Sherbets and Ice-Cream

Morais of Ipanema.  Copyright  Sheila Thomson.  All rights reserved.
Morais has been selling some of the best ices and popsicles in Ipanema for 30 years

One of the most enjoyable experiences in Brazil is tasting the unbelievable variety of sherbets, popsicles and ice creams made with tropical fruits, such as cashews, soursop, passion fruit, mangaba, umbu and - my favorite!!! - pitanga. And, of course, coconut, avocado, peanuts and corn (yes, corn is a major ingredient in many grrrreat Brazilian desserts). This is a very short list...

Cajus.  Copyright Sheila Thomson.  All rights reserved. Papayas.  Copyright Sheila Thomson.  All rights reserved.
Cashews at a street market in Rio. Papayas at a street market in Rio.

I started with Morais, the man in the photograph, in Ipanema, but then discovered Fri-Sabor in Recife. This sorveteria (ice cream parlor) sometimes has a list of 20 different fruit flavors - all natural. And I mean fruits you've never heard of! Try to pace yourself, don't get sick trying to eat them all in one day! No kidding, my friends took me out one Sunday to a beach called Porto de Galinhas, and they had a great time laughing at me, because I tried ice cream and sweets from every single vendor! And now, of course, there are those sorveterias in BelΘm do Parß, with over a hundred different flavors. My favorite this time around was Brazil nut! It truly is a delicious ice-cream.

Acerola Ice.  Copyright Sheila Thomson.  All rights reserved.
Acerola ice in Salvador, Bahia. It's melting, of course...it was sooo hot that night!

All over Brazil, look for ice cream parlors that sell buffet-style by weight (kilo). It costs between $8 and $10 a kilo (that's over two pounds, guys!). You can choose from dozens of flavors, sauces and assorted goodies to sprinkle on your ice cream bowl. We just tried one in Fortaleza, Cearß, called Sorvetπo Lanches. It's located at Av. Beira Mar, 3052 and offers everything from sapoti to soursop to tangerine to coconut to passionfruit, etc. etc.

Maria's Cookbook