AmSoc Forum November 2010 issue

8/8/2019 AmSoc Forum November 2010 issue

1/16

Monthly Newsletter

November 2010

www.amsoc.com.brForum

The Gourmet Issue

Sweet life in Brazil

Page 6: Natasha de Carvalhosangle on the Brazilian obsessionwith all things sweet, includinga guide to the most popularBrazilian sweets.

The perfect Caipirinha

Page 10: Whats in it, whatCachaa to use and where tosample the best ones in SoPaulo.

Page 12: A review of the newbakery in Pinheiros which has

recently employed a student of theVivenda da Criana ProfessionalCenter.

Le Pain

Barra Doce

Page 13: Where to nd thesupplies you need to start bakingall those batches of Christmas

cookies.

2011 AmSoc Yearbook:A Window into So Paulo

The American Society of So Paulopromotes friendship by organizingsocial, cultural and athletic events for

ts diverse membership; encouragesntegration with the Brazilian society;and supports the American traditionsof education, philanthropy andvolunteerism.

Our Mission

By now you should have received theThe American Society of So Paulos2011 Yearbook. The annual publicationaims to connect expats living in SoPaulo with one another, and its 176 pagescontain member contact numbers and awealth of information about restaurants,

bars, events, and services in the So Pau-lo area.

For those looking for informationabout which doc-tor to see, whichchurch or schoolis the best t foryour family, orhow to get in-volved with thecommunity, theyearbook is a per-fect guide. With

pages of informa-tion about emer-gency numbers,volunteer organi-zations, church-es, schools, andmuch more, the

book is an idealguide to living inSo Paulo.

O n e - f o u r t hof the AmericanSocietys fund-ing comes fromadvertising in theyearbook. The

businesses listedhave paid to place their ads in the publi-cation. Many of the businesses includedhave loyal customers among the expatcommunity, and they have placed ads inthe yearbook numerous times. This year,of the 28 ads listed, Team Work Trans-

portation Company is the hightlight thisyear. With so much trusted informationabout all aspects of life in So Paulo, theAmSoc 2011 Yearbook should be yourrst place of reference the next time youneed to nd anything, whether you are

looking for a place to do your groceryshopping, or simply need to understandall the different forms of identication inBrazil.

In accordance with AmSoc tradition,each year we invite a local artist to donatea piece of artwork for the yearbooks cover

page. This years cover features the workof So Paulo artist Olivia Fleischfresser,whose oil-on-canvas works grace many

American homes inthe city. Olivia is aSo Paulo native,though she spentseveral years liv-ing in the New Yorkarea. Her work is ondisplay at RAD ArtGallery in Harts-dale, NY, and in

private collectionsaround the world.

Though Olivia ismostly known forher larger-than-lifedepictions of fruitsand vegetables andher subtle use ofcolor and texture,we chose a sampleof her work featur-ing doors and win-dows, a theme wehoped to empha-size in this years

publication: theAmerican Society

seeks to open doors for expats living inSo Paulo to a new life here in Brazil,where we hope families will take advan-tage of all the city and the country haveto offer. Moving to a new country can

be a daunting experience, but it can also

provide new, rich learning opportunitiesand frequently makes families grow evencloser. We hope that the 2011 Yearbookwill enrich your experience in So Paulo,

providing a window into this vibrant, dy-namic city.

The Gourmet Issue


2/16

The Presidents Corner

By now youmay have noticedthat this issueof the Forumis dedicated toconnoisseurs offood and drink.Now, finally,y o u m a y b esaying, a topic Ican really relate

to! If there isanything that So Paulo does not lack,it is an endless number of places tosatisfy our quest for variety, surprise,

pleasure and comfort in food.Im pleased to relate that years

of expat experience have led me toenjoy plenty of foods that Id havequickly turned my nose to prior tohaving left the comfort of my meatand potatoes youth. In southernMissouri, adventuresome eating was

medium rare steak, rather than welldone; it was an occasional salmon,fried to a crisp; or, it was preciselyonce every two weeks, taco salad.Yes, on Sundays after church we hada standard rotation. The frst Sundaywas beef pot roast, slow cooked with

potatoes and carrots and heaps ofgravy in an electric skillet. The secondSunday was taco salad with groundhamburger, chips, salsa, and cheddarcheese; followed the next Sunday by,

pot roast. (Note to my children; we

almost never went out for lunch onSunday) In college, I was basically

By Tim Scott, AmSoc president

Forum November2

a connoisseur of Kraft macaroniand cheese, peanut butter with jellysandwiches and big plates of pinto

beans with cornbread. And at thatpoint in my life, an exotic fruit waspineapple, the canned variety precutin nice rings.

However, during my last yearof college I met an exotic fruit thatchanged my life; the mango. How,you are thinking, can a mango do

that much for you? Well, it was ona spring break trip in Nicaraguathat I frst ate a mango, and spent afew hours resting in the cool shadeof some giant mango trees. Thosedelicious, sweet mangos were unlikeanything I had ever tasted and I canstill feel the juice dripping down mychin and arms. However, the realexotic part of the trip is that duringthose few days by the mango trees, Imet who would become my wife (a

native of El Salvador). Next springwill be 20 years since that time, andI am still in love with my wife, andwith mangos. Both are a blessingin my life; and I never would havedreamed that someday we wouldshare a chapter of our life togetherin Brazil, a place with an abundantsupply and variety of mangoes.

Gourmet dinning is a popularform of entertainment in So Paulo,

but it need not be limited to highend restaurants. You can fnd many

simple restaurants that deliver anamazing quality of food. Brazil is

a country blessed by an abundanceof foods and cultures, creating anexotic mix of choices. But perhapsnone better though than the simple,succulent mango.

Abraos, Tim

Lynn Cordeiro, editor and layout

Forum is printed by EGB.(http://www.egb.com.br)

Views expressed inForum donot necessarily reect those ofthe American Society board of

governors, members, or staff.Forum reserves the right to editcontent for brevity and/or clarity.

