caipirinhas: a matter of great importance

So I thought that I would wait a bit to address the issue of CAIPIRINHAS, but I just couldnt control myself. I mean what if one of you just happened to be leaving on your Rio trip and hadnt read these words of wisdom?

FIRST: I apologize for the half full caipirinha above, but I rarely have my camera with me when out having a caipirinha, So this is a rare pic. But you also must note that this is the famous Azeda Beach caipirinha, which is the most beautiful one I have come across throughout my years of study, complete with a pineapple leaf, a purple grape and a fuschia flower. Only a woman with great taste could have made this!

SECOND: Caipirinhas are made with cachaca and lime and sugar, that´s all. Since limes really dont change much in flavor, much less sugar, you MUST invest in the cachaca (sugar cane alcohol). Cachaca is not rum, not even close to it. It is much more flavorful and doesnt have that strong (rubbing alcohol) smell that some people seem to love....

(this is the bottle you are on the lookout for guys!)

THIRD: What does this all mean? When you go to a restaurant and like a pro you ask for your caipirinha (CAI-PER-EEN-YA), please make certain to ask if they have a special cachaca (KA-SHA-SA). It will cost more but it is worth it. Whatever you do do not, I repeat do NOT have a caipirinha made with 51, pitu or velho barreiro (velyo bahayro). Besides getting a bad tasting caipirinha you will get a serious hangover. If you are lucky enough to be going to a respectable restaurant with a choice of cachaca, then go for NEGA FULO (nega fuLO). If they only have those terrible three mentioned above then have a caipiroska which is exactly the same thing but made with vodka.

FOURTH: Unfortunately all great trips come to an end. When you go home I bet you will be craving a caipirinha. Lucky you, I am going to share the secrets to an excellent caipirinha. Look for some Leblon cachaca which many stores now carry in the States. Buy your juicy limes and I assume you have some sugar at home. Cut the limes lengthwise down the middle and remove the pith with the knife. This is terribly important because the pith is pure bitterness - arg dont want that! Now you should have two pithless halves of a lime. Flip the piece over so it looks like a turtle and make thin slices, but not all the way down to the bottom. Now take the pieces and crush them with a mortar and pestle. Put the smashed limes, one and a half shots of cachaca, two big spoons of sugar and lots of ice into a cocktail shaker, shake like mad and put the whole mess into a beautiful crystal glass, and if you have a flower to decorate with, then all the better!

FIFTH: If you are in Rio then go to the Academia da Cachaca (Cachaca College!) bar/restauarant. It is located in a fun part of Leblon and you can sit on the sidewalk and people watch while you try one of their 50 brands of cachaca, or one of their 20 types of caipirinha! Rua Conde Bernadotte, 26. Tel.(21) 2529-2680

Bira restaurant: only for Cariocas

Welcome to Bira! If this photo on its own doesn't inspire you for some serious seafood stew, you must be on a perpetual diet.

Why would I write that Bira is only for Cariocas? They will certainly very happily accept your money, but they wont accept your credit cards. Furthermore you will have to take an extremely long cab ride. But I wouldn't be writing this unless it was well worth your time (and money!).

This is where my husband and I had our rehearsal dinner for our wedding over 10 years ago. Our guests are still talking about it, or that which they remembered after too many caipirinhas! So, as I am still married to the same wonderful Carioca husband, and above is one of the mini Cariocas we have since created, take a day on the weekend and make the trek to BIRA.

I would suggest renting a cab for the day, through your hotel. This way you can make a day trip out of the affair. First relax in the sun at one of the wildest (as in wildlife) beaches in Rio, called Prainha (tell the cab it is after Recreio beach, he will know). It is in the middle of a wildlife reserve and is, again, one of those non-tourist, Rio native type places. Few gringos to be found here!

Now back to this crazy stew they serve at Bira! After the beach at Prainha, ask the cab to go to Pedra da Guaratiba, which is a small town over the hills. The trip on its own is very picturesque, but again our focus here is food! Once you get to the military entrance in Pedra da Guaratiba there is a sharp turn left and you will go up the hill to Bira. Your cab drive will have to ask some people, but it is easy to find.

The name of the stew is Moqueca. As a national dish you are almost obligated to order it. It will come bubbling to your table, and taking this photo was quite a task as the seafood steam kept fogging up the lens. The stew well reflects that which is Brazil, lots of African flavor, with the coconut milk and palm oil, as well as some coriander to freshen things up a bit. Fish through the stew and you will find octopus, mussels, fish and shrimp. For those of you who are less adventuresome you can order the same stew but just with shrimp and fish. Both come with manioc flour (better than it sounds!) and rice.

And last but not least you are basically eating in a tree house! The view from here over another nature reserve is absolutely spectacular. If you are lucky a mico monkey might scamper though the trees (dont worry they hate octopus stew!). And of course I would never recommend this place if it didnt also have fabulous caipirinhas! (you might want to order some shrimp pasteis to start). Bon appetit!

Rua Barros de Alarcão, 476, Pedra de Guaratiba, 2417-1716