Brazilian Recipe: Vatapá Posted by Rachel on Jan 25, 2011
Vatapá is a traditional dish from Brazil’s Northeast region, particularly Bahia and Pará. It’s a delicious fish stew made with shrimp, coconut milk, and palm oil, and comes from Brazil’s African cooking traditions. Today we’re going to learn how to make this prato brasileiro! Vatapá Recipe Ingredients -2 cups torn pieces of white bread –…
The Countryside Posted by polyana on Jan 24, 2011
I just spent this past weekend in the countryside (interior) on a sítio, right outside São Paulo with some friends. Or was is a chacara? Or fazenda? The definitions of these different types of properties in the country are difficult to define, but after some research, I have come to the following conclusions on the…
Flooding in Rio Posted by Rachel on Jan 21, 2011
We’ve written about flooding in Brazil before, like the Santa Catarina floods in 2008 and the coastal flooding in Rio de Janeiro last year. There’s often seasonal flooding, particularly in the south, but this year has been exceptionally bad. Heavy rains [chuvas] and floods [enchentes] have affected Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Santa Catarina, but…
Arrasar Posted by Rachel on Jan 18, 2011
Last week, we took a look at the adjective arrasado. This week, we’re going to look at the verb arrasar, which has a few similar negative meanings, and a few very different positive connotations. 1. Destroy, devastate (literally or emotionally) As chuvas arrasaram a Região Serrana do Rio. The rains devastated Rio’s mountain region. A…
How to Order Coffee in Brazil Posted by polyana on Jan 17, 2011
Since it’s Monday morning, let’s talk coffee, shall we? For those of you who are big coffee drinkers, the best advice I can give you for when you get to Brazil and walk into a corner padaria is… take what you can get. Depending on where you are, there are very limited choices in what…
Brazilian Nicknames Posted by Rachel on Jan 13, 2011
One of the most important things to know before traveling or moving to Brazil is that nicknames are not only common, but an important part of Brazilian culture. Many people get a nickname, sometimes early in life. It can be a shortening of a person’s name, like Eduardo being called Dudu or José being called…
Arrasado Posted by Rachel on Jan 11, 2011
There are some words in Portuguese that have multiple meanings, but their most literal meanings relate to their other meanings. Arrasado is such a word, and it’s a helpful adjective to know. Let’s take a look at the different uses and some examples. 1. Demolished, crushed, knocked down O prédio foi arrasado durante o terremoto…