The American Society of So PauloRua da Paz, 1431 04713-001 So Paulo, SP

Tel: (11) 5182-2074 Fax: (11) 5182-9155

[email protected]

Forum is published monthly, withthe exception of January and July, by

Ab

outForum


3/16

The American Societyof So Paulo

Newcomer prole

Forum 3010

Those of you who were at the funevening of the Playback theater onSunday October 24th know a lucky

person won our rafe prize of a 4night stay at the Premium Hotel fortwo adults and up to two children inSauipe Resorts in Bahia. Actuallyyou didnt need to be present towin but only contribute to ourfund by buying a ticket and raisemoney for the American Society

Community Action Committeeand their charitable projects withunderprivileged children.

This great prize started with RickRubeiz arriving from his vacation atSauipe with his wife and two 5 yearold boys in July. They spent a weekthere and went on and on about thehotel, and its infrastructure. Thereare several hotels but the Premiumis top. All the hotels have accessto 15 tennis courts, 18 hole golf,

horses and nautical club , wonderful beach and of course a childrensclub with planned activities all day.Every evening there were shows andfun activities too.

We contacted their ofces andasked if they would contribute aresort stay to be rafed off at ourPlayback Theatre Fundraiser forthe Community Action Committee .Their immediate generosity madean impact on our sales and willmake an even bigger impact on

the children in the institutions wesupport.

Winner o

trip to Bahia

PRESIDENTIAL STYLE RETREAT

Set within 138 acre private estate on mountaintop with helipad.Perfect Venue: Celebrity/Political/Business. Ultimate Privacy.

Main Residence 3,700 sq ft Open-Plan Living, Mezzanine library and.separate level complete Leisure Complex with gym, heated pool and BBQ.6 Additional Guest Villas with own outdoor pool, large lounge and totalcuisine complex including chefs apartment.3,200 sq ft Loft-Style Atelier.

Multiple outbuildings housing workshops, pavilion stabling,storage. 4 individual staff houses for personnel/security. Own water source:turbine, reservoir, stream. Solar Heating. Satellite/Sky/Internet.

Full details: [email protected]

Name: Jose and Marcela Lizarraga

Origin, time here: We are from Mexicooriginally, but weve been in the U.S.for more than twenty years. Mostrecently we were living in South Lake,near Dallas, Texas. We moved to SoPaulo at the beginning of February2010.

Why So Paulo? Hotels.com, which ispart of Expedia Inc., decided to movetheir Latin America Headquarters fromDallas to So Paulo, and Jose was oneof 2 employees selected to come downand set up operations here. Hotels.com exists in several Latin Americancountries; its Brazilian website isHoteis.com.

Best things so ar? Its been a greatopportunity for our daughter Ariana,who is 9 years old, to learn a new

language. Shes studying at a Brazilianschool and she is completely localafter 9 months. Weve also been veryimpressed with how much we have beenwelcomed by the Brazilian people. Wealways brag that Mexicans are warm,welcoming people, but the Braziliansare doing a great job.

Early rustrations: The biggest issue hasbeen the paperwork and the tremendous bureaucratic process. But when you

move to another country with anotherlanguage and culture, you have tohave an open mind. You have to see it

more as an adventure than a frustrationotherwise you go nuts.

Have saudade or anything back home?In terms of security issues, we miss thefreedom of being able to move aroundwithout having to constantly watchyour back. Also, the U.S. is very strongin terms of extra-curricular activities.You can practice whatever activity youwant, even if you live in the most remotetown. Its not that these things dontexist here, but itll be in an expensive

club, or far away, and not the samekind of intensity. Another thing wemiss from home: the purchasing power.Everything is so expensive here!

Progress with Portuguese: Our daughter,who has been completely immersedin Portuguese since day one, barelyhas an accent now. Marcela has hadto help her a lot with homework, andhas had to deal with issues relatingto the apartment, so she has had an

opportunity to learn. Jose has askedeveryone in his ofce not to speak tohim in English, so he can learn morePortuguese!

Favorite place to hang out: We havemet so many people, between Arianasschool, at American Society events,at our church where there are a lotof expats, and where we live. Wereenjoying the friendships weve built.It doesnt matter where we go, but weenjoy the atmosphere. Weve had more

social events here than in the last 10years in the States.


4/16Forum November4

American golers seek 3rd straight victory over

Scots in upcoming Challenge Gol CupFrom the desk oJohn Kennedy, Director o AMSOC AthleticsThis years Challenge Golf Cup

(our version of the Ryder Cup) will be played on November 26th at theprestigious and arduous golf course ofthe San Fernando Golf Club. It willalso be a charity fund raiser amidst lotsof bells and whistles that accompanya professional golf event, including

corporate sponsors and brindes, door prizes, a rafe as well as cocktails toaccompany the award ceremonies.

Up to 100 golfers are expected tojoin in a lively sporting event, not onlybetween Americans and Scots, but alsoBrazilians, Argentines, Brits, Aussies,and other nationalities who will decideto join one team or the other. This year

is the fth edition of the ChallengeGolf Cup and the score stands at 2 2with the American Society winning thelast two times.

The Cup has its origins in 1991as an annual sporting event betweenthe St Andrews Society of So Paulo(Scots) and the American Society of

So Paulo (Americans). Originally,the competition involved the severalsporting events such as golf, tennis,soccer, tug-o-war, bridge, volleyball,and trivial pursuit. Over the years it

became difcult to organize and nda place for all these events, thus theannual competition was reduced to

just a friendly golf match between the

two societies. Then in 2005, the annualgolf match took on a more competitive

posture when avid golfer SeanHutchinson of the Scots challengedAmerican, and sports enthusiast, JohnKennedy to a golng challenge wherethe winners would play for the MunroCup. Thus was born The Challenge

Golf Cup.The reason it is called the Munro Cup

is because Norman Munro, a previous president of the St Andrews Society,and a true Scot, donated a cup tocommemorate this Annual Competitionand to foster camaraderie amongst ourtwo great Nations, although the USA isa lot bigger than Scotland!

