experience: Cantinho Latino Restaurant

I figured since my part of the blog was about Brazilian food, I could talk about my first experience having Brazilian food. The first Brazilian restaurant I went to was called Cantinho Latino Restaurant located on Cross Ave in Elizabeth, New Jersey, just minutes away from Kean. If you are Brazilian or like Brazilian food, you are probably familiar with this restaurant. There are also other good Brazilian restaurants in Newark; however those restaurants are more expensive.

I was first exposed to Brazilian cuisine in September when I started dating my boyfriend Allan, who was born and raised in Brazil. He was used to eating Brazilian and Portuguese food a lot knew that I loved eating anything and everything, so he took me to this Brazilian restaurant one night to try. We walked in the restaurant, and as soon as the woman behind the counter saw us walk in, she started speaking to us in Portuguese. My first thought was, “Umm what is she saying to us?” Meanwhile, my boyfriend was going back and forth with her in Portuguese translating everything the two of them said for me so that I knew what was going on. It was an interesting experience. The woman made me feel more at ease when two minutes later she looked at me and told me that her husband was American and didn’t speak Portuguese.

We got a menu which was written in Portuguese but translated underneath in English. I immediately asked Allan what food was good, since I had never had any Brazilian food before. He told me that he pretty much ordered the same thing every time. Some kind of meat, usually chicken, steak or pork, grilled or fried. We ordered Bife a Cavallo which is steak with egg and a similar meal with chicken which I forget what it was called. We had Guarana, Brazilian soda to drink, and rice, beans, and yucca to go with the food. It was my first time having all this new food that I NEVER EVEN KNEW EXISTED!

I was told that meat or seafood is very common in Brazil and that almost all meals are accompanied by rice and beans (or at least rice).

For dessert we had pudim de leite condensado (pudding of condensed milk) which on the menu was translated to “Flan” in English, although I think that it tasted nothing like flan.  It was very good, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t understand how they could call it flan on the menu when the consistency and texture was clearly nothing similar. Flan has more of the texture of cranberry jelly (the jellied kind not the berry one), and the pudim de leite condensado was much denser, kind of like eating a dense carrot cake but milkier.

All in all, my first Brazilian restaurant experience was wonderful and I have since had a lot of Brazilian/ Portuguese food which I thoroughly enjoy, much like almost anything else I eat. (sad to say, but true)

Manioc- Yucca

Manioc- Yucca-

Yucca, which although sounds foreign IS the English translation of this white starchy vegetable originally grown in Columbia, Venezuela, and Brazil. The fibrous root is the part that people fry and eat. The first time I went to a Brazilian restaurant, the guy taking our order asked us what we wanted as a side with our meal and when he  told us the choices and said yucca, I said, “What’s yucca?” to which my boyfriend responded, “You’ve NEVER had yucca before!?” He told me how popular it was in Brazil and how much he liked it, so he ordered it for me to try.

When I first tasted yucca, I was amazed at how good it tasted and instantly compared it to eating French fries only thicker. That is probably the best description I can give of it. It tastes very starchy and dense but in the best of ways. It is fried, but not fried like eating fried chicken. It is very lightly fried. It is very easy to chew and very satisfying to eat.

After having yucca for the first time, I was surprised that I had never heard of it before. I went home and asked my family if they knew what it was. My siblings (23 and 16) and father had never heard of it or before either. My mother had heard of it before and knew that it was a root and very potato like. I was shocked that she knew what it was but had never mentioned it to me before.

Needless to say, since I liked the taste of it so much, I requested it as a side many times when we went out for Brazilian food.

Being curious about this scrumptious vegetable, I decided to do a little research and was shocked to find on the essortment.com website that “10.5 million lbs. of yucca were sold last year in the United States alone” and that more people are learning how to use it in cooking every day because it is very similar to the qualities of a potato.

Yuca (Cassava) Fries

24JUL

Yuca (cassava) is a starchy, tuberous root that originated in South America, most likely Brazil, and has probably been cultivated for 12,000 years. Today, Africa consumes the most yuca, with Nigeria being the world’s largest producer of the root. When dried, it becomes tapioca. Quite a handy root, eh?

The easiest (and possibly tastiest) way to prepare a yuca root is dead simple: all it takes is a quick boil and a little time with some quality coconut oil.

