So I am on the countdown to a month long stay in Argentina where I will be doing my capstone (equivalent to a thesis) project with PSU. I think it will be a lot of work, but I am really ready to work in a group and be working towards something. I am finishing my research paper and final assignments so I do not have to work on them while I am on my way to Argentina. I am writing my research paper on the cacao industry here in Bahia, they experienced a huge "cacao crisis"in the 80s and 90s. Its pretty interesting stuff and I get to research about plants and agroforesty and things that grow which is in itself rewarding.
I wanted to do a food update! I have been eating... and eating... and eating! I can't resist trying all the different foods. First off I will talk about fruit! Some of the most amazing fruit I have had! There is all the "normal" tropical fruits, plus some! The most interesting has been Jaca, it has a bit of a savory flavor and its really different than anything I have ever tasted! It is this huge, odd globular fruit with an almost sickly sweet smell. There are two photos, one of the tree and one ready to eat. There is also Caja which is a really sweet fruit that makes great juice, I think the fruit itself sort of looks like small baby tomatoes. Cupuaçu is a different fruit to, its sort of tart which i really like and makes yummy thick juice. There is still a fruit I havent tried, Umbu, that I spotted at the ice cream shop the other day! Ill let you know what its like (its really hard to describe fruit flavors!)
I pretty much eat meat every day, I dont think I will ever be anemic again. A common dish here is called carne do sol (meat of the sun!) it is salted beef which i guess is left out for a day or two to soak in salt and then fried up with tons of onions! Its so tasty. I am definitely gonna try to make it when I make it home! Here dried meats are used a lot, especially in the beans. The dried meat section in the grocery store is not my favorite, it has a pretty intense aroma. Its common to find meat skewers being served on the street at night. One of the local favorites are chicken hearts. I was pretty horrified, but was quickly convinced when i popped the first one in my mouth! They are little bbq ed chicken pods. Very tasty, definitely a favorite! Was served cow liver the other day as well, which i wasnt as fond of but I immediately felt 10 times stronger! Ha! I actually ate quite a bit of it. Chicken legs have been new territory as well. I didnt totally succeed at sucking off all of the skin and tendon stuff...I was having somme trouble. Which was accentuated when a chicken showed up at the doorstep as i was gnawing on her fellow hens toes. That is the content of the above photoed pot! Not sure if those will ever sound appetizing. I had the weirdest hot dog here too, they are pretty popular street food here. I was told they were the best hot dogs in the town Ilheus. Asking for the works i received a bun filled to the brim with as follows: mashed potatoes, hotdog, corn and peas, shredded carrots, raisins, and parmesan cheese. It still dont understand. I missed the sauerkraut.
I eat acai almost everyday, its so tasty and cold! There is also a photo of a little acai bowl with peanuts on top! Yum! Its a much better choice than all of the ice cream, but i can resist all the crazy flavors all the time! I also am pretty addicted to cocadas, which are coconut treats. They are mixed with fruit, like passion fruit or pineapple or some other flavor (cacao!!) and of course sugar and shredded coconut! So tasty! The beijus de tapioca are one of my other favorite things! They make a pancake out of tapioca (which is like pulverized and dried yucca root!) and fill it with savory or sweet filling! Yucca or aimpim is used a lot here in a variety of ways. So much new yumminess.
I do miss peanut and almond butter extremely though. Tea. salads! guacamole! Ahhh, I have to stop...Somebody eat these for me.