Finals oAmSocsSotballChampionships

Save November 7th

Softball games from 10-4pmAt CT Yakult Park in Ibuina

Homerun Derby Finals at 1pm Day

BBQ starts at noonBurgers, hot dogs, soft drinks, beersand Ice cream

On Saturday November 6th the CarajsScouts are holding a Bazaar whichincludes a rafe draw with many prizesincluding a trip.Carajs Scout BazaarDate: Saturday, November 6thTime: 11am onwardsAddress: Rua Bela Vista, 39, Alto daBoa Vista

Background:The Carajas Scout Group has been

providing activities to So Paulosinternational community for nearly85 years. The Bazaar is a fundraisingactivity in their effort to be able to buytheir own grounds for activities.Scouting aims at giving youngstersan environment in which they can

build character and learn, as much as

possible through their own experiences,citizenship, leadership, teamwork andrespect for the environment. Scoutingis the largest youth organization in theworld, with 28 million members.

Scouts Bazaar


5/16


010 Forum 5

So Paulos

AmericanscelebrateThanksgiving

Tifany event hosts AmSocs

CAC

The American Community inSo Paulo has always celebrated theThanksgiving holiday in style, and thisyear will be no exception. The Graded

PTA is organizing an event on Sunday, November 21, called Lets GiveThanks Together. The celebration will

be held at Graded School, in Morumbi,from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and willfeature musical performances, games,activities, and a Thanksgiving meal.

The U.S. Marines will hold theopening ceremony, which will includethe musical talents of Graded students.Vendors and charities will be sellinggoods throughout the afternoon, and

children will be able to join in a numberof activities during the day.From noon to 4 p.m. families can

enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal,including turkey, cranberry sauce, andhomemade pumpkin and apple pie.Tickets for the event will go on sale asof October 25. Adult admission costsR$30, children ages 5 to 12 pay R$15,and kids under 4 years old can join inthe fun for free.

In addition, the Thanksgiving

Annual Ecumenical Service will beheld this year at St. Paul AnglicanChurch on Tuesday, November 23,from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thechurch is located on R. ComendadorElias Zarzur, 1239, in Alto da BoaVista. The Presidential ThanksgivingProclamation will be read, and theErik Poliak award announcementwill be made. Turkey sandwiches andcookies will be provided by Vivendada Criana.

We encourage families to cometogether to participate in thesecelebrations and give thanks for theirgood fortune.

(See also article on page 9)

On Wednesday October 6 , TheTiffanys store in Shopping CidadeJardim was lled with AmSoc andfriends supporting the Tiffany eventPetals for a Cause.

Vouchers were purchased at R$120as a donation to our charitable projectsand each one was given a chance tochoose a white ower to win oneof the ten prizes given by Tiffanys.Champagne, delicious cupcakes,chocolates, cotton candy and popcornfor the kids were offered throughout

the afternoon and evening. We raisedover R$14,000 for our supportedchildrens institutions.

The winners of prizes worth almostR$18,000 total were:Asli Scott, Leia Tiazzi, Maria Beatriz

Oliveira, Lucia Nunes, SilvinhaRosenthal, Ginny Naegeli, DanielaNanni Rubeiz, Molly Daiane Faricy.

Two prizes (Tiffany watch andheart necklace) were not picked aswe did not sell all the vouchers butTiffany donated them to CAC toauction or rafe off. This was anincredible result and made us proudto be part of the American Society.We thank Tiffany for their support ofour charitable causes and choosingAmSoc to take part in this amazing

event.


6/16Forum November6

Could lie in Brazil be too sweet?

So far, this month has been a sugar binge, with my sons birthday party,Childrens Day and another Braziliantraditional celebration, St Cosme andSt Damios Day, on which my kidsreceived ve bags of candy from totalstrangers. As a result, after about twostraight weeks of being hyperglycemic,Im on a total sugar fast. Ironic then,and torturous, that I had promised towrite a piece

on Brazilians w e e t s a n dtreats.

A n y o n ethats ever triedto e l iminatesugar in Brazili s , l ike me,going to veryquickly realizeh o w m u c hsugar there is in

Brazilian food.Once you startr e a d i n g t h elabels you ndit in everythingf r o m f r u i t

j u i c e s a n d breads to so-called healthycereals. If itisnt refined,its mascavo sugar. If the packetsays sugar-free, it probably contains a

chemical sweetener or, at the very least,honey.

Of course, the Brazilians have aspecial relationship with sugarcanethat might explain the cultural sweettooth. For nearly two hundred yearstheir economy was founded on it. Itwas produced with the sweat, bloodand tears of slaves imported by thePortuguese from Africa, and exported toEurope until the market collapsed dueto competition from the French Antilles.

Even today, Brazil is the worlds largest producer of sugarcane. Cachaa, ofcourse, is distilled from it. It is alsoconverted into ethanol for flex-fuelcars. More importantly, it is still put to

delicious use in an array of traditionalBrazilian doces.

Once upon a time, sugar and candiessuch as these would have been raretreats, little luxuries in a country wherehistorically, poverty and malnutritionhave been great problems. Today thesituation is happily, but also in someways shockingly, different.

In the past decade, the social

demographics of Brazil have changeddramatically, with over 30 million

citizens climbing out of poverty and joining the exploding middle class.This positive change is attributed in

part to the social programs of almost-ex-President Lula, including a familyallowance, schemes that enable peopleto buy their own homes and increases inthe minimum wage.

My maid, Luiza, is a typical memberof this demographic. She and herhusband both work. They are buildingtheir own house. They have one son.

He is thirteen. But heres the thing:He weighs 102kgs. That, ladies andgentlemen, is morbid obesity. He hasserious heart problems and difcultywalking.

It seems that as the Brazilian middleclass explodes, so does its waistline.Increasingly, the Brazilian populationis shirking traditional home-cookedmeals like rice, beans and fresh juicesin favor of now-affordable conveniencefoods, soda and fast-food restaurants. Arecent study concluded that around 50%of adult Brazilians are obese, thats 38million people, an obesity epidemic

second only to that

in the US. With itcomes all mannerof health-related

problems. Brazil,for example, has 22million diabetics.

So much for thebikini nation!

Speak ing tohe r abou t he r sons obes i ty ,I have come to

realize how littleu n d e r s t a n d i n gL u i z a h a s o f

basic nutrition.M y c h i l d r e nabsolutely love herfood. Her recipes,even savory ones,almost always callfor cream, sugarand condensed

milk! If that fails, then it is undoubtedlyfried in inches of oil and then buried in

salt (Salt! Thats another whole can ofworms). Lucky enough to have a goodhealth plan from her husband and able toget professional medical advice, she hasstarted making changes that will turn hersons future around. But in that respectshe is lucky.