You’ll Need:
1 yuca/cassava
3 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp sea salt

According to the great and all-knowing internet, when selecting a yuca/cassava you should choose firm tubers with no blemishes and a clean fresh scent. Personally, I just grabbed one that looked nice.

Peel and slice the yuca up into large slices, discarding any soft spots. Place in a pot and fill it with cold water.

Bring the pot to a boil and gently boil for about ten minutes, until the fries are easily pierced with a fork. Be careful not to boil them too long; they start to take on a gelatin-like gooeyness if overcooked.

Let the yuca drain for a few minutes while you warm up the oil in a pan on med/high heat.

I had heard great things about Kelapo’s coconut oil, and they were gracious enough to send me some product to try for myself. This oil had a very mild, light taste and excellent aroma that perfectly complemented the yuca fries and gave them an extra hint of tropical flavor.

Kelapo was also nice enough to give me a coupon code to share with you, my dear readers, so you can try their stuff out yourself! Just use the code “DomesticMan20” during checkout to get 20% off your order, from now until August 24th, 2012. Pretty awesome, huh? Okay, back to the recipe.

Pan-fry the yuca, rotating the fries every few minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Should take about 10 minutes altogether.

Place the fries on some paper towels, and sprinkle with a little salt.

That’s it! These mild-tasting fries are best with a strong, full-flavored dip, but they’re pretty dang good on their own as well.

http://www.essortment.com/yucca-plant-popular-latin-american-root-41917.html

http://thedomesticman.com/2012/07/24/yuca-cassava-fries/

Guarana- Brazilian Soda

Guarana- Brazilian Soda

Guarana is a very popular soda drink in Brazil.

 http://joelens.blogspot.com/2012/02/foodbuzz-24x24-brazilian-carnival.html

A little about Guarana- “Brazil’s guarana soda industry dates back to 1907, and today is Coca-Cola’s fiercest competitor. Guarana Antarctica is the leading big-name brand, but collectively hundreds of smaller brands, many regionally made, make up more than 50 percent of Brazil’s soft drink market.” http://caffeineandyou.com/guarana-soda-brazil/

http://caffeineandyou.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/guarana.jpg 

Guarana is made from the Guarana plant. The plant grows as a vine which bears acorn sized red berries used to make the drink. The fruit is frist dried out, ground up, then brewed or processed to make beverages.

I tried Guarana for the first time with my first Brazilian meal (Bife a Cavallo) and was pleasantly surprised by its good taste. There is more than one brand that makes it, and there are different flavors that it comes in, similar to how you can have Coca-Cola in different flavors.

A little fun fact- Even though Guarana comes from the Guarana fruit which is in Brazil, Guarana is manufactured in Kearny, New Jersey. (This is not the only place it’s made, but I thought it was interesting that it’s made so close by!) I know because it says so right on the can.

Bife a cavallo- Steak on Horseback

Bife a Cavallo – Steak on Horseback

http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/i-love-paraguay-sunnyside?select=iqT3bpmQG66SlzolJ5N2Aw#iqT3bpmQG66SlzolJ5N2Aw –

I decided to include Bife a Cavallo in this presentation because it was the first Brazilian food I ever tried. Bife a Cavallo is funny because if you translate it to English it reads, steak on horseback. This might not make sense at first, especially to people who have never tried this delicious meal before. The reason it got this name is because the way the dish is served. There is a steak on the bottom of the plate, and on top of the steak are onions, and on top of the onions are two sunny side up eggs. The presentation of the eggs on top of the steak is supposed to look like a man on horseback which is where the dish gets its name from.

When I first had this dish, I thought it was odd that eggs and meat were served as part of the same dish. After eating several other Brazilian and Portuguese dishes, I discovered that a lot of Brazilian/Portuguese dishes are composed of Meat and eggs with rice. This seems to be traditional.

Also, as a little side note about the food, Brazilian steak might just be the best meat I’ve ever tasted. It is just so delicious! If you’ve never tried it, I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes meat!

Brigadeiro- Brazilian Truffles

Brigadeiro: 



Probably the national dessert of Brazil they look like balls of chocolate similar to truffles. A thick mix of condensed milk, butter and chocolate powder is rolled into small balls and cooked. Once cooled, they are covered in chocolate sprinkles like a truffle. They are named after a Brigadier that helped stop a communist coup in Rio.

