Soul Food: Carnival 2011

It should be no shock to anyone that I like love Brazil. I remember when I began my mission, a Brazilian friend told me that there would never be a day that I wouldn't think about o Brasil. That is true. There has not been a single day since I returned to the United States from Rio de Janeiro that I have not remembered a smell, the colors, the wind, the streets, the people.

One of the things that I have grown to love are the foods of Brazil, something that I have shared with Kathleen and our children. I love that the kids think that an avocado milk shake is wonderful (although Kath can't stand it), or that when I bring home Guarana or Guava paste that they are all super excited to eat some. In that vein, we have started a tradition of having a nice Brazilian dinner every year that corresponds with the uber-Brazilian festival known as Carnival. In years past we invited families that served their mission in Brazil to the dinner, and this year we had the opportunity to share with others that had more unique connections (lived there as a child, parents are from there, have visited). We were glad to have them over, to share good food (there were three types of brigadeiros and pao de queijo, which for those in the know is just heaven) and all sorts of conversation.

Below are some pictures of our meal: feijoada (beans and pork), arroz (rice) vinagrette (kind of a Brazilian salsa) and couve a mineiro (collard greens). It was wonderful, thanks to all that came and made our day memorable by sharing our soul food.

Feijoada and vinagrette

Arroz

Couve a mineiro