For many millions of Brazilians,nutritional advice and information isscarce. The slavery that supportedthe sugarcane industry may have beenabolished a long time ago, but until

something is done to improve theeducation and awareness of the middleclasses, they will remain slaves to theirsweet tooth.

By Natasha de Carvalho


7/16


010 Forum 7

The BrigadeiroOf all of Brazils sweet treats,

the brigadeiro is probably the mostbeloved, and is mandatory at birthdayparties. A diminutive, saccharine orb ofchocolate, condensed milk and buttercovered in chocolate sprinkles, theywere invented during a presidentialcampaign in the 1940s and namedafter handsome candidate Brigadier(obviously) Eduardo Gomes. (He

didnt win!) Its also used as a frosting

for cakes, the likes of which myfatherin-law brings home at thechildrens supper time, that decimate

any illusions I may have had regardingtheir balanced, nutritious meal, andkeep them up all night on a chocolate-induced high!

Coconut based sweetsAnother birthday staple is the

Beijinho (the little kiss). Similarlysmall, it is made with shredded coconutand often coated in sugar crystals.Strangely, they also often have a

single clove pushed into their tops.Be warned!Coconut also features strongly in

traditional Cocada and Quindim. Theformer is a straightforward coconut

candy, the latter features eggs and isa distinctive smooth, glossy yellowcircle. My favorites though are the

peanut-candies like P de Moleque(rascals feet), which are peanutsencased in hard toffee, and Paoca, asofter candy with ground peanuts andsugar.

Doce de LeiteFinally, Doce de Leite is a national

obsession. The smooth, thick, goldenmilk toffee was developed in SouthAmerica during the sugar boom. Itsused liberally as a ling for cakes and

pastries, to sweeten desserts and alsoeaten on its own with a spoon. It is soindescribably yummy that at the pointof writing this I am seriously thinkingabout breaking my sugar fast andrunning to the kitchen cupboards. Ithink I love it so much because when itis eaten in hard fudge form, its a dead

ringer for Scottish tablet.I havent yet found the Brazilianequivalent of the deep fried Mars Barthough.

Natasha and her British-Brazilianhusband are life-long ex-pats, clockingup well over 30 different homes in overa dozen different countries. Togetherthey have lived in Paris, Philadelphiaand So Paulo. They have finally

settled in Rio de Janeiro with theirtwo young children, where Natasha

is a freelance writer and has her ownblog about the trials and tribulationsof adapting to life in Brazil http://becomebrazilian.blogspot.com/

Brazilian SweetsBy Natasha de Carvalho


8/16Forum November8

Graded School turns 90On the morning of October 17,

1920, Mrs. Ruth Kolb and Miss BellRibble began teaching six students in atwo-room schoolhouse on Avenida SaoJoo, in the heart of So Paulo. GradedSchool was born, the result of the boldvision of the American Chamber ofCommerceand severalA m e r i c a ncompaniesw h o s em e m b e r s

a n demployeesw a n t e dto createa schoolthat would

prepare theirchildren forelementary,secondary,and highereducation in

the UnitedStates. Theexperimentwas a success, and the school hasfollowed a steady path of growthand improvement in response to thechanging needs and demands of itscommunity.

From its beginnings on AvenidaSao Joo, the school has had severaladdresses over the years. For a time, itoperated on land owned by MackenzieCollege. From there, the school had its

own campus close to Avenida Paulista.Finally, in 1961, the school built its newhome on Avenida Giovanni Gronchi,at the time a rural hilltop overlookingthe city and surrounded by forests,

pastures, and rock quarries. Since then,the school community has developedan expansive campus, adding buildingsand other educational spaces whennecessary.

Throughout the years, the four pillarsof the Graded experience- academics,

athletics, arts, and community service-continued to grow and evolve intotruly impressive programs for studentsof all ages and nationalities. Today,Graded is considered one of the best

international schools in the world, awell-used resource and model for otherschools seeking to balance a world classinternational education with a strong

program in the host country languageand culture. Born of a few Americanexpatriates looking to ensure an

excellent education for their children,Graded is now a thriving internationalschool of 1220 students from more than40 countries.

Its been 90 years since that fatefulday in1920 whenG r a d e dSchool rsto p e n e d .

The entireG r a d e dcommunitywill bec o m i n gtogether ata gala eventon Friday,

November1 9 t h ,at CasaFasano to

c e l e b r a t et h i smomentouso c c a s i o nand you

are invited to join the fun. Your ticketguarantees a memorable evening withwonderful friends, great music anddancing, special cocktails and food, andmuch more in a setting that only Fasanocan offer. There will be opportunities foryou to take pictures with old and new

friends in the photo boothand lots of space to minglein Fasanos elegant loungeseating arrangements.

Tickets cost R$300 perperson and can be purchased

at Graded School with acheck or credit card. You canalso contact Lika Kishino [email protected] or3747-4813.

For 90 years Gradedsstudents, teachers, staff,

parents, alumni, andcorporate partners havesustained and deepenedGradeds mission,

perpetuating the qualities

of an institution dedicatedto excellence, committed tolearning, and empowered

to create a better world. The schoolcontinues that tradition as we preparestudents to meet the challenges andopportunities of the 21st century.


9/16


010 Forum 9

Fellowship Community ChurchThe Welcome Place since 1921

Phone (11) 3253-7609 www.fellowship.com.br

Sundays09:00 am - Walking in Faith Classes (English and Portuguese)

10:30 am Worship Service (English only)

06:00 pm Culto em portugus

Conveniently located on Rua Carlos Sampaio, 107 Bela VistaJust a block and a half from the Brigadeiro Metro staon on the Avenida Paulista

NOVEMBER. The month ofour most famous American holidayconsidered by many to be moreimportant than Christmas. Here in SoPaulo, Thanksgiving takes on evenmore signicance as we ex-pats try to

preserve our national holidays not onlyfor ourselves but for our childrenssake. ForBrazilians, theanticipation of

being invitedto a real

Thanksgivingdinner ina realA m e r i c a nhome is great.

