Impromptu Hallowe'en Party

If the mountain won't go to Mohammad....

We'll bring the Hallowe'en Party to us!  So I've met a few new people here over the last couple of weeks who are really filling out my lovely group of 'friends' here.  No, no, friends deserves no quotations.  For the first time in my Brazilian life though, I really feel like I have people I can call up to hang out with for all kinds of different reasons.  People who fulfill different parts of my life and who are all amazing, wonderful people.

Some of those people live in Rio.  Some don't.  A few of the Rio-dwellers were feeling sad about not having Hallowe'en, so at the last minute we decided to shut up and plan a 'party'.   Party gets quotations because the whole purpose was really to dress up, eat candy and watch a scary movie.  Not an epic Hallowe'en party or anything... but decent all the same.

I, for one, LOVE Hallowe'en!  It's right up there with Christmas, for me.  But Brazil doesn't really love Hallowe'en so much so it's kinda difficult to find a costume and other Halloweeny things.

We coped.

I carved little jack-o-lanterns into some clementines.  I found R$15 jack-o-lantern votive holders.  My friend Emily found an awesome trick-or-treat pumpkin and filled it with Brazilian chocolate.  Julie and I even found gummy candy in the shape of teeth and worms!  Score!






Plus everyone found/made awesome costumes! I was so impressed!

Then I worked my magic with the help of a little friend I like to call 'Martha'.

Made some 'devilish' eggs. 

 Some Bloody Sangria.  Some Slime Rickeys punch.  And topped it off with bleeding eyeballs made from lychee and blueberry.

Everyone else brought wine and snacks.  We ate and talked and then cuddled up to watch The Exorcist.  Classic.

I love celebrating my traditions here with people who appreciate them.  While I also love celebrating and learning about the Brazilians traditions, there's nothing like bringing 'home' to you to make living here just a little bit more familiar and fun.

Hope everyone had a nice Hallowe'en!

American Party

It's a complete coincidence that this post is falling on the 4th of July; it has nothing to do with America's Independence Day.  (First because I'm Canadian, and second because it's just not).

It IS about a concept that is new/strange/totally uncommon amongst Brazilians (at least in MY circle of Brazilians, before you Brazilian readers blow your socks off).  This concept is the POTLUCK party.

As the picture indicates, a Potluck party means that all guests need to bring a plate of food to share!  What an awesome concept, you say?  I KNOW!

However, when I presented the idea to our B-zilly poss, EVERYBODY'S HEADS EXPLODED.  I kid you not.  Nobody could really comprehend the idea.  "We have to BRING something?"  "We have to COOK it OURSELVES?"  "We can't just bring a bottle of wine??"  YES, YES AND NO!

Now, I understand that there are several possible reasons that this misunderstanding existed.

1. I was writing a Facebook Party Invitation in Portuguese.  Perhaps there was a little bit of language barrier.  But even after I seeked the help of a Brazilian friend who wrote the actual message for me, we were still met with confusion.
2. I was trying to describe the party, calling it a Potluck.  I didn't realize there is already a name for this party.  It's called an American Party.  Go figure.
3. This was a birthday party.  In Brazil, you do not bring anything (minus a gift - which is always a tshirt???) to a birthday party.  It's fine to bring food to a Festa Junina.  But a birthday party, no.  Usually birthday parties are at a restaurant, or they're catered, or feature a full pizza rodizio, or maybe MAYBE the host will prepare the food, but asking people to bring food has quite possibly never ever happened in the History of Birthday Parties in Brazil.  Ever.  (Based on complete non-fact).
4. Finally, once everyone seemed to understood the concept of a Potluck, they could not understand why they had to physcially make the dish themselves.  This was by far the most challenging aspect.  I was met with 'I have no idea what to cook", "I don't know how to cook!", and "I'll ask my mom to cook something."  Crazy!!!!

With all do respect to my crazy, lovable, Brazilian peeps, I know things are different here.  That being said, after all of the confusion, everybody managed to come up with something totally awesome and creative to bring and the result was a table FULL of delicious home-cooked food to share!

And of course, we provided all the drinks, including a full make-your-own caipirinha station.  That's how the Potluck works!  

Woohoo!  I did it!  Maybe this is the start of more Potlucks to come here in Brazil.  For us, parties at home are where it's at.  Here are a few of my tips on how to make your party more special (and cheap!).

