The Ritual Master 
Confession time : I’ve never been to Brazil !
So everything you see here today is the fruit of my imagination, combined with books and documentaries.
Here is a glimpse of what I imagine my ideal Brazil to be like :
- Music
There is no introduction needed for Brazilian music. These are the rhytms that make us instantly travel, no matter the destination. I would start my day with some samba to get me motivated and active, and maybe chill down in the afternoon with some bossa nova.I am a big fan of the Putumayo collection, so I would recommend starting with these two albums :
- Moqueca
Now that we are well into the rhythm, let’s bring in the flavour : Ann Patchett’s book has opened my apetite for fish, so a Moqueca would be a brilliant choice for today’s lunch.
Let’s begin by chopping some veggies, simple ingredients, maximum effect : some red onion, carrots, bell pepper, nice juicy tomatoes, and a hint of garlic and jalapeno. For the spices, very easy to remember : cumin and paprika ( I personally used smoked paprika by mistake, and it was divine).
Once everything is in the pan, cover with chicken stock, add some tomato paste and coconut milk, and let it simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut your fish of choice into generous cubes. I had a wonderful fillet of cod, that I could have cut into bigger pieces, so they wouldn’t desintegrate in the sauce, but as always, cooking is trial and error, next time I’ll do better !
Once the sauce has thickened a little and the carrots are fully cooked, you can add your fish very delicately and cook for another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave to rest for 20min with the lid on.
You can serve it traditionally with rice, mine was plain but I hear lime-coconut-rice would be perfect with this moqueca.
One of my favourite culinary discoveries this last year, I highly recommend it ! - Amazonite
One thing the amazonite crystal and I have in common, is that neither of us is connected to the Amazon. But one can easily imagine why the modern name of this cool green and turquoise crystal, was chosen in honour of the mythical river. I like to hold mine while reading, as it is a very balancing gemstone for yin and yang, and very useful for our creative and imaginative side, a true friend of the artist. And when you take a break from reading, to rest your eyes, what could be more wonderful than to admire the unique details each crystal offers to us. It is not difficult to imagine that in the millions of years it took to create such beauty in the darkness, a special energy has been imbeded into each and every crystal.
And that is something worth contemplating. - Brazilian lemonade
The afternoon is cozy and we drift away reading. But in the hot and humid jungle, what could be better than a… Brazilian Lemonade !
This one was surprising, I have to admit, but delicious nonetheless. To be repeated !
Cut up your limes into fairly large pieces, skin on. Add them to your blender, with some ice, and water. Blend well until the limes are very fine, and for the original twist, add in some condensed milk. I opted for the sweetened one, and so I didn’t add any sugar. If you have unsweetened condensed milk, then don’t forget to add some sugar while blending.
Then strain into your jug, and you’ll have a creamy and very frothy lime frappucino, or simply put, a Brazilian lemonade.
These were my festive rituals while reading State of Wonder, and I honestly feel like I’ve been to Brazil and back, with slightly less drama than the characters in the book. I hope this was inspiring for you, and for all the Brazilians out there, please add on your suggestions in the comments below.
Until next time, enjoy your reading, and your rituals !
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