Flavor of Brazil

Rio’s Brazilian Café is Open!!!!

Showcasing our Brazilian savory pastries, soups, salads and breads, Elias and I are really looking forward to seeing ya’ll here and sharing some Brazilian hospitality with you.

We’ve been open almost a week and are getting a fantastic response from folks so far, as well as repeat customers ALREADY!  Hurray!

We’re located at 408 N. Pleasant Valley Road in East Austin, zip code 78702.  That’s basically East 5th Street and Pleasant Valley.

So, we’re just up the road from the new IBC Bank on Cesar Chavez, and we’re just down the road from the HEB at the corner of East 7th and Pleasant Valley.

We’ve got many gluten-free items like our Bolinho de Aipim, a yuca-root pastry stuffed with smoked gouda and roasted red peppers.

We also have our gluten-free cheese breads, yuca fries, and soups – all made with 100% gluten-free ingredients and still delicious!

We also have many vegetarian items like our Empadão de Linguiça de Soja, a savory cupcake that’s baked and filled with vegetables and soy chorizo sausage (and flavor!), and our Pastel de Ricotta Caseira e Espinafre, a delicious pocket filled with handmade ricotta cheese and fresh spinach.

Our full menu can be seen here.

Please join us Monday through Friday from 7am – 9pm and on Saturdays from 10am - 10pm.  We have drive-thru and pick-up service, our own parking, and plenty of street parking.

Rio’s Brazilian will continue to be at the Downtown Farmers’ Markets on Saturday mornings, and at the HOPE Farmers’ Market on Sundays.

You can also continue to find our packaged breads, sauces and salads at many awesome retailers like Thom’s Market, People’s RX, Royal Blue, Whip In, Spec’s Liquors, and the Whole Foods at 6th & Lamar.

We hope to see you soon!  Our phone number at the Café is 512-828-6617.

Um abraço forte,

Ben & Elias

Elias and I are so proud to say we’ve leased a space of our own on Pleasant Valley Road, just north of Cesar Chavez, and just south of East 7th Street.

We’re still working out the details, but we hope to welcome you ALL to our own location, Rio’s Brazilian Cafe, located at 408 N. Pleasant Valley Road, Austin, Texas, 78702, very soon.

We’re shooting for a late January opening but feel free to give us a call at 636.8534 for more information, or pass by!

Below is an incredible piece by Ms. Mary Tuma, of Community Impact Newspaper:

Ben Googins and Elias Martins, owners of Rios Brazilian food company plan to start offering their natural, local and hand-made food products at a cafe that bares the same name in late January. The duo has distributed their traditional frozen cheese bread, prepackaged salads, cooking sauces and pastries to local stores including Whole Foods Market, Royal Blue Grocery, Spec’s Liquor and the Austin Farmers Market for the past three years.

Googins said they look forward to showcasing different products to customers and sharing their hospitality on a daily basis in their new neighborhood home base.

http://impactnews.com/central-austin/recent-news/6691-bbq-bus-and-brazilian-cafe-join-citys-food-scene

To make our gluten-free cheese bread (pão de queijo), we use yuca root.  Also spelled yucca (with two c’s), and also know as cassava, manioc, and tapioca, this amazing root vegetable is very versatile.

Thought to have first been cultivated by the Mayans over 1,400 years ago, the yuca shrub and it’s tuber root account for the third largest source of carbohydrates for humans in the world!

Yuca has one of the highest food energy yields of any cultivated crop, and plays a particularly important role in developing countries because it does well on poor soils and with low rainfall.

Traditionally in Brazil, yuca starch (polvilho) was made by grating the yuca root and soaking it in water.  After the root was removed, the water was dried in the sun and the starch was scraped from the large wooden bowls (gamela.)

The starch can then be used to make pão de queijo and other baked items.  The root itself can be cooked, mashed and eaten with a touch of butter and salt, grated and used in sweet cakes, or fried and eaten as a french fry.

Below is a simple Bolo de Aipim recipe from Elias.  It’s sort of like a coffee cake that is perfect for snacking and sharing.  It’s gluten-free and delicious!

Ingredients:

3 cups of sugar

4 eggs

1 stick of butter (more to coat the pan) – room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups of milk

2 pounds of yuca root*

1 cup of  grated coconut

*You can buy yuca root at your local “ethnic” grocery.  Here in Austin, Fiesta has it, as do some HEB grocery stores.  It’s in a dry bin like yams and potatoes, and looks like the photo above.

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Cut the ends of the yuca root off and peel it (like a carrot.)  You’ll see that under the “bark” is a whitish, dry vegetable.  Using a hand-grater, grate the yuca into small pieces (like grated coconut.)

(If the yuca root is black or mushy, it’s no good. )

In a bowl, mix sugar and butter.  Add the eggs, one at a time.

Mix in grated yuca and coconut.

