European Encontro 2008

AMAZONIAN MUSIC FESTIVAL

September-October, 2008

Assisi, Italy

I cooked two meals a day for the group on tour. They have been my friends and family for almost 20 years.

The pasta in Italy is a joy to work with, an honor!

The meat is fresh, unprocessed and you know it came from a good source. It does not come shrink-wrapped in plastic, on a styrofoam board.

Tomatoes fresh from the garden every day, and edible flowers too!

Mixed greens salad with radishes and olives

The table was set for 10 people at every meal, with extra plates and silverware for diners in the "Standing Room Only" section

My good friend about to try my famous lasagna

Morning coffee exploded

I also managed the floral arrangements for the music workshops

The final product

Cozidas

COZIDAS: BRAZILIAN COMFORT FOOD

"It raises the dead" -Amanda D.

New York City

Autumn-Winter Months, 2011

Similar to what Americans call "Stew"

Usually contains beef, carrots, corn (on the cob), potatoes, macacheira (cassava), okra, collard greens, garlic, onion, salt 

This dish was different from a traditional cozida, but a similar idea. It lacked the vegetables but was still hardy and very flavorful (flavor of butter, yum!)

2011-2012 Holiday Meats

THANKSGIVING THROUGH NEW YEAR'S

New York City 

2011-2012

Thanksgiving Ham with Sweet Potatoes

Thanksgiving Turkey with Pineapple

New Year's Pork, course salt, pepper and garlic

LASAGNA

LASAGNA

Mapia, Amazon, Brazil

January, 2010

I had to keep my wife Ursula well-fed because she was pregnant with our twins! This was a basic lasagna, made with a Brazilian cheese called Catupiry

Me and my brother Tadeu

Acai tree in front of my house

TWO MONTHS IN ITALY

Assisi & Sirolo, Italy

August-October, 2011

Last summer we rented an apartment in Sirolo, on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. Twice a week there was a fresh local market right in front of our apartment. This day I bought branzino and I was so happy with the price... compared with Whole Foods in Manhattan!

It is a big challenge to cook Italian food IN Italy for Italians who are fantasic cooks.

This was very simple, stuffed with yesterday's bread, fresh Mediterranean cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic, parsley, scallions, capers, shallots, olive oil, salt and pepper 

Gostoso!

A fish for each person

abundancia

Gracas a Deus

Little Lemoni in the collard greens patch in Assisi

Green juice

We were invited to eat lunch with the Franciscan Fratelli. Franciscans are known for their austerity of life  but these brothers love wine, meats, salad, pasta, champagne, more wine, cake and ice-cream! Dona Geracina was thrilled to be eating in the church in the land of Saint Francis, it was a great blessing for our whole family!

This onion was straight from the garden and was right in front of Ursula's face. That means it was enormous

PHOTO SHOOT WITH FRIEND AND PHOTOGRAPHER MAX FLATOW

May, 2011

Arugula with Mixed Greens, Tomatoes and Pomegranate

Imported from the Brazilian Amazon: Tucunare fish, grilled with lime

Grilled Shrimp with Starfruit

Imported from the Brazilian Amazon: Pirarucu fish, shredded 

Fruit and Vegetable Salad

Oysters with Lemon and Mint

Imported from the Brazilian Amazon: Tambaqui fish, grilled with olives

Imported from the Brazilian Amazon: Acai and Cupuacu, pudding with berries

Flores

PREPARING FOR THE SHOOT

My amateur shots