Language Week 2008

Well, I promised that I would do a post in a foreign language. It's been eight years since I used my portuguese, so I will bet that this is going to be rusty as hell. Do not hold it against me.
Como mencionei em um post anterior, estou viciados para o sol. Tanto é assim, na realidade, que estou escrevendo esta mensagem ao ar livre, ao mesmo tempo agarrada a uma ténue melhor peça de rede sem fio de outra pessoa. Vamos ver se eu conseguir ter o posto máximo.

É incrível como o sol se sente muito diferentes em diferentes áreas. Parte do que é o clima envolvente. No Sul, é um "grosso" sol. É quente, e úmido, e se sente como você pode puxar a luz do sol direita para fora do céu. No Novo México, foi uma dura muito sol. Foi o sol do Velho Testamento Deus, distante, poderoso, e implacáveis. Aqui, em Washington, como eu escrevo isto, estou experimentando um sol muito fraco. Trata-se sentir mal. Mesmo decepcionantes.

Como o sol é onde você está?

Intro to Liquor: Cachaça

I've mentioned several Brasilian drinks on this blog before. They all have in common the fact that they are made using cachaça, the premier liquor of Brasil.

Cachaça is the product of the distillation of fermented sugarcane juice, between 76 and 96 proof, with up to six grams per liter of sugar added. The distillation from a sugarcane base puts it very close to rum. The primary difference being that rum is distilled either from fresh sugarcane juice or molasses. Cachaça is traditionally distilled in a copper pot still, this produces three runs.

The smaller cachaça distilleries, the equivalent of American microbrew beer, use only the middle run, as the first and third contain contaminants that change the flavor. The distiller then ages the cachaça. There is no standard for the wood used, so different distilleries use different woods, allowing for a wide range of flavors in the cachaça market. Larger, industrial distilleries use a column still, which produces a continuous run, which alters the taste due to the contaminants. These industrial distilleries also usually don't age their drink, and simply market it straight at the lower class consumer. Brasilians drink 396 million gallons of cachaça each year.

Cachaça has a long history in Brasil, dating back to the 16th century. It was originally derived from sugar mills, where the sugarcane juice was left after the sugarmaking process. It would ferment, and become a low quality alcohol called cagaça. This fluid was given to the slaves to drink. Eventually, someone got the bright idea to distill the cagaça, and yielded modern cachaça.

There are two types of cachaça, white and gold. Gold cachaça is usually aged, and used as a single drink, while white cachaça is used more for mixed drinks. Cachaça tastes similar to rum, but with more depth of flavor. However, it also has a rather unique odor, that some do not care for.

If the odor, caused by the rapid evaporation of the liquor, bothers you, a quick fix is to drink it from a tall thin glass, which limits the evaporation. This is called martelinho, or the "little hammer".

My prefered brand of Cachaça that can be obtained readily in the US, is Leblon Cachaça . Named after the upscale part of Rio, Leblon uses XO Cognac flasks to age their cachaça, producing a smoother flavor than most brands. It also comes with a massive recipe book, that'll keep you occupied for a while.

Cachaça is becoming a popular drink here in the states. Jump on the leading edge of style, and enjoy the Brasilian drink of choice.

Drink of the Moment: Leite de Onça

Today I bring you another drink from Brasil. This one is Leite de Onça, also known as Jaguar's Milk.

Keep in mind that this is not a drink you'll likely be able to order at a bar. It's a traditional drink for the Feast Day of Saint John. It's carries a kind of rustic flavor to it that always brings a smile to my face.

To make Leite de Onça, you need milk, condensed milk, cachaça, and chocolate liqueur.

Begin by taking a container to mix the ingredients. You can make this drink in rather massive quantities if you want, so I'll list it by ratios. Begin by mixing 1 part milk, and 1/2 part condensed milk. Mix them until they've blended together. Then add one part cachaça, and chill it. The drink is served cold. Right before your ready to serve the drink, add 1 part chocolate Liqueur. Then pour it into a mug. If you choose to add a garnish, sprinkle either Cinnamon or chocolate powder. Once the drinks have been served, go out and enjoy the summer night.

As usual, if you don't have cachaça, or don't like the taste, you can replace it with rum. The most popular variant replaces the cachaça with Vodka. This version is popularly called Tiger's Milk. Rawr.

Drink of the Moment: Caipirinha

As some of you know, I enjoy drinking, and as such, I have a wealth of knowledge on the subject of alcohol. So today, I present to you, the Caipirinha, the national drink of Brasil.

To make a Caipirinha, you'll need the following: Half a lime, sugar, crushed ice, and Cachaca.

Start by cutting the half of a lime into quarters, or eighths of a whole lime. Drop the half lime into the bottom of the glass, then add the sugar. The IBA standard is two teaspoons, but depending on the drinker's sweet tooth, you might go as high as 3-4 tablespoons. Muddle the lime and sugar together. Then add 2-3 ounces of Cachaca, and mix. Usually you stir it, but if you have the resources, it works very well as a shaken drink. Pour the mix, lime rinds and all into an old fashoined glass, and fill with crushed ice. Stir the drink a bit more to ensure the wedges sink to the bottom of the glass. Garnish is optional. Enjoy the drink, and picture yourself on Ipenema.


There are several variations on the drink. If you vary the fruit, you go to the group of drinks known as Batidas. For citrus fruits, you can keep the wedges, because the oil from the skin adds to the flavor. For fibrous fruits like apples and pears, it's easier just to throw an ounce of juice into the mix, rather than attempt to find some way to muddle it without creating a mess. I've found that a mix of Passionfruit juice and Coconut Milk is wonderful.


Some people prefer to add an ounce of half and half or condensed milk. That thickens the drink, and neutralizes some of the acidity. This variation is one that you either love, or hate. There is no middle ground.


You can also vary the alcohol. A common variant is to replace the Cachaca with vodka. People refer to this as a "Caipiroska". My personal favorite, if I'm not in a Cachaca mood, I'll replace it with a spiced rum, like Captain Morgan's.


For those of you who aren't experienced in making your own drinks, here's a helpful video.