Sweet Fruits and Desserts

Introduction:

When you think of dessert, you probably think of cake, cookies, or ice cream. But in Brazil, dessert can also be a piece of fresh, juicy fruit! Come with me to explore the sweet side of Brazil, from colorful market stalls to cold, creamy treats.

What food did I try?:

So far, I've tried a huge variety of fruits that are not very common in the United States. I've had manga (mango), mamão (papaya), morango (strawberry), pitaya (dragon fruit), and maracuyá (passion fruit).

Brazil is also known as the home of açaí (say: ah-sah-EE). This fruit looks like a dark purple blueberry. It's most often eaten as a frozen smoothie bowl, and you can top it with things like granola and banana slices.

A Taste of Immigration
I also tried two other cold desserts that show how immigration has shaped Brazil's food culture.

  • One is an affogato, which is an Italian dessert. It's a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a shot of hot espresso coffee poured over it. My neighborhood had a large wave of Italian immigrants, so we see their influence in many local foods, like all the gelato shops!
  • The other is a Samanco, which is a Korean fish-shaped waffle filled with ice cream.

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