International burgers

[1FitToBeTide]

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Have you eaten burgers in another country? What did they have on it/how did you like it?

Been to Brazil many times with my church mission teams. Down there, they love to put corn and peas on it, as well as a fried egg. They aren't enamoured with ketchup like we are here. The way they make it is not very good to me.

All in all, not bad, just a combination of different flavors that would take some getting used to. Definately a departure from our North American tastes.

What about you?

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At a dinner in an Italian restaurant, he was asked how many slices should be cut in his pizza, and he replied "You better make it four, I don't think I could eat eight"
Yogiism (a quote by Yogi Berra)

[TommyMac]

I can't recall ever having a burger in another country.

Do they use mustard in Brazil?

[ga_tide_fan]

In France back in 1994, during the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, I was in the Navy and we were in Brest, France, I had a burger called a "Smash Sandwich"... They took the burger, all the condiments, and fries and put it all on the sandwich. They then smashed the sandwich in a press. You had your entire meal on a 1/2 inch sandwich.

In Venezuela, I ordered fries once that were the best I had ever had. I started inquiring about the potatoes and if they were a Venezuelan potato. I was quickly informed that what I had eaten was not potato but was a Venezuelan banana that is much less sweet than the Chaquita's we buy at Kroger... Best banana/fries with ketchup I had ever had.

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You can't strengthen the weak by weakening the strong...

[1FitToBeTide]

Tommy, they use mustard, but like so many things down there, it tastes different. Same deal as with the ketchup. The pickles, called "pepinos", are dilled and are quite tasty on a burger. The meat patties are rather large, too. Over the years in going down there I have learned to eat a lot of foods that were similar in name but different in taste.

Overall the quality of the foods are excellent in Brazil. Different but delicious. They really know how to set a table down there: quality + quantity.

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At a dinner in an Italian restaurant, he was asked how many slices should be cut in his pizza, and he replied "You better make it four, I don't think I could eat eight"
Yogiism (a quote by Yogi Berra)

[1FitToBeTide]

GTF, the fries in Venezuela sound like the banana-looking plantain. It is a starchy veggie that would probably fry up like a U.S. tater. Haven't had that kind before.

In Brazil, they served "batatas fritas", french fried potatoes, that are delicious wherever we have had them served to us.

(All this talk has set my heart[but NOT my arteries] to looking forward to our trip back down in Oct.)

[TommyMac]

1Fit,

What part of Brazil do you go to? I was in Rio for a week back in 62 while in the Navy. I loved it, but I'm sure it isn't very representative of Brazil as a whole. I've always kinda been fascinated by Brazil.

My son and his wife were down there recently. She's a dental asst. and they spent about 3 weeks providing dental servies in a remote area. I'll have to call him to find out where. There were some beautiful waterfalls there.

[1FitToBeTide]

Tommy, we go to the south part of Brazil every year. It's such a huge country that one year we went to an area on their highland plateau where there was snow on the ground. It was in July, no less. (seasons reversed down there).

We are based in the city of Florianopolis in the state of Santa Catarina. Beautiful,large, city by the sea. Bridge from the island it's on to the mainland built after the Golden Gate. Georgeous.

To keep with the topic of food: their seafood dishes are fantastic, and very cheap. Their fruit is muínto delicioso (very delicious)!!!

I could turn this thread into a travelogue, but I won't. But would answer any questions that might fall in the area of my experience.

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The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.
- Macaulay (1800-1859)

[This message has been edited by 1FitToBeTide (edited 06-10-2004).]

[bayoutider]

1FitToBeTide, I wouldn't stop a thread here about some travel. I think food, drink, and where you have to go to get it are all grillin' and chillin'. Travel is the chillin' part.

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[1FitToBeTide]

O.K.

Some thoughts on the cuisine down there:

Brazilians wash meals down with a carbonated beverage called Guaraná, sorta like our Coke. I have drunk a thousand gallons of it over the years. It's quite good. I think you can get it in Miami, and maybe a few larger cities in our south.

The area we travel in is populated with many Europeans who live down there because of the climate/geographical similarities they have found in the south of Brazil. As a result, you can get by if you speak Portuguese, German, English, and Spanish. Their architecture and foods reflect the European influence. The best struedel I ever had was in a city called Blumenau. Wonderful.

They eat potatoes a lot, prepared in many different ways. They are funny in that their breads are sweet and the cakes aren't. Never have figured that one out.

A favorite dessert they make is flan, a custard that is usually pretty sweet.

They use ground manioc root as a condiment on dishes like black beans and rice, a staple wherever you go to eat. It's not spicy, it just imparts a unique flavor that's not bad, just kind of bland. They don't serve a lot of hot, spicy dishes, like you would expect from a So. American country. We have to take our own black pepper down, as they use a bland whitish pepper at the table.

There is lots of meat dishes that are served. Their beef is good, Argentine is better though, when you can find it.

Restaurant meals are usually extremely large portions. Hard to keep the waistline under control at those places.

Their favorite type of restaurant is called a Churrascarria. Usually a huge place with a buffet with many items. The meats are open-grilled and served on sword-like skewers and custom sliced at your table. Beef, chicken, pork, chicken hearts, Brahma hump meat. They come to your table over and over and over again with the different meats. Whew! Stop, already! But it is so good. (At this point I see I'm going to require some industrial strength Plop-Plop, Fizz-Fizz).

Thank you for letting me share a bit on an aspect of the wonderful country of Brazil that we enjoy so much.



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The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.
- Macaulay (1800-1859)

[Jack Bourbon]

Interesting

[SCrammerjammer]

Iam game for most anything once and maybe a few times after that. However, I was glad to see Hard Rock Cafe in Peueto Vallarta and Amsterdam. Beef, however, is a scary thought in Europe. Stuck to grilled chicken sandwiches. No tellin what they carried. WE lived, however.

[1FitToBeTide]

SCrammer, we have eaten our way safely around So. Brazil with a couple of no-no's:

-We drink bottled water only. (Keep your mouth shut while showering!)

-No ice in a glass with beverages.

-Eat no fruit or veggie that has not been peeled.

These rules probably work in just about any international environment where there are risks. Brazil certainly falls in there on that point. Any hint of a problem with beef down there like they had in Europe would take that off our diet immediately. In 14 years of going down there, we have had maybe one or two get the trots from something eaten, but that has been all. We have truly been blessed.

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The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.
- Macaulay (1800-1859)

[This message has been edited by 1FitToBeTide (edited 06-13-2004).]

[bayoutider]

That Guaraná drink you speak of is almost a narcotic <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_7_6.gif' alt='Blurry Drunk' border=0></a>
I have drank some and the ones I have had will really wind your clock. Much stronger on my system than Cokes or even Espresso. I would give it a notch up on caffeine. Drink a couple of them and it makes you feel like going out and polishing the driveway.

Don't some of those new power energy drinks on the market have Guaraná as one of the ingredients?