Cafe Brazil (Conran Octopus Cookbook Series, 3) [Paperback]

Michael Bateman (Author), Jeremy Hopley (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: Conran Octopus Cookbook Series, 3 | Publication Date: September 1999

The lushness, passion, and diversity of Brazil come alive in mouthwatering fashion in the rich variety of dishes featured in this vibrantly colorful book. With influences from Portugal and Africa as well as from the indigenous peoples, the cuisine includes flash meats and fish, sweet pastries, and exotic spices. Included in this collection are recipes for mango sorbet, spicy stuffed crab, and Brazil's national dish, feijoada.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Brazil is full of surprises. Surprising things such as having the largest Japanese community outside Japan (it's in São Paulo), a population and land mass on a par with the U.S., and a fusion population of native Indians, Portuguese, diaspora Africans, Italians, Spanish, Poles, Lebanese, and of course, Japanese. All these peoples have brought favorite foods to Brazil, adding to the pot. British food writer Michael Bateman's Café Brazil celebrates all this in a slim, colorful volume chock full of taste treats. Angels' Cheeks (Papos de Anjo), for example--this is a simple, egg-rich pastry baked in a muffin tin. Then, a vanilla-flavored sugar syrup is poured over each pastry. The origins are Moorish, but the dessert was brought to Brazil as early as the 15th century by Portuguese nuns who had learned the skills of egg and almond sweets from the Moors. Or for a more African spin, try Students' Cakes (Bolinho de Estudante). This dessert calls for tapioca (a by-product of the cassava brought to Brazil by Africans) sugar, and grated coconut (also brought to Brazil by Africans). The little cakes, cut like biscuits, are deep-fried and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.

Among the main dishes in Café Brazil, you'll find the national dish, Feijoada Completa, a combination of black beans, beef and pork cuts, tomatoes, and chilies. Typically, this dish is accompanied by Stir-Fried Kale, Toasted Golden Casava Meal, and a Malaguetta Chili Sauce. There are seafood dishes such as Fish in Coconut Sauce or Shrimp Stew. Okra and Peanut Stew is a near-direct translation from West Africa and includes a pound of shrimp and a healthy dose of chopped ginger served on Coconut Rice. On the side, try Stewed Green Papayas, a Shrimp and Yam Puree, or Banana Bread with nutmeg, raisings, and Brazil nuts. A Passion Fruit Cocktail (powered by cachaca, a white sugar cane rum) or a White Rum Sour should do well to prepare the way to the table. --Schuyler Ingle

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Contemporary Books (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809225948
• ISBN-13: 978-0809225941
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,024,142 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice and easy to follow instructhions, November 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Cafe Brazil (Conran Octopus Cookbook Series, 3) (Paperback)

I recently received this book. I wanted it because I have recently returned from Brazil. I do enjoy this book, but I find that the majority of the foods come from the northern part of the country, which is heavily influenced by the sea and past African herritage. I spent the majority of time in the South and Western part, therefore many of the dishes are not known to me. It does have instructions as how to prepare the every popular Kale and beans..which seem to be the staple food of Brazil. I like the photos, but the book could have used a lot more...it is nice to see what the dish is supposed to look like. It provided a nice list of ingrediends and substitutions if the native ingredients weren't available in your area. Instructions are easy to understand. I am anxious to try the foods, including those I know nothing of...I like the book, but I wouldn't pay more than 15 dollars for it. Luckily, I bought it used for much less.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Brazilian dining., February 3, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cafe Brazil (Conran Octopus Cookbook Series, 3) (Paperback)

Cafe Brazil is packed with photos of not only finished dishes, but the countryside as well, from land to sea. Most dishes require little in the way of exotic ingredients, though many require fresh ingredients such as first coconut milk pressings which may consume time.