I am off for a two week vacation to Recife and Natal. In addition to two a days workouts at the health club at the resorts I am staying and lots of runs/walks on the beach (no swimming, the worst shark area in the world there) I have been researching the local cuisine.
What I'm finding is alot of charcoa-roasted meets (beef, pork, filet mignon, lamb, chicken, duck, ham, sausage, fish), white rice, black beans, yuca flour, acarajé (muffin w/ white beans, onion) and caruru (mashed okra with ground cashew nut, smoked shrimp, onion, pepper and garlic). Plus an emphasis on seafood, shellfish, Coconut and tropical fruits including mango, papaya, guava, orange, passionfruit, pineapple, sweetsop, "hog-plum", and Soursop.
Then there is Feijoada, the national dish, pork cooked with black beans, with many different smoked and sun-dried meats, smoked sausage and served with a number of side dishes, including sliced oranges, cold cuts, farofa (stir-fried manioc flour), couve mineira (thinly sliced kale) and white rice.
Sounds good, doesn't it? (beats canned tuna, cottage cheese and brocolli which I have every day of my life). If you have a Brazilian restaurant near you, give it a try for your "cheat meal"
In sum, I plan to come back about ten pounds heavier, tan and very energized. See you in two weeks, my friends.