H o w e v e r ,the preparationof a traditionalfeast can

become a bitoverwhelmingwhen searching

for specici ng red ien t s .Although mosteverything can

be found thesedays in thesophisticated supermarkets of SantaMaria, Santa Luzia and Po de Aucar,the turkey itself sometimes requiresspecial ordering. The free range, notseasoned ones tend to be scrawny sooften it is better to settle on a Sadia

turkey from the supermarket or from theSadia outlet on Rua Fortunato Ferraz,659, Vila Anastcio. Tel. 11-2113-3045. On Avenida Escola Politcnicainside the USP campus, you can ndall the Perdigo products at a discount,as well. Check out the sites of bothcompanies.

If you end up with a perutemperado, you can soak the turkey forabout 6 hours in white wine (or water)with some chopped parsley and springonions. This lessens the garlic tastea bit. For exact recipes for roasting

turkeys or other Thanksgiving dishes,go to any of the American sites: MarthaStuart, Food and Wine, Allrecipes and/or Epicurious. Some will even translaterecipes to Portuguese, in case yourmaid is helping you!

Happy cooking and happy eating.Dont forget: extend the invitation to

your Brazilianfriends. Theywill be really

pleased and sowill you. It is

all within thespirit of theday of GivingThanks.

Where togo:Santa LuziaA l a m e d aLorena, 1471- So PauloTel.: (11)

3897-5000Santa Luziawill also

be having pumpkin piefor sale.

See also our article on page 5about Thanksgiving events within ourcommunity.

Thanksgiving in So Paulo


10/16Forum November10

How to make a traditional caipirinhaByCatherine Balston

The world is slowly starting todiscover the phenomenon of, andsuffer the hangovers of, arguably themost delicious of Brazils exports;the caipirinha. In trendy bars from NewYork to London you will nd barmencrushing limes with sugar and addingice and cachaa to serve the drink thathas been a rm favorite in Brazil fordecades.

The taste of a caipirinha is like

nothing else Ive ever tried the initialeye wateringkick of cachaaand sour lime

juice followed by a soothings y r u p ysweetness asthe ice beginsto melt and theavors mingle.C a i p i r i n h a s

are an assaulton the senses, but boy dothey tastegood and leaveyou wantingto go backfor seconds,thirds, fourthsand... well atthat point mymemory tendsto become a

little hazy.

The basic ingredients

1) Fresh limes. Both the juice andthe oil in the skin add to the distinctivesour avor of a caipirinha. Limogalego (a key lime in the USA) is the

best to use for its higher acidity. Limotaiti (Tahitian limes) can also be used.

2) Sugar. Brazilians use acarrenado, white cane sugar, which youllnd in any Brazilian supermarket. Itis ne textured, meaning it dissolvesquickly, so if youre using a more

coarse sugar, youll need some extraelbow grease when you mix it up withthe lime.

3) Ice. A traditional caipirinha ismeant to be a very strong cocktail, souse whole ice cubes, not crushed orcracked ice, so that you can enjoy itslowly without all the ice melting.

4) Also known as pinga or

aguardente, it is produced through the

fermentation and distillation of sugarcane juice.

Cachaas envelhecidas are agedin wooden barrels that give them adistinctive avour and brown colour,and are enjoyed neat.

Dark envelhecidas are not used tomake caipirinhas though look for acolourless cachaa. In spite of the oldsaying quanto pior a cachaa, melhor

a caipirinha (the worse the cachaa,the better the caipirinha!) it is worthusing a good quality cachaa, producedin a traditional method (cachaa dealambique) rather than industrial

(cachaa de coluna).It should smell of sugar cane and

not alcohol and shouldnt burn yourthroat. Some good brands to try are:Montanhesa Prata (Minas Gerais),Germana (Minas Gerais), Magnca(Rio de Janeiro), Corisco (Rio deJaneiro), Maria Izabel (Rio de Janeiro).These can all be bought online at www.

barril514.com.br/ and delivered inSo Paulo for a freight charge of

R$20.

Recipe ora traditionalcaipirinha

Ive sippedand slurpedmy way from

bar to bar inmy search forthe perfect

caipirinha (allin the nameof researchof course).Ive spokento acionadosfrom Vejabarman ofthe yearSouza (from

bar Veloso inVila Mariana)to the self-

proclaimed Reido caipirinha

(King of caipirinhas) who has beenkeeping locals and tourists alike happyfor years at his Friday night barraca onthe streets of Lapa, Rio de Janeiro. Nodoubt there are many approaches tomaking the perfect caipirinha, but thisrecipe is for a traditional one, in whichyou can savor the cachaa and sour-sweetness before all the ice melts.

1) Get a lowball, rocks glass, ortumbler. Its best to make the caipirinhain the glass you will serve it in, to getthe proportions right.


11/16


010 Forum 11

2) Cut the top and bottom offa lime. Then slice it in half from topto bottom (i.e through the stem endrather than across the middle).

3) In the middle of each limehalf you will see a white core. Slicea V shape in to the middle to removethis white core (which gives a nasty

bitter taste).

4) Cut halfthe lime intoslices or wedgesand put in theglass. Add 2heaped teaspoons

of sugar (you canadd more at theend if you preferit sweeter).

Never use morethan half a lime

per glass.

5) Muddle(mash) the sugarand lime togetherwell with a

muddler to let thesugar absorb intothe lime juice.

6) Fill the glass up to the topwith ice cubes and then ll to the topwith cachaa. Give a really good mix

before serving.

7) Enjoy... and marvel at howyour Portuguese improves with eachcaipirinha!

If you are using a cheaper or less palatable cachaa, you may preferto deviate from the traditional recipeand use a cocktail shaker and give

the mixturea really goodshake beforeserving. This

breaks upsome of theice, dilutingthe cachaa

and dissolvingmore of thesugar, makingthe rst fewsips smoother.You can alsotry usingother fruitsinstead oflime, such asstrawberries,kiwi, passion

fruit orpineapple.