• Create an event on Facebook and message your guests regularly.  You don't have to be annoying; just remind them and get them excited for the big event.  
• Decorate with unexpected surprises - for example, 10 balloons are cool but 100 balloons are stupidly cool!!!
• Stick to one colour (or two) for a classier look.  We went with green and silver and used streamer paper to put on the tables and then covered them in plastic for protection. 
• Rearrange the furniture to make sure people aren't separated from each other.  Or if they have to be, at least so there are distinct areas (we had a sit-down conversation circle and a games area)
• Expect that there will be spills and messes to clean up.  Have lots of paper towel ready.
• Make sure you have too much.  Too much alcohol.  Too much food.  Too many napkins.  Too many plates/forks/knives.  You never know how much people will want to indulge!
• You better make sure that music is pumpin'!  Make a great playlist that will keep going for a few hours so you don't start repeating. 

Happy Partying!  Oh, and P.S.  Happy Birthday to the love of my life!

Things I've Started to Appreciate

I've had an epiphany of sorts and it's helped me turn my frame of mind.

When I first got to Brazil, I was pretty consumed with everything I missed about home and every aspect of Brazil that didn't live up to my desires.  But I've met a friend.  And I've moved into my own apartment.  For anyone who underestimates the importance, value and raw necessity of friends and personal space - I am your living proof that these two elements alone will improve your quality of life x 1,000,000.  I exaggerate you not.  Especially if you are living in a foreign country. 

If you want to be really really happy, you should also get a cat or two and some plants.

I'm currently mothering two little cats (we got a second one in the last 2 weeks! Little José... ) and I'm growing basil, lemon balm, corriander, green onion and cat grass.

I also read the bible to orphans on weekends.  haha.  No, no I don't do that. 

Things I currently like about Brazil:

- Eating fresh mamão (papaya) in the morning with honey from my BeeHive Keeper.  Ok, yeah right, I wish I had a BeeHive Keeper but I coincidentally met this guy at the market on Sunday who keeps hives so he's my unofficial honey provider. 

- Salgados all varieties, but most preferably joelho's - tasty little bread shaped knees filled with delicious ham and cheese or other wonderful flavours.

- Fresh herbs sooooo cheap and SOOOO BEAUTIFUL.  The most beautiful basil I've ever seen.  I swear I would divorce my husband just to marry a bunch of basil.

- Cats!  I love 'em, I pet 'em, I kiss 'em, I talk baby talk to 'em, I have two of 'em... cats cats cats!






***PICTURE STILL UNAVAILABLE! SORRY!***

- My apartment!!!!!!!!  It's so comfortable and AWESOME to walk around your own house in your undies or less.  Or more!!! Hey!  It's my house and I wear what I want!

- Cooking so much food.  Extra spicy and extra onions (my MIL would absolutely curl up her face in disgust at both of those options).





Ahhhhh.... life is GOOD!  We live in an apartment surrounded by favelas (Cidade de Deus is literally right down the street), and it's fantastic.  It's real.  It's hard.  It's simple.  It's Brazil!

Lots of space!

Isn't it great to live on your own?  (The answer to that rhetorical question is YES).  I wake up every morning thankful for this space that is MINE - maybe I'm sounding like a spoilt North American here, but space, space and more space is what I crave and is something that I felt was lacking very much in my first year in Brazil. 

The next blog is my 100th post (yay!) and so for my 100th post I will celebrate by sharing pictures of our new, fabulous space and hence the official mark that "We Live In Brazil".  Up until this point I felt like we really weren't living ... in all senses of the word.  We had little to no responsibility and in my opinion, this is when one can really say they are 'living'.  When one is taking care of oneself.   

I just finished baking some banana muffins (so easy - recipe here - sorry Mal, they're not glutton free) and appreciating the very simple fact of waking up when I feel like it (12 pm today and with no shame!) and walking into my kitchen without having to make conversation.  I thought I would be lonely with the sudden lack of people around me but I am pleased to announce that I'm not!  Actually, things couldn't be better and I find myself calling my MIL on the phone just to say hi... a very nice relationship that I'm happy and excited to cultivate.

So, in case you were sitting around wondering "I wonder how LINDSEY is doing lately", this blog is to update that my feelings lately have been all good in the hood (albeit with moments of frustration, but let's be real... that's because I live in Brazil!) 

On a final note related to banana muffins - I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before but repetitions sake - There is no baking soda in Brazil so if you feel like you can't bake traditional cookies/muffins due to lack of baking soda, fear not.  Just triple what the recipe calls for in baking soda with baking powder for the same effect.  You might get a bit more baking powder taste but it's ok, still works!

So there's my helpful tip of the day.  Have a lovely Saturday all!

McDonalds - The cause of, and solution to, all of life's hangovers

Last night I went out to Lapa with a good friend of mine for some drinking and dancing.  I'm not a big club person but the promise of Beatles and 80s music was pretty endearing so we took a ONE HUNDRED REAIS cab ride aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall the way from Recreio to Lapa. 

