A Day at a Beach
On Sunday, Bunny, Julie and I were up early and decided to go up to Praia do Flamengo for the day. It's a nice beach north of the crowded touristy beaches we usually went to. Bunny had been there before so she knew what it looked like. But when our cab driver dropped us off, we had no idea where we were. We decided to head north figuring the cabbie didn't take us far enough. We walked and walked but still saw no sign of it.
We got
tired of trekking through the sand so we stopped at a nice
looking area and got some lunch at a restaurant on the beach. The
menus were only in Portuguese and had plenty of ingredients that
weren't listed in my Lonely Planet phrasebook food glossary. I ordered
frango and I got some sort of unidentifiable chicken bits. But the
seasoning was so good that I couldn't worry about whatever it was that
I was eating. It was really funny that though we were at a restaurant,
vendors were walking through selling all sorts of random food. One guy
was selling shrimp on a stick. Like many countries other than America,
people leave the shrimp in their shells with the legs, antennas, eyes,
etc. People would just take off the head and pop the rest in their
mouth, legs and all. With age and travel, I am making attempts to get
over my hang ups about the source of my food but it was still a bit
disturbing. The funniest vendor was a guy selling a whole raw
octopus... yummy.
After lunch, Julie and Bunny layed out in a
sun while I sat on the cliff above and leaned against a palm tree. I
listened to Buena Vista Social Club while I watched people windsurf by.
It was definitely a moment of pure simple happiness. Bunny and Julie
soon joined me because a huge wave splashed over them and they got
completely soaked.
When it was getting late, I started exploring the area to see if we could get a cab. I had no idea where we were or if we were even still in Salvador. We definitely couldn't find a cab out there. Fortunately, Bunny found a couple of scary looking military police who turned out to be really nice and helpful. They walked us to the bus stop and waited with us until the bus came. I had walked by the area earlier but never would have guessed it was a bus stop because it was just a bench. I guess you just have to be in the know. The police explained to the bus driver that we were lost gringas and told him where we needed to go.
On the bus
we drove through some beautiful areas we'd never seen before. When we
got towards the places we knew, we kept trying to get off, but the
driver told us to wait. When it was our stop, he let us know. The bus
is a great way to get around Salvador- much better than cabbies who
drive you past your destination and much cheaper!
STREET FOOD
Acaraje:
Acaraje is a very popular snack in Salvador that is still eaten today in West Africa. It is sold by Baianas de Acaraje dressed in white traditional candomble attire and you will see them all over town. It is made from mashed black eyed peas which have been rolled into a ball and deep fried in dende oil. The Baianas cut it in half and you can put a variety of condiments inside.
Queijo na brasa:
This is like a cheese kebab grilled on coals. You can find it on the beach and at night in Pelourinho. Some vendors have carts, but most walk around with a large tupperware container full of cheese and a pail of hot coals. When someone orders, the vendor heats it up the (salty) cheese on a stick on the grill. He'll then roll it in some oregano and garlic and voila, queijo na brasa.
Kebabs:
This is simple but tasty food to try at a soccer game. Once you are inside the stadium, you purchase food and drink tickets before you head over the kiosks. The locals usually roll their kebabs in a bowl of manioc flour that the vendor provides.
Empadinhas:
These are like the empanadas you'll find in other Latin American countries, pastry-like snacks filled with cheese or meat.
CONDIMENTS
Pimenta:
There may be a more official name for it, but I always referred to it as pimenta which means "pepper". This is like salsa and it adds a lot of flavor and spice to a simple meal. Take only a little at first to be sure your tongue can handle it!
Farofa:
This is toasted manioc flour that Brazilians get really excited about and seem to put on everything, especially meats and stews.
Vatapa:
A sauce made with shrimp, coconut milk, and bread and usually eaten with acaraje.
Caruru:
A sauce made with okra, nuts, and shrimp and usually eaten with acaraje.
APPETIZERS AND MAIN COURSES
Pao de Queijo:
These are delicious little cheese puffs that are eaten all over Brazil. The dough is made with manioc starch and filled with cheese that melts inside when it bakes. These are eaten at breakfast and they are also typical appetizers at churrascarias. Be careful, they are addictive!
Moqueca:
This is an Afro-Brazilian stew made with coconut milk, tomatoes and dende oil. Usually it is made with fish (peixe) but you can get it with a variety of seafood. I liked it best with shrimp (camarao). On the menu it seems expensive, but it is usually meant to be shared. It comes in a clay pot with rice and manioc flour on the side.
Bobo de Camarao:
This is a shrimp stew made with cassava root, coconut milk, dende oil and ginger and served in a clay pot and eaten with rice. It's like moqueca, but thicker.
DESSERT
Brigadeiros:
These are soft chewy caramel-like chocolate treats that are rolled in chocolate sprinkles. These taste best when they are made with love.
Cocada:
I had coconut sweets in various forms described as cocada. But the ones that were the most common, most tasty, and probably the least healthy were the ones the Baianas sell at their stalls alongside the acaraje. They are circular and flat and they come in different flavors that are some shade of white or brown.
Ice Cream:
There are many shops that sell interesting and tropical flavors of ice cream that you won't find in other places. Also in some parts of Bahia, they have self-serve ice cream where they charge by wieght.
Acai na tigela:
I bought this from a vendor in Morro de Sao Paulo. It is crushed frozen Acai berries topped with granola. It's kind of like sorbet.
There are many other things I tried at the volunteer house and at restaurants, but I don't know the names of all of them. If you're open, you'll stumble accross some interesting flavors. "Cardapio" is the word for menu, and it's a good word to know because I often found myself having to ask for the menu at restaurants. Waiters won't always bring it to you or bring enough for your group. Also, the Lonely Planet Brazilian Portuguese phrasebook has a very helpful food glossary section with descriptions of some Brazilian dishes. It's small and discreet and it came in very handy at restaurants!
