Carnival comes to Adelaide in city’s latest festival
A new Brazilian cultural festival Alma Brazil, kicked off last night. We talk to SA’s colourful Brazilian community, one telling how after 10 years in Oz he’s “still screaming when I see a huntsman”. See what tantalising dishes are on offer.
Cat Padula – who runs the sweet shop Sugar Fix – says she’s “definitely” noticed the Brazilian community in Adelaide growing since she moved here 12 years ago from Recife – a coastal city in Brazil’s northeast.
“In the past five years, the community has grown a lot, and the support of the people of the community for each other as well,” she says.
“I think it’s important also for us to remember our roots and remember what it feels like back home.”
This weekend, a city-first Brazilian cultural festival, Alma Brazil promises to do exactly that.
“There are a lot more Brazilians now, and we can see from the past two years, a few more Brazilian restaurants being opened and growing as well and changing. It’s amazing.
“We have a lot more people cooking and with the new restaurants and people cooking, they are bringing all of the food back here and adapting, not only bringing what we know, but also adapting to all different sorts of tastes”
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David William – owner of Bora café on Grange road – says he’s also noticed more Brazilian cafes opening in the past year and loves it.
“The Brazilian community in Adelaide is growing fast, and every time I hear about a new Brazilian opening a café, restaurant, or any kind of business, it makes me really happy,” he says.
“We love seeing each other shine.”
David says he’s “a proud Paulistano” from São Paulo and has lived in Adelaide for the past five years, and Sydney before that.
“So 10 years in Australia… and still screaming when I see a huntsman,” he laughs.
He says to introduce a non-Brazilian to the culture, “start with food, always”.
He suggests trying a Brazilian cheese bread called pão de queijo – “or ten” – or a bean stew with pork or beef, called feijoada “if you want the full comfort-food experience”.
“Or join a proper Brazilian barbecue with friends,” David says.
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He adds that “you can’t say you’ve had the Brazilian experience without at least one caipirinha” – a cocktail with a Brazilian distilled spirit made from sugarcane.
On Friday night, Bora will host a cocktail class to teach people to make the classic drink, with live bossa nova – a Brazilian genre of samba and jazz – as the soundtrack.
“Brazilians don’t need much of an excuse to celebrate, but when we do, we go big,” David says.
“Alma Brazil is a beautiful way to bring the community together and show Adelaide what Brazilian culture really feels like: music, food, energy, colour, and a lot of joy.”
On the sweet side, this Saturday Cat will host a cooking class to teach people how to make brigadeiro – a Brazilian chocolate truffle made with condensed milk.
“Brigadier is the most traditional one [dessert], it’s the must-have in all Brazilian parties, so we’re teaching the brigadeiro in its traditional version and some variations on that.
“It’s like in all occasions, a must-have: It’s at a birthday party, it’s at a bridal shower, it’s at a wedding, it’s everywhere.”
Cat says having a festival to celebrate the food and culture is important for Brazilian kids who have grown up in Australia, to bring back memories of home for the adults and share their favourite things with non-Brazilians.
“We are here, we are away from family, away from friends, away from everything that we grew up with, and when we do something like that for the community, it just brings back old memories and also makes new ones,” she says.
Alma Brazil is running from November 20 – November 23 with a range of events throughout the weekend.
