Sao Paulo Dispatch

I recently had the fortunate opportunity to travel to Sao Paulo, Brazil -- my first visit to South America. I was immediately struck by the warmth of the Brazilian people, the lush landscape and the flavorful and fresh food around every corner.

While the business trip offered little time for exploring during the day, our Brazilian hosts were proud to show us around over lunch and take us to their favorite local establishments. Like their European counterparts, Brazilians do lunch right. They take at least an hour, even if it's sitting outside taking in the warm spring air.

I didn't see one person eating a sad turkey sandwich on wheat at their desk, and I think they're on to something.

A few other observations on eating and drinking in Sao Paulo:

Coffee in style...at McDonald's?
Delicioso!

• The coffee is among the best I've ever tasted. For many, the venti-sized "to go" coffee is not an option - even McDonald's takes their coffee seriously! I was pleased to see espresso machines in several offices and conference rooms, which naturally got me thinking about whether or not I could perch such a machine on the windowsill of my office.
• The Brazilians love their pastries - especially for breakfast. Chocolate frosted cakes were a regular occurrence at my hotel's breakfast buffet. My favorite was the savory "pao de queijo." This classic Brazilian cheese bread is a breakfast staple and can be small (like an olive) or larger (like a scone). It's texture is light and airy, but it's flavor is sharp and buttery. There's nothing quite like this in the U.S.  
• I was reminded during this trip about how much I love hearts of palm. Whether served grilled with giant capers and a fruity vinaigrette or cold on a salad with parmesan cheese and frites, this vegetables takes many shapes and flavors.  
• Brazilian churrascaria (or what they call "BBQ") is quite the feast and even better than you might have had at similar Brazilian steakhouses in the states, such as Brazzaz or Fogo de Chao in Chicago. Various sausages (including blood sausage), lamb, multiple cuts of beef and the most succulent pork loin I've ever seen crossed our path over the lunch hour. The salad bar was a feast in an of itself.  



Beautiful colors of Brazilian sushi

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• Even traditional sushi has a distinctly South American flare. One of the most memorable dishes of my trip was a simple salmon ceviche flavored with thinly sliced onion lime juice and parsley, surrounded by salmon sashimi. Clean, fresh and enormously flavorful.  

While my visit was short, I was fortunate enough to try a small sampling of Brazilian staples, of which there are many. There are certain places that you visit that you just know you'll be back. For me, Brazil is one of the those places.