Catherine Balston is exploring the avors ofBrazil in her blog www.squirtinglimes.com

Where to enjoy a traditional caipirinha

Veloso BarR. Conceio Veloso, 56, Vila Mariana,Tel: 5572-0254http://www.velosobar.com.br/Bar AstorRua Delna, 163, Vila Madalena, Tel:3815-1364http://www.barastor.com.br/

Where to try something a little diferent

Caipirinhas with mango, ginger andlime zest or strawberry and cinnamon atObR. Dr. Melo Alves, 205, Jardim Paulista,

Tel.: 3086-4774.http://www.obarestaurante.com.br/Mango and red peppercorn caipirinhasor star fruit with basil atDrosophylaRua Pedro Taques, 80, Tel: 3120-5535http://www.drosophyla.com.br/


12/16Forum November12

Le Pain, Pinheiros

Le Pain opened in May 2010 in thesmall area of Pinheiros. Located onone of the main streets in this area the

padaria servesup more than

just youraverage bread.With seating

located outsidealong the street,a nice coveredarea still opento the outsideand anotherarea in backfor those rainydays we dontlike to speakabout. Theatmosphere iscasual as are

most padarias but there ismore of astylish feel tothis place asthere is a wallof foliage along one side, high ceilingsand purples walls. When I rst walkedin still in my work out clothes I felt alittle underdressed.

The rst thing you notice when youwalk in is the cupcake tower sitting

in the corner of the display. Not acommon treat found here in So Paulo but known to many of us foreigners.To my delight, they are not just youraverage cupcake. Each one is created

with a different avor and fruit lling.For instance, I tried apple cake withapple lling and vanilla frosting while

a few other options were chocolate,chocolate with doce de leite frosting,or strawberry. After my rst initialreaction to the cupcakes you moveon the nice selection of small pastrieswith most ranging from $R 3-7 each.

Behind these delicacies there is the bakery section with many differenttypes of breads ranging from multi-grain to plain to wheat. From what Ihave read they actually serve up to 30

different types of breads. I was alsotold they may have the best croissantsin the area; soft, buttery and akey. The

breads are madedaily and readyto eat. Makesure to takesome home with

you as there aremany optionsand probably notenough room inyour stomach.

Beyond the basic bakery,and dessertarea there is theregular menuand buffet. Onthe weekendsthey have the

normal breakfast buffet of cakes,breads, hot dogsand juices foraround $R 24

per person. Themenu ranges from a nice selectionof sandwiches on fresh breads, $R 9,chicken parm with rice and fries, $R18, omelets, and daily specials. Theyhave a wide range of foods that wouldserve many peoples tastes.

Le Pain PadariaAv. Pedroso de Morais, 1037

Pinheiros, SPhttp://www.lepain.com.br/blog/

ByKimberley Milera, AmSoc member

Cleber started working at LePainin August of this year. He was amongthe 12 participants of the rst bakeryclass organized by the Vivenda daCriana Professional Center. He had togo through 240 hours of training and arecruiting process to be picked by Joao

Consorte, the owner of LePain.Cleber started working the night shift

but was quickly promoted to work withthe main baker during the morning shift.According to Joao, Cleber showed a lotof responsibility and curiosity to learnmore from the very beginning.

Now, Cleber is working side by sidewith the baker and learning a lot everyday.

Cleber admits that his job is very farfrom his home, almost two hours, but heknows that his commute is worthwhileinvestment into his new career.

Le Pain employs student o Vivenda da Crianca


13/16


010 Forum 13

Wilsons Zucchini Bread -

a perect Thanksgiving recipeThis dark, sweet, and moist

bread comes from the recipe booksof the matron of Wilson Farms ofLexington, MA, where the summersare hot and humid, and zucchiniis always overgrown and over-sized. Use the extra-large, breadzucchini if you can nd it.

3 C white our

1 tsp. baking powder1 tsp. baking soda1 tsp. salt2 tsp. cinnamon1/2 tsp. nutmeg3 eggs1 3/4 C brown sugar1 C vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract3 tbsp. lemon juice1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar2 C lightly-packed, grated

zucchini1 C raisins, currants, cherries,

etc.3/4 C chopped nuts

Sift the dry ingredients together.

Beat the eggs with the sugar, oil,vanilla, lemon juice, and vinegar.Gradually beat in the dry ingredients.Stir in the zucchini, adding fruit andnuts if you like. Divide betweentwo greased loaf pans and bake at350 for 50-60 minutes.

What Kim missed: Sour Cream

What she found:To make SOUR CREAM I use 1

Danone Ativa plain yogurt and mix itwith Coalhada. Coalhada can be foundin any supermarket and you can use theregular or the light version.

Very simple and works! Great fordips, and on top of a baked potatoe!

Things we missed is a new columnthat introduces products and servicesthat are new or were hard to nd in

Brazil. If you have an idea for a productor service that could be featured pleasewrite to [email protected]

Things we

missed

When my son called and said hewas coming home for a weekend,

I was thrilled and began makingplans to prepare his favorite foods.Angel Food cake was one. But nocream of tarter! (For those of youwho dont bake, cream of tartar is amust for this cake.)

Off I went to all the grocerystores and even Santa Luzia. Noluck! I called my friends who

bake but no cream of tarter. Thensomeone mentioned the bakingstore BarraDoce. Id never heard of

it, but desperate for cream of tartar,off I went.What a fantastic shop! For those

who enjoy baking, it has just abouteverything imaginable: a wide

variety of molds for chocolates,cakes, cupcakes and cookies,

colored sugars for cookies, cakedecorating supplies, materials for

packaging - and cream of tarter!Truly a bakers paradise!

BarraDoce has an excellentwebsite. Click on como chegarfor a map with easy directions.They also have a super blog with allkinds of baking ideas and recipes.Click on nosso blog to learn thelatest on this sweet shop.

BarraDoceAv. dos Eucaliptos, 301Moemawww.barradoce.com.br

BarraDoce: A Bakers Paradise


14/16

Psychotherapist for Ex-Pats

Serving Adults, Children, and Fami-lies (also couples) struggling with alladjustment issues. Specializing in is-sues of divorce, separation, and recon-ciliation. Many years experience withdrug/ alcohol issues. USA licensed asMFT. Jungian Analyst experienced inSandtray, Dreamwork (groups also),and Cognitive/ Behavioral therapy.Please call/ email Matthew: 7734 5793or [email protected] for a freeinitial consultation.