The farness factor cannot be emphasized any more than this.

Anyway, I digress.  So we had a great ol' time dancing and drinking Malibu Rum(!!).  The club was just as great as any club can be - so hot and sweaty that I have a hard time pulling my jeans back up after fazendo xixi and that my shirt feels like a wet dish rag.  Fun!  Why on Earth don't I go to clubs more often??

So great time, came home very late/early and pretty tipsy which ULTIMATELY equals eating McDonalds the next day. 

I have no idea why I am cursed with this physical NEED to eat McDonalds the day after a night of drinking.  It's like my stomach will not accept anything other than this crap that I truly don't even really enjoy eating.  It's this argument with myself that I lose EVERY TIME!  I know it won't taste as good as I think it tastes in my head.  I know my stomach will feel like it's on fire later.  I know that damn bread is going to be hard and crusty.  And I KNOW they will not understand me when I ask for um quarterao (Jeeeeeez, they never understand me when I say quarterao!  What else could I be asking for?? Put it together!  I know I have an accent but does it sound like I am saying Bic Mac?)

But I start to convince myself!  Mmm think about how good that burger tastes!  This time the bread will be fresh!  This time the fries will be hot!  This time they'll know exactly what you're asking for and maybe even might ask "Damn, are you Brazilian?!?"  Yeah, this time it will be different.

But obviously it's not.  It's never different!  That's the thing about McDonalds!  That's their actual 'thing'.  They are always the same.

So, like clockwork, I convinced myself that today would be different on my Hangover McDonalds Day and I went.  Well my bread was hard, my coke was flat, and I only had one pickle on my quarterao.  But joy of joys, they understood me perfectly.  So Lindsey, one.  McDonalds, zero.  Thank you and I'll be seeing you on my next hangover. 

Did you think we would waste all of that pumpkin?

Well you're dead wrong.  We've got pumpkin for days here, people.

What do you do when you have 30 pounds of pumpkin to use up??

You make Doce de Abobora... 

And you make Pumpkin Spice Muffins...

Soon to come - Thai Pumpkin Soup (that is, if I can find lemon grass)

I LOVE Fall time and all the pumpkin-y goodness!  Now all I'm missing is my Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks..... MMM!

Thanksgiving Dinner - part two

Well, we accomplished the biggest cooking task of our lives thus far.

Two days of cooking + two appetizers + five main courses + two desserts + one giant bottle of vodka + 40 cans of beer + 6 bottles of wine + one new dress = a freakin' awesome party!

I had a GREAT Thanksgiving.  It was just like home.  My Brazilian family all together, eating, drinking and being merry.

What was really touching was how 'into it' they all were.  It can be difficult for some people to be genuinely interested in trying something new, especially when it's someone else's cultural tradition. 

But my fam was so awesome - They were really into the tradition of saying something that you're thankful for.  We had the usual "I'm grateful that everyone could be here together, I'm grateful for all of the food we have, I'm grateful for the cook (hehe) etc." but Ro's cousin really made me all mushy inside when she said "I'm grateful for new cultural experiences" (or something to that extent). 
They complimented us endlessly on the food (I'm now allowed to get married as goes the favourite Brazilian saying "agora você pode casar!").  Then Ro's uncle gave me the biggest compliment, following tradition perfectly.  He fell asleep.  Love it!  Here are the pics....

All tuckered out....

 Great night with great people!!

Thanksgiving Dinner - part one

Thanksgiving Dinner - Phase One Complete!  Thank God for no fires. 

Ro and I began the first phase of our "made-from-scratch" Thanksgiving Dinner this morning.  As you know (if you read my blog), Canadian Thanksgiving was last weekend.  Ro, unfortunately, was involved with the opening of the new Outback Steakhouse so we couldn't have dinner the day of.  But that's ok because his family doesn't know the difference anyway.

So!  This is my VERY FIRST TIME making Thanksgiving Dinner.  Actually, it's probably my first time making everything on my menu (which I realize is usually a big no-no but, as I mentioned earlier, they won't even know the difference hehehe) 

On the menu is:

Appetizers

Raw veggies and dip

Devilled Eggs

Cheese Ball (I hope)

Main Course

Chester (who found turkey at this time of year?? I can't...)

Stuffing

Gravy

Squash/Pumpkin

Garlicky Green Beans and Mushrooms

Mashed Potatoes

(I feel like I need coleslaw...)

