Próspero Ano Novo

In some parts of the world it's already year 2007. Here in Brazil it's still 2006 for another 8 hours. Well almost, 7,5 :)

This year has been good to me, my other blog in swedish has done well and i hope this one will become an inspiration to many others from around the world.

Actually I haven't prepared anything special for tonight, I'm gonna make some tortillas in a little while. I have to confess it's not what I want to do when it's 30+ degrees C outside but.... no choice if I want a mexican "touch" tonight. I did however make a heartshaped merenguecake this morning. I almost burned the meregue and the chocolate sauce but in the end it all turned out ok.

I wish you all A Happy New year!

Truffas

I went on a 4 hour long ¨course¨on how to make perfect truffles a few weeks ago. It was very interesting, and I learned a lot. For example, that the temperature of the cream and chocolate has to be the same when you mix them, and the chocolate has to be kept in the refrigerator over night, at least 24 hours.
That's what the chocolatier said, but most people/recipes says different.
In most recipes you gently heat the cream and melt the chocolate in the cream. The chocolatier said different, you melt the chocolate in a bowl, placed on top of a pan filled with water that is 37-40 degrees C. Let it melt, let the heated cream cool down, simply mix chocolate, cream and add flavor of your choice.

Since the course I have tried various kinds of truffles; cardamon, cinnamon, mulled wine, rose pepper, pink pepper with black pepper and now chili and sugarcane rum and chili/sugarcane rum and salt tryffles.

I have been curious to make chilitruffles after I tried it once in a chocolate shop. First, I was a bit worried it might go wrong, but after studying several recipes I decided to have a go at it myself.
So yesterday I took 200g dark chocolate, 100ml single cream, 2tsp sugarcane rum, half a small red chili and made my chili truffles.

Chili truffles with sugarcane rum

200g dark chocolate
100ml single cream
2teaspoon sugarcane rum/rum
0.5 small red chili

Put the cream to boil, add the finely chopped chili * use a scissor instead so you don't have to touch the chili*
Let simmer for 1-2 min and remove the chili from the cream. Add the finely chopped chocolate to the cream and stir gently for everything to melt. Add the rum.
Place in a suitable bowl and cover and leave overnight in the fridge.

For Chili truffles with salt simply add a pinch of salt into the chocolate and stir well. Taste to see if further salt is needed.
Absolutely delicious!!

The chili and the rum combine well and leaves a nice stingy flavor when eaten. I can't stand spicy food but this is just perfect so don't be afraid to try it if you don't like spicy food.

The pink pepper truffle is an absolute favorite of mine now!

*Blogger won't let me post any pics at the moment so pic's are coming later.*

Feliz Natal!

I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Here in Brazil it's raining and I have no christmas feeling what so ever. Unfortunatley.
I have baked som ginger cookies and saffron buns, a must if you're a swede like me. Now the traditional ¨Vörtbröd¨ is about to be put in the oven as well. Vörtbröd is a traditional swedish bread which is made with different spices such as cardamon, fennel and anise among others. You can either make it with water or beer. I chose to go for beer and I can tell you the bread does smell of beer.
It's a very pleasant smell though and I can't wait to eat it with the rosted ham that's in the oven at the moment.

Here in Brazil I must say the christmas food is a bit boring, well at least what I've seen. I haven't seen anything that I've gone: ¨Oooh¨ for. The only thing that is a must have on the brazilian christmas table is Pannettone. Yes, fruitcake. I prefer the chocolate one though.
If anyone knows any typical brazilian christmas food, please do tell me. I might have missed it.

Well this christmas is a very light christmas, I have eaten so much meat this week that I will have problems eating the ham I fear. I made some cardamon tryffles and some mulled wine tryffles yesterday. Very nice although I would have like the mulled wine tryffles to have a stronger flavour. Next time I'll make it stronger.

Now I'm just going to figure out something delicious to make of the saffron that has been left over as I don't want to make anymore saffron buns.

Anne has posted about saffronbuns.

Merry Christmas! Feliz Natal! God Jul!

Fraternisaçao

Yesterday I went to the annual Christmas party that my job offers. A traditional gathering is usually at a barbecue.
Nothing different this year. We all went to a specialized BBQ place where they serve all kinds of different meat. Pork, roast, Brazilian sausages, grilled cheese, pineapple etc.

The waiters were running around with all the meat and I finally had to ask how many different kids of meat they had and the answer was 15.
Quite a lot if you ask me :)
The waiters serves you as long as you are eating.

I did my best to try to eat as much as I could but I have to say it was difficult and maybe I only tried half of what I'd liked to.

Well if you ever come around to Brazil you definitely have to go to a churrascaria! The best meat in one place. And you can eat as much as you like!

Or maybe you already know a nice churrascaria and would like to share your experiences here?

A nice Sunday

Today has been a nice sunday, the sun is shining and it hasn't rained. It has rained mroe or less the whole week but not today.

I usually go to the Farmers market on sundays but now I haven't gone for 2weeks. Reason being I have already bought my vegetables at the supermarket at a better price. Sometimes you can really find some goodies at the farmers market, but they can be expensive. As I am on a tight budget at the moment I haven't got any spare pennies to spend so I have to keep a close-eye on my spendings. So far it's ok.

Recipies coming up...

Chá de amendoim

Now when Christmas is knocking on our door we want to make some nice food to warm ourselves with. How about making a delicious hot peanut milk drink instead of hot cocoa?

Chá de amendoim
300 g roasted peeled peanuts
1 can of condensed milk
1 Liter milk

Mix the peeled peanuts and the condensed milk in a blender together with 1 liter milk.
Heat the remaining milk in a pan and add the peanut milk. Stir well, remove from the heat when the milk starts to boil.
Serve immediately

Lichia Seca

Dried lichia kernels.
Sometimes it's not the fresh fruit that is the most beautiful. Sometimes the leftovers are what attracts us. At least in this case.

Jiló

Jilo is a typical Brazilian vegetable related to aubergine/eggplant. It´s origins are unknown but here in Brazil it´s usually found at the Farmer´s Market.
The Farmer´s Market is held throughout the city the whole week. So if you need to find vegetables at a good price you should seek out the closest market.

To eat Jiló it´s best if you cook it in some water a few minutes before. The taste is very sour and bitter and not very nice if you ask me but who knows, maybe I just didn´t prepare it the right way.
If you happen to find Jiló you can also fry it with some garlic and vegetables. Or you can make slimming tea if you´re worried about your waistline.

It´s very beautiful to look at though I must say.

Brazilian Food Love

Interested in Brazilian Food and culture?
I already have another blog about brazilian food but it's in swedish. As the interest for brazilian food is quite big I decided to share my experiences with the rest of the world.

Here you will get nice recipies, lots of food talk and other intersting facts about brazil.

If you happen to know swedish or just want to take a look at my other blog it's called Brazilian Linda.

See you soon!