Acai and Caipirinhas in Brazil (Or, Where Have 10 Years Gone)

Yesterday, I sat on the Atlanta Beltline eating an Acai bowl at Playabowls. For a brief moment, it brought me back to my days in Brazil.

It’s been 10 years since I ventured to Brazil, one of the most magical places that I’ve ever seen. It was before the social media explosion and I was just in the world discovering a plastic cup of purple goodness that was topped with bananas chopped in a hurry to meet the demand. It was the perfect balance for afternoons filled with sun and caipirinhas.

I’d taken off time to travel and ponder life and Brazil gave me this homecoming that I didn’t even know was possible. (If 27 year old me only knew that it would be a continuous journey and that I’d feel the same way 10 years earlier.)

It was in Brazil where I learned the importance of taking time to cheer for the sunset and the beauty of the moment where strangers became friends over a cheap, 750ml bottle (or four) of Skol.

Most importantly, it was in Brazil that I learned how drinking and eating across cultures makes us all better.

I didn’t think about this yesterday as I was taking this trip down memory lane, but today as I sat down to write, I realized that I’ve known for 10 years what it is that I have to say and why I want to share these stories. The answer has always been in that first bowl of acai.

Caipirinha

2 oz. Avua Cachaca
2 bar spoons of sugar
1/2 of a lime

1. Cut the halved lime into wedges and add to shaker.
2. Add sugar, cachaca and ice.
3. Shake vigorously until ice breaks up and ingredients are perfectly chilled.
4. Pour everything into a 6-8 oz rocks glass glass.