Website for brigadeiro - http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/brigadeiro-brazilian-chocolate-truffles/a8e58baf-35d3-4500-ae1d-828fcfe92aa0 - recipe

I chose to include brigadeiro not only because it is so popular and highly regarded in Brazil but also because I have tried this delicious desert myself. In fact I had my Brazilian boyfriend make it for me one night for desert. I did not have the pleasure of watching him make it, because he made it before I came over, but it was quite good. As an American, I think it tastes very different from chocolate truffles, which is the closest thing that they are comparable to in America. The texture and consistency is very similar, but I think they taste more chocolaty and sweeter. The good thing about Brigadeiro is that you have the freedom to put whatever topping you like on it! Top it with coconut, almonds, sprinkles, chocolate chips, or anything else you like.

The version I had was different from traditional Brigadeiro in the sense that it did not come in little round balls. Instead, it was just in a dish. I have never tried the Brigadeiro in ball form,  but I’m sure it tastes very similar.

 
http://stumblingoverwords.blogspot.com/2011/03/about-brigadeiro.html - this is more what I ate looked like, only with chocolate sprinkles on top.

 Recipe on how to  make Brigadeiro:

Ingredients

2 cans (14 oz each) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts
1/3 cup chopped sliced almonds
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup chocolate candy sprinkles
1/3 cup colored candy sprinkles
More stores

Directions

• 1 Grease large shallow pan or platter with butter. In 4-quart nonstick heavy saucepan, heat condensed milk, cocoa and 2 tablespoons butter to boiling, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and shiny and starts to pull away from bottom and side of saucepan when pan is tilted. Pour mixture into shallow pan; cool completely (refrigerate to firm up faster).
• 2 Place remaining ingredients in separate small bowls. Use teaspoon or melon baller to scoop truffle mixture, then use greased hands to shape into 1- to 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll each ball in pistachios, almonds, coconut or sprinkles. Place in mini paper baking cups.
• 3 Store tightly covered at room temperature up to 2 days or in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

EXPERT TIPS

Expert Tips

To make rolling the balls easier, chill the truffle mixture in the refrigerator until firm before scooping and rolling it.

Toast the almonds and/or pistachios, if desired, before rolling the truffles.

Put a variety of truffles in small gift boxes for friends and family.

The Ugly Eats : "Marmite" a.k.a "Yeast Extract". A Review

DISCLAIMER: *THESE EATS ARE NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. Proceed and/or eat at your own risk! *
This column is dedicated to the most obscure, weirdest, bizarre, unusual, weirdest, and possibly (if you're inclined) the grossest things out there in the culinary world.  These are the foods that separate the men from the boys, and the women from the girls.

There are countless things out there that other cultures count as "food".  What they're eating and the culture where it comes from, as how it could possibly considered as food is all a question of relativity.

My mission is to drag you kicking and screaming out of your culinary comfort zone.  

Are you eating something right now?  If so, I suggest you either finish what you're eating, or put it away.   If you're brave enough, keep reading!

"Welcome to my first entry in the blog "The Good, The Bad. and The Ugly"!   My name is David, and I'll be introducing you to certain foodstuffs you've heard about, but weren't exactly bothered trying.  I am the ugly part of this blog, because some of the stuff I'll be sampling here may be, culinarily speaking, unappealing or offensive to either your eyes or your mouth, or the other five senses.

I also happen to be an ugly person, so it's only proper and fitting that I punish myself for eating such unattractive/unsavory food!  Now enough of my rambling, let's get on with our first featured item!"

Photo Credits: by celestehodges, from Flickr

Tonight's Menu: Marmite!

 The English really are a weird bunch.  Aside from their usual pies, the Fish & Chips, and myriad selections of beer, the English have decided to whip out this stuff.  And they've been eating it since the 19th century. It's one of the many things that defines the Brits, alongside Doctor Who, driving on the left, fish & chips, red telephone boxes, Big Ben, and football hooligans.  It's one of the things that bring the English, Scots, Welsh, and Northern Irish together, when they're not fighting against each other. 
But, you can't be on the fence about this stuff.  This is something that the Brits (and the Irish) actively disagree on.  It has a taste so divisive, it's probably enough to cause a perfectly happy married couple to file for divorce.  Its taste is so strong enough that being a fan could cause you to possibly lose friendships, and possibly even your job. 
It's such a common yet divisive food item, and so strong in flavor, that advertising companies play on the divisiveness.   Hence, its common advertising slogan: "You either love it or hate it."

