Tudo bom?! Have you been following Lars’ Grand Tour this year? Inspired by different global destinations across the world, our product collaborations are taking us across the globe – starting with Brazil! Our second swimsuit collection with Lime Ricki now, The Brasil Collection alludes to the tropical richness and culture of Brazil’s famous coastline beaches. Think limes, think coconuts, think pineapples – because what better way to have an immersive travel experience than through the local cuisine? Well, here are a few tasty Brazilian Recipes round up. You’re in for a treat – literally!
Brazil at the World Cup
While Brazil hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2014, Lars brought Brazil a little closer to home by sharing these recipes. I remember that particular World Cup was the first time global soccer ever really came on the radar for me. It was my first summer in college and I was attending a university in Hawai’i with a very multicultural student body. I saw how the World Cup in Brazil generated so much celebration and enthusiasm from a global audience, and admired that kind of unity. How the love of a sport could bring people together, all while emphasizing the rich culture of its host country through music, dance, art and talent. So cool!
Photography by Douglas Mendes
Brazilian art and culture
To gather more insight on Brazilian history and culture, we had Professor Rex Nielson join us as the BYU Humanities Center Director and long time friend of Lars. Our team received a wonderful presentation on the visual arts of Brazil and learned about how their artistic movements and cultural renaissance became the Brazil we know today. Brazil had long been a place of mixed-cultures, with a unique blend of global ethnicities and heritages that had been acquired from other countries over time.
Photography by Matheus Viana
Eventually, with a growing desire to establish what Brazil’s own contributions to the world would be, an awakening of the arts took place. Much of what artists created at this time, collectively came to define the designs and colorways that are now internationally associated with Brazil. Painters, writers, poets, musicians, etc., were the center of this rethinking and revitalization of what “Brazil” meant to the outside world. I can only imagine the creativity and imagination that was poured into such a lofty endeavor. What a time to be alive!
Brazilian recipes
Now, onto the kitchen! Before we get going here I also need you to understand that I’m a beach girl to the core. 100% a beach girl. And a beach girl eats things that are by the beach. I don’t know if you can have food as your spirit animal, but coconuts and pineapples – they’re in my soul. So I’ll only judge you a little bit if you decide to turn your nose up at these Brazilian recipes. Today we are exploring:
Brazilian coconut bars
Known as cocada de forno in Portuguese, which translates to “oven baked coconut” in English, we’re diving in with Brazilian coconut bars. Coconuts are a huge contributor to Brazil’s economy, making them one of the largest coconut producers in the world. And although they are a “nut” by name, coconuts are part of the fruit family. The inner white flesh is where the edible parts of a coconut come from: coconut oil, coconut cream, coconut milk, you name it!
Brazilian sonhos
What we might equate to a type of Brazilian doughnut, sonhos (meaning “dreams”) are a traditional treat that you can find in any Brazilian bakery. They can also be found in Portugal funnily enough – but not too surprising considering ties between Brazil and Portugal go back centuries. These beauties are perfectly bite sized melt-in-your-mouth desserts, with a crisp outside and soft insides. Sonhos come with many popular fillings and flavors, but for this recipe we are using dolce de leite. For best results, commandeer your filling of choice and apply generously (don’t forget the powdered sugar)!
Brazilian pineapple lime juice
Last but not least, Brazilian pineapple lime juice! A refreshing beverage here at last to quench our tropical thirst! This cool drink hits the spot after a long day in the sun or under some palm trees near the beach. Believed to be native to Brazil, pineapples are another fruit central to the nation’s history and culture. You can find pineapples in Brazilian art, architecture, food, etc., and find that they have taken on different symbolic meanings throughout time.
Do you have any favorite Brazilian recipes? We’d love to hear them in the comments below or you can always tag us on Instagram at #LarsMakes.
With love from Lars kitchen, até a próxima! (Until next time!)