Exotic Fruits, Freshly Squeezed

A trip to Brazil brings many new, strange and unusual things with it. Among them an overwhelming amount of exotic fruits. For Brazilian consumers, fresh fruit is available almost always and everywhere at a reasonable price. Under excellent climatic conditions, it grows and flourishes throughout the country. This is evidenced by the rich offer in cafés, bars, and restaurants, where the "sucos naturais" (freshly squeezed juices) or "[vitaminas" (smoothies) are part of the standard range. In health-conscious regions such as Florianopolis, people like to grow them in their gardens and harvest them directly from their front door. The colorful and multi-colored delicacies are an ever-present and integral part of Brazilian culture.

Thanks to their essential nutrients and vitamins, fruits and vegetables make a decisive contribution to a balanced diet. Those who like to eat sustainably, i.e. fresh, healthy, and regional, will get their money's worth in Brazil. Vegetarians and vegans can also draw on the full range of products, although the local cuisine is traditionally meat-based. Let's take a look at some of Brazil's fruits, which are difficult or even impossible to find in Germany:

You can find them in the Sacolao (fruit and vegetable shop), at the weekly market, or in your garden. Two particularly interesting types of fruit are Acerola and Butia. The red acerola cherry grows in large parts of South America. It is rich in vitamin C and tastes sour. This is why acerola is usually used as a food supplement or processed into jam. Butias come from the so-called "jelly palm", which is also found mainly in Latin America. The small yellow or red fruits can either be eaten directly or boiled up to jelly. The sour Amazon berry Camu-Camu has the highest vitamin C content of all fruits. Goiabas are widespread throughout Brazil and are often pureed into juice. As a jelly, they form the basis of the typical dessert "Romeu e Julieta" (white cheese on Goiaba jelly).

Since the fruits are on the presentation plate, it is of course a good idea to put your own hands on them. There are no limits to creativity. If you don't have the rainforest in the neighborhood or local fruit cultivation, you can buy the desired ingredients in the nearest store and get down to business. For example, a mix of acerola and orange makes a colorful and delicious combination.

Proposal for an orange-lime-acerola juice:

First, wash the acerolas and remove their stems. Then put the berries in the blender together with the water for two minutes. Next, filter the mixture to separate the seeds from the juice. Now squeeze the oranges and the lime, by hand or with the help of an electronic juicer. Finally, mix the two liquids and add cinnamon and/or honey as desired.
If you are already starting to get your mouth watering while reading this, you should remember the recipe for your next Brazil vacation. The tasty drink is wonderful to enjoy in a hammock under palm trees on the beach. Cheers or better said "Saude", we are in Brazil ;-)

Source: Anabella