American-Licensed ExpatPsychologist

Richard Morhaime, Psy.D., offersskilled psychotherapy for children andadults. He also provides complete di-agnostic evaluations in English forchildren with academic or behavioraldifculties, featuring individualizedrecommendations for school and home.For more information, contact Dr.Morhaime at 5538-0099 or 9669-8057or visit www.expatpsychologist.com.

American PsychologistServices for Expats

Sukie Miller Ph.D. early director ofEsalen, former Board Member JungInstitute San Francisco, 35 years ex-

perience private practice as coach, psycho-therapist with adults and couples in eclectic approach to personal/professional growth, womans issues,adjustment to So Paulo, goal setting,dream work, anxiety. Call Dr. Millerat 11- 9823-8730 email sukiemiller@

gmail.com.

American-LicensedPsychotherapist

In this busy and ever-changing world, people often feel stressed and over-whelmed with no place to turn. Psycho-therapy/counseling can provide a safe

place to receive professional guidanceand support. Brief or longer-term ther-apy offered depending on your needs,goals and expectations. Services: indi-

vidual, couples, child/adolescent. Cer-tied to conduct Adoption Home Studyfor American Citizens. Contact: Pame-la Wax, MSW/LCSW at 5051-5988 or9656-2106. Located in Moema.

Exceptional Apartment for Rent

Ninth oor, very short walking dis-tance from shopping Iguatemi (Pin-heiros) and the Hebraica clubs. Living/dining room, master bedroom, walk-incloset, bedrooms, 3 baths, large kitch-en, laundry and maid room. Complete-ly furnished, appliances, kitchenware,etc. Cable TV, phone, garage. See andlove at rst sight. Appointments withSophie. Phone: (11) 3032-0675. Fax:(11) 3812-9487 or e-mail: [email protected]

Argos Dog KennelTraveling? What about your dog? Ar-gos Kennel Hotel could be his secondhome in the country. Food, water, andshelter with lots of love and personalcare. No lonely kennel for him, but ourhome and the freedom of a spaciousgarden. Fetch and carry service. Eng-lish and French spoken. Call Jean orChristiane at (11) 4661-1430 or (11)7143-0837 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Embu Guau, SP.

Math and Science Tutor

Former Graded and Chapel teacher,with 20-years experience, tutors Math,Physics, Chemistry, and Science for alllevels, including but not limited to theIB, IGCSE, SAT-I & II, AP and Brazil-ian vestibular. Elementary and middleschool students are also welcome (all

subjects). Call Fernando Knijnik at(11) 2533-3965 or 9134-6700.

Looking for tutor

In search of tutor (lady), home supportfor school, children between 6 and 8,native-like English, CV [email protected]

classifieds

Forum November14

Housing

Elegant furnished house inTambor

Beautiful recently professionally deco-rated furnished house for rent. 600 mwith 2,000 m of land. Heated swim-ming pool. Nice barbecue area and out-door porch. 4 suites, family room, liv-ing, dinning, large kitchen, maids roomand 3 car garage. The House is completeready to live in for high level execu-tive. To see photos, visit www.suzimo-niz.com.br Avenida Marlia,105. Tovisit the house, call (11) 8179-3131.

Furnished Apartment for Rent

Vila Nova Conceio. So Paulos best place to live. Near Ibirapuera Park.Modern building with sports facilities,heated swimming pool, three bedrooms(one suite), a living room with terrace,complete kitchen, maids bedroom and

bathroom, big service area, two park-ing spaces. Fully furnished with allappliances. Telephone included. CallAlex or Eliane at (11) 3849-7085 or

(11) 8635-7788, or send an e-mail [email protected].

Taylor Real Estate

Luxury spacious houses, apartmentsand penthouses. Sales and rentals. Tenyears experience with expatriates. Fur-nished and unfurnished. Trilingual RealEstate agents. References from consul-ates and multinationals. Photos sent byemail. Relocation Service. Consult thesite: www.taylorimoveis.com. Email

- [email protected]. Phone:5511 3079 8888 and 5511 8774 5100(Maria Elisa).

For Sale -

Beautiful House and Garden

Spacious 3 Bedroom house with 600sq meters of construction and 6000 sqmeters ofland. Large swimming pool/view ofthe Guarapiranga Lake. House locatedin Riviera

Paulista, an ideal location for horse andboating enthusiasts. Contact Joe Sher-man at 9626 0711, or

[email protected]

Services


15/16


Personal Trainer

I will come to your home, ofce, orworkout facility and create an exercise/tness program tailored to your healthconcerns, tness goals, and schedule.For adults and children, individuals or

groups. Sessions in English, Spanish,or Portuguese. For more information

please contact Daniela Franco at (11)9739-6191 or [email protected].

010 Forum 15

calendar

Learn more about this months AmSoc events (highlighted) at www.amsoc.com.br.Important Dates: 2 all souls Day(Br) / 15 proclamatIonofthe repuBlIc Day(Br)20 BlackconscIence Day(Br) / 25 thanksgIvIng Day(us)November 2010

Piano Class

Beginning and advanced music classesfor piano or keyboard. Special methodfor children 4 years and older, teenag-ers, adults and senior citizens. Classesin Portuguese or English. Contact: Sue-

ly Azevedo, 8456-5365 48 year oldmusic teacher with 30+ years of suc-cessful experience! Class in your housein Morumbi and South Area.

A classifed o up to 350 characters costsR$45 or AmSoc members and R$80 ornon-members. To place a classifed pleasecall (11) 5182-2074 rom 8:30 a.m. until1 p.m., or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Placea

Classifed

Forum does not check all o the advertisersappearing in this newsletter. We urge youto use these services; however, thoroughlycheck prices and services prior to fnalizingany service or purchase agreement.

A

Noteto

OurReaders

4 ThursdayInternational Wives oBrazilians Lunch

Lunch and optional museum visit to Museu da Casa Brasileira at noon. Forurther inormation please contact Naomi at [email protected]

4 Thursday Vida Jovem Benet ArtBrazilian contemporary art auction and cocktail will take place at MuBE rom 7to 11 pm. Guided tour o the exhibit starts at 2 pm.

6 Saturday AmSoc Christmas AngelParty

At Chapel School rom 11:30 am to 5:30 pm.

