Açaí Smoothie

Have you ever tried Açaí?

If your answer is no, try it. I have yet to find a place here in NYC where I can have Açaí bowl (with bananas and granola). Delicious, filling, energizing and super refreshing. Meanwhile, I'm content with my smoothies.

5 strawberries cut in halves
1/2 banana (frozen is better!)
1 pack of Açaí (I get these at Wholefoods)
1 1/4 cup of soy milk

(yes, i know, my straws are a disgrace... and yes, i know...i don't have a proper smoothie cup...)

Well, give it a go!

update 7/29: The Açaí I used is blended with Guaraná. You can also get it without.

Swiss Lemonade

Swiss Lemonade (Limonada Suíça) is what we call it in Bra(s)il. Yes, it's brazilian, but called swiss. Go figure.

For your weekend | Try it!

4 limes
condensed milk
3 cups of cold water
ice
1) Cut off the ends of the limes and then cut them in quarters. Make sure to cut off the white parts inside.
2) Blend the limes, condensed milk (I like to add half a can - but that's up to you. It gets thicker and sweeter the more you add in.), and 1 cup of water.
3) Pour the liquid through a strainer into a pitcher. Press the pulp with spoon to get the most out of it. Keep the pulp.
4) Pour the liquid back into the blender and add 2 cups of water. Blend!
5) Pour the lemonade over ice into serving cups. Sprinkle a bit of the pulp and ta-da! You made a delicious, refreshing brazilian swiss lemonade!
Enjoy. Have a nice weekend!

Red White and Blue Caipirinha

| with sake instead of cachaça |

2 strawberries
2 lychees
3-5 blueberries
2oz sake
ice
sugar (to taste)

Slice strawberries and lychees. Put into large cup and add sugar. Muddle, muddle, muddle, but don't destroy the fruit. Add sake and mix. Poor into serving cup, add blueberries and a few ice cubes.

Happy 4th of July!

Creme de Papaia com Licor de Cassis

Translation please: Papaya Cream with Cassis Liqueur

I have no idea where this dessert is originally from, but like Bozo, He-man, Sesame Street..., growing up in Bra(s)il, I thought - naturally - it's Brazilian! It was quite a shock for me to find out that He-man spoke english - or that he wasn't Brazilian. I was 7 yrs old. It was at the same time that I had an intense discussion with a cousin about a certain new character coming out named She-ra. I laughed at him telling him he was totally wrong... YOU IDIOT! It's Tila! You're getting the names all mixed up - and she's been around for a looong time. Your news is old."

"Ri-meng!"
(Ri-Meng in portuguese reads: He-Meng... I called him He-meng.)
I don't have to tell you that I was mortified when I found out that his news was correct - so I hated She-ra forever and Ri-meng was still Brazilian to me.

Anyway... side tracked.
Back to the papaya.
As per my dear friend's advise (Noelle @ Xenotees), I am sharing with you a very simple dessert recipe.

All you need is:
1 - ripe papaya
2 or 3 - generous scoops of vanilla ice cream (it really depends on how strong you want the papaya taste to be. For a large papaya, I'd recommend at least 2 generous scoops.)
1 - tablespoon of Cassis Liqueur for each serving.

Peel off the papaya skin and remove the seeds. Cut into cubes.
Blend the papaya and ice cream until it's creamy.
Pour into cups or small bowls and top it with the liqueor!
Serve immediately.

I'm not the best "recipe writer" but you get the idea, right?

Please enjoy.

Update: Bailey did.