Dessert 

'North American' Apple Pie

Cheesecake

 

Today we got the desserts done and the veggies prepped and that all took like 6 hours.
Tomorrow it's up early to make stuffing, squash, potatoes, steam the beans, make the cheese ball, finish the devilled eggs, cook the CHESTER. 

Jesus.  I'm having anxiety.  I think I need to get back out there and keep cooking.

So tired... but must... keep... cooking....

More to come!

Ruffles Don't Taste the Same in Rio

 It's true, folks.  They don't.  For any of you hoping to find the same comfort snacks you go to at home in North America/Europe/GB, look again.  Or stock up. 

First, I'm a chip fan.  Well, I'm also a big chocolate fan.  But I often crave chips.  Salty, original Ruffles to be exact.  While, YES they do have Ruffles here (original as well as Steak flavour or cream cheese???) (oh and P.S. they pronounce them HUFFLES - beware when asking) they just don't taste the same!  Not quite as salty or the potato is different.  I can't put my finger on it exactly.  But I have discovered a LOVELY alternative to my adored Huffles. 

Sencacoes!  They are the Brazilian equivalent of Lays but are much saltier and therefore much more delicious.  Ya baby. 

Another issue I have is with the size of chocolate bars here.  In Brazil, chocolate bars are only sold in HALLOWE'EN CANDY size.  This is ridiculous frankly.  When I decide I want chocolate, I am committing.  Committing to the caloric intake and committing to the amount of chocolate I want in my belly.  This 75 calories a bar stuff, well, it just isn't enough.  But then again, when I think about it, I'm satisfied after eating one.  And it's pretty ridiculous that they sell KING size chocolate bars in Canada.  So fine, Brazil.  You can have this one.

Final gripe about snacks in Brazil is COOKIES.  Brazil has never seen a cookie.  This is what Brazil thinks is a cookie.  

Your eyes do not deceive you.  They are all small, hard and perfect circles.  Often filled with an icing in the middle.  They don't even have Oreo!!!  Oh sorry, they have 'Negresco.'  Not Oreo.  If you're gonna do small hard and perfect circles, at least make it an Oreo.  The only one here that is a square shape is Passa Tempo which I will vouch for because Passa Tempo is daaaaaaamn good. 

But where are the Christie chocolate chip cookies?  Oreos?  Mrs. Fields softies?

Bah!  I'm going to eat my 75 calorie Twix (that and Snickers are the only American chocolate bars you'll find!)

 

Exotic Fruits in Brazil

So, I ate a persimmon today.  Seen 'em in Canada too but there it's not the real thing.  Just like strawberries aren't the real thing here.  Anyway.  Persimmon. 

Pretty darn delicious!  Looks a bit like an orange tomato and tastes a bit like an orange tomato! Okay, more like a really sweet tomato.  I didn't really know what to do with it so I just cut it in 4's and started to gnaw away at the insides.  I guess it was right. 

Try a persimmon today if you haven't! I'm not kiddin'... go buy one and eat it now!

This started out as a comment on Jim's blog

Rachel's comment on Jim's blog is too true.  We have to stop bitching about the lack of availability of ethnic cuisine (like most of us are used to seeing as we all came from multicultural cities) and start making it ourselves!

I've been crying and complaining inside (and out loud to my husband) for so long about the lack of Indian or Thai food here.  It hurts me how long it's been since I ate a delicious chicken tikka masala. 
The problem, however, (as most of you have already blogged about) is also in the availability of ingredients.  The ONLY indian spices I have found here (in the most giant of supermarkets) are saphron, cumin and curry.  No turmeric, the most important ingredient :(  And you can forget about garam masala. 

I did succeed in making a coconut chicken curry last night with fresh roma tomatoes, coconut milk (soooooo good here) and curry powder.  Hot damn was it good.  It was almost like the real thing.

What is awesome is that in having to improvise with the lack of ingredients, we all become much better cooks as a result because we really need to get creative with substitutions!  Did you know that instead of using baking soda (which doesn't exist in Brazil) you can x3 the baking powder for the exact same effect?  Meaning recipe calls for 1 tsp of baking soda so you just add 3 tsp of baking powder.  Voila.
 
Of course, some things you just can't substitute and I know you're all having enormous saudades for this one.  Cheddar Cheese.  Not neon orange imitation cheddar.  I'm taking real Canadian/American cheddar.  Or marble.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmm marble!  Cheese in general suffers a little here.  I used to live on feta and cheddar so I'm outta luck.  I'm starting to appreciate queijo minas though (tastes great when cooked)!

I'd love for us bloggy people to have a giant potluck of our favourite comfort foods.  I think it would be a really interesting spread. :)