7 Sunday Sotball Championship See page 4

10 Wednes-day

INC Monthly Cofee, Red

Rose and General Assem-bly

To be held at Emporio Santa Maria. For more details please contact [email protected]

13 Saturday Flag Football GamesPick-up games to be held at Graded School rom noon to 5 pm. Please contactJohn Kennedy at [email protected] or visit www.amsoc.com.br ormore details.

19 FridayGraded 90th AnniversaryParty

See page 8

19 Friday Outward BoundBackpacking Weekend

For more inormation contactChris Sheridan at [email protected]

20 Saturday235th Marine CorpsBirthday Ball

For more inormation contact [email protected] or [email protected]

21 SundayGradeds ThanksgivingCelebration

See page 9

23 TuesdayAmSoc ThanksgivingEcumenical

See page 5

26 Friday5th Munro / ChallengeGol

See page 4

27 Saturday Flag Football GamesPick-up games to be held at Graded School rom noon to 5 pm. Please contactJohn Kennedy at [email protected] or visit www.amsoc.com.br ormore details.


16/16

flipside

This is theForums GourmetIssue and youd

better believe Itried to weasel outof writing anythingthis month because,as Ive said severaltimes before, Imnot a good cook.And Im certainlynot a gourmet. But

hen I decided to share a cooking storywith you.

About 15 years ago I was back inDenver for a few weeks to enjoy timewith my family. Id soon be leavingfor Brazil again and still hadnt spentmuch time with my sister Chris and herhusband Paul. If I wanted to see themone more time, Id have to drive up toheir campsite and spend a night in theirent, which would be their last night of

a two-week camping trip. So I hit I-70and found them sitting at a picnic tablen Rocky Mountain National Park. Sincehey were low on food, we went in to

Estes Park for dinner and came back afterdark to sit around the campre.

Just as the re started blazing, Paulsaid, We shouldve gotten ice creambefore we left town. I was hungryoo. My sister confessed that she was

fantasizing about smores, but we didnthave marshmallows, nor chocolate, nor

graham crackers. We sat in silence. Inally asked, What do you have? andhey said they had some orange juice,

an apple and some Pop-Tarts. Lets eathat, I suggested. They groaned. Theydbeen eating Pop-Tarts from the box forwo weeks straight.

And thats when inspiration hit me. Iit the camp stove and poured a cup of

orange juice into a skillet. As it heated,cut the apple into tiny slices and

added it to the orange juice. After a fewminutes, the orange juice boiled down toa syrup and the apple pieces softened. Ihen turned off the heat, and broke two

cinnamon Pop-Tarts into little pieces,sprinkling them over the orange juice

mixture. Though weve never mentionedit, much less made it, again, SuesOrange-Apple Pop-Tart Delight was justwhat we needed.

See, heres the deal. Ive always saidI couldnt cook. But I think my Pop-Tartdessert was a rather bright idea. And if Icant cook, how did I come up with theidea when my sister and brother-in-lawdidnt?

The answer? Living in Brazil.

When I rst moved to So Paulo 24years ago, I discovered that I had to takea step backward in my cooking. Therewere so many things I wanted that theydidnt have here. Maple syrup? No. But,said a friend whod lived here longer thanme, I could buy maple extract in the U.S.and make my own syrup. I want maplesyrup now. My friend suggested a little

bit of powdered sugar on the French toast

instead. Dang it, I dont have powderedsugar in the house. So, she said, you canwhir regular sugar in the blender and it

becomes powdered sugar. Really? Yup. Itworked.

And on and on it went. I took onestep back, a good step, and learned to beexible about cooking. There are a fewthings Brazilian stores simply dont carry.Others you can only nd downtown. Someare outrageously expensive and, weveall seen, some basic items are suddenly

unavailable in any of the supermarkets ina given neighborhood. (Stick margarineis a recent example.) And for those of uswho dont love cooking, sometimes you

just dont plan the week well and forgetto buy garlic.

You learn to substitute. Peanuts in theblender may not become Jiff peanut butter,but they become a type of peanutty pastethat has its uses. Unsweetened chocolatesquares? Brazil doesnt sell them but you

can use oil and unsweetened cocoa to dothe same thing. My father, an excellentcook, gasped in horror on his last visithere as we made Christmas cookiestogether. He pointed to the recipe. Itcalls for almonds But I dont have

almonds right now, I explained. We canuse walnuts. It was ne.

And from that exibility, I nowrealize, Ive convinced myself Im a

bad cook. Why? Because sometimes thesubstitutions dont work. If you dont haveenough basil, adding extra parsley makes

pesto taste weird. If you dont have cocoafor brownies, adding Nescau chocolatemilk powder makes the brownies bland.And if you dont have onions, forget

making soup. But, in all these cases, Iserve the food anyway. What else havewe got for dinner tonight? And we allsigh with relief when someone suggestsordering a pizza.

Compared to some of the fantasticBrazilian friends whove been doing thisall their lives, and to Americans who

just have a knack for good cooking, Imreally an average cook. But comparedto many friends back home, I can make

some amazing food without jars, cans,mixes, boxes or packages. My marinarasauce is as good, if not better, than thesauce my late, and very Italian, mother-in-law made. I recently learned to makemushroom risotto, my new comfort food,and on a recent trip to North Carolina,my niece and I whipped up a potatofrittata with spinach salad and homemadedressing in under 30 minutes. We fedeight people and served fruit salad withmango, pineapple, strawberries and starfruit for dessert.

I wont ever say Im a great cook, or ahappy cook, and certainly not a gourmetcook, but life in Brazil can bring out somegood cooking if youre willing to shakeoff old conveniences and habits. And, Iremember something one of my daughterssaid as we looked at school pictures whenshe was in middle school, I try not to gettoo discouraged about myself.

Finally, by all means dont hesitate

to ask if youd like a printed recipe ofSues Orange-Apple Pop-Tart Delight.Wait, there are no Pop-Tarts here. Maybeyou could sprinkle Farinha Lctea on itinstead. Or Frosted Flakes. Or sliced upCharge bars

By Sue Banman Sileci,AmSoc member

Cooking by substitution

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AmSoc Forum November 2010 issue

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