Paddington Bear is clearly a fan....

 ...while this poor mug isn't.

But then again, the Brits have been eating this stuff since Queen Victoria.   At least Unilever has to be doing something right.  Right? 
 

 But, What is Marmite exactly?  

 Marmtie is a gooey yeast extract (it even says so on the label!), that you can spread on toast like a savory jam, or could be used as a broth for soups and stews.  It's completely vegetarian, so you need not lose sleep eating this stuff, if you are so inclined.  Yes,  it's made of yeast.  You know, the stuff you use to rise bread dough, and the stuff you use to make beer.  You're eating the extract of fungus.

Basically, you're eating the leftovers of beer brewing.  More specifically, the dregs at the bottom of the barrel, after the brewers have finished their work. If you live in the UK, it comes in many seasonal and different varieties, and at one point, there was a Guinness flavoured version of the stuff.
I wanted to try out this uniquely English phenomenon (I have a weird fascination with English culture.) for myself, so I decided to pay the imports section at my local Wegmans a visit.  You should be able to find this at any grocer that has imported goods, or any fine food shops. Whether this item can be considered 'fine' food is a matter of subjectivity.   

But what does it actually taste like? 

I open the lid, and sniff.

.....and surprisingly I'm not taken aback. In fact, I find the smell somewhat comforting and reminiscent of all those greasy fast food carts I would wander in Manhattan on a bad hangover. (WARNING: Your experience may vary.)

It smells like salty vinegar mixed with leftover kitchen grease.   I spin my butter knife around in the jar, and it even has the consistency of grease.  When I pull the butter knife out, the gooey, greasy Marmite sticks to the knife like a lung that's consumed one cigarette too many.  It's dark greasy brown, and has small bits of black and brown specks on the goo.  I suppose if I were really desperate, I could use this as a sort of makeshift buffing compound.  Or I can do a MacGyver oil change with this stuff.

I spread the stuff on some multigrain toast.  I try to spread it on my toast, but the gooey stuff is showing some stubborn sticky resistance, so I have to keep adding more of the Marmite spread to get it on my toast.   It takes me about 30 seconds to actually have an even spread on my toast.
When I'm done, I glance at my plate.  At first look, it seems like I'm about to eat something that's meant for my car, not  my mouth.

I then proceed to eat the toast.  Moment of truth.  I give it a very good and thorough chew.  And it tastes like nothing I've ever had before.  And I've had stronger stuff than this.
 
 There is definitely the taste of beer, after all, this stuff is a by-product of the brewing proccess.   But seconds later, it morphs into a yeasty sort of taste, and interestingly enough, when the toast slides down to the rearmost sides of my tongue, it tastes almost exactly like beef broth.  It reminds me this one time where I overboiled a beef bouillon cube in a pan, and got this sticky black stuff on it, and, deciding not to put the thing to waste, ate it with toast.  It tasted like that, except with a slight beer flavor.   Other than this, I can objectively say the stuff is EXTREMELY salty. 

All in all, I can't say I LOVE the stuff, but if I found it on my plate, or visited Liverpool one day to watch my favourite football team, and ended up in a pub, I'd probably order a side of toast with this stuff.  But I can't say I'd go out of my way again to actually buy it.  Not unless the Brits decide to export the other varieties of Marmite.  I'm sort of itching to get my hands on the Guinness variety, but I don't think it's even made anymore.  If they make a Bass Pale Ale version, I'll be happy to give Marmite another go.

As I've said earlier, they come in different varieties, and Unilever even releases seasonal varieties. I learned they made a Queen's Jubilee version of the stuff on the Wikipedia page. Apparently, the Australians and New Zealanders are also fans of the stuff, only the Australians have their own formula for it, and they call it Vegemite.  

I give Marmite a 3 out of 5.  
  
Have you tried this stuff?  What do you think?  Leave any comments, questions, or suggestions, if you have any, for the next item on the weekly menu.