Add vanilla and cinnamon, then pour in the milk (little by little) until a batter.

Coat a non-stick pan with butter.

Add the mixture to the pan and bake for one hour, checking every ten minutes or so thereafter.  When done, it should be golden brown and a fork should come out of the center clean.

Allow to cool and enjoy!

We love it with fresh whipped cream and a strong cup of coffee.  This cake lasts great on the counter and can be munched until gone.

Let us know how yours turned out!

Photos from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava

On Thursday night, November 5, Elias and I had the wonderful experience of

Laura Stewart, Elias Martins, Jennifer Simonson

taking part in Rainforest Partnership’s 1-year celebration of their Chipaota Project, hosted by Austin filmmakers Richard Linklater and Elizabeth Avellan at Barr Mansion.

Working with the native community of Mushuck Llacta de Chipaota  in Northeastern Peru, Rainforest Partnership is helping to develop a long-term management plan for sustainable harvesting of the piassaba palm, a 30-foot palm endemic to this area that produces stiff, wiry fibers used to make brooms.

For the Chipoata Project, Executive Director Niyanta Spelman’s team is researching the market potential for piassaba palm products and helping the community establish supply chain links to the manufacturers of brooms and other potential products in nearby Tarapoto.

Rainforest Partnership started in Austin in 2007 with the vision of “Linking people to people for a sustainable future.”

The idea behind this message is that trees and forests don’t exist in a vacuum; there are communities who live and depend upon them for their livelihoods, medicines, etc.

Another exciting project going on right now is the 2,500 mile trek through the rainforest from Chazuta, Peru to the river’s terminus in Belem, Brazil, by St. John College graduate Joseph Hochman, and Austin’s own UT-graduate, Timothy Hawkins.

Benjamin Googins

The purpose of the trip is to simultaneously complete a coast-to-coast paddle and promote the mission of Rainforest Partnership.  The team is providing updates along the way to followers on Rainforest Partnership’s blog, Facebook, Twitter and Trip Trekker.

Elias and I are proud to support this organization!  Become a part by visiting their blog and learning more.

More photos on our Fanpage (www.facebook.com/riosbrazilian) All photos by Mohammad Kursheed.  mkhursheed@hotmail.com

We at Rio’s Brazilian are not experts by any means on gluten intolerance or Celiac Disease.  As a matter of fact, our facility is not a dedicated gluten-free kitchen (at this time) which is important for people with severe Celiac Disease to know.

That said, I thought I’d give a brief description of “gluten” and the disorders associated with it.  My sources include the local Austin Celicac support group – Alamo Celiac – and FoodIntol.com

We use the term “gluten” to refer to the damaging protein involved in Celiac Disease, but this term is not scientifically accurate. There are actually separate proteins in each of the gluten-containing grains such as gliadin in wheat hordein in barley.

There is a difference between those who are gluten intolerant and those who have Celiac Disease.

Gluten intolerance is a broad term which includes all kinds of sensitivity to gluten. A small proportion of gluten intolerant people will test positive to a Celiac Disease test, and so are called Celiacs.

Celiac Disease is a chronic auto-immune disease affecting genetically susceptible individuals. In celiac disease the absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged when gluten-containing grains are eaten. (thank you for correction, Jessica Meyer)

What happens is that the villi, small hair like projections that greatly expand the capacity of the intestinal surface to absorb nutrients, are flattened. So the body is unable to absorb the nutrients which are necessary for good health.

The symptoms of gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease are as varied as the nutritional deficiencies caused by this lack of absorption.

Symptoms can include chronic constipation, abdominal cramping, anemia, fatigue, weakness, lack of energy, weight loss, depression, and  irritability.

If you suspect you may have Celiac Disease, you should see your physician.  If you suspect you may be intolerant, you may want to follow an elimination diet.

Any food that is known, or suspected, to cause an adverse reaction is either completely eliminated from the diet, or eaten on a rotation basis.

The purpose of an elimination diet is to avoid all problematic foods for a minimum of four days, or until a person experiences some relief from his/her symptoms. Once the body is cleansed, the foods that were eliminated are systematically added back into the diet, one food at a time.

Fortunately, there is a ton of information available now on the Internet.  Local support groups are great, plus stores like Whole Foods Market offer gluten-free tasting tours, cooking classes and festivals.

Rio’s Brazilian breads are made with 100% gluten-free ingredients.  The base of our bread is yuca root (manioc starch.)  We follow strict sanitation guidelines and strive to never cross-contaminate equipment, but it is important to know that the gluten-protein can stay in the air of a mixed-facility like ours and can contaminate some products.

We hope you’ll give our Pao de Queijo a try!

Thanks,

Ben & Elias

Elias and I are very excited to be a part of the new Hope Farmers’ Market on the east side of Austin, every Sunday from 11am to 3pm.  

Starting a bit later in the day, and held on Sunday?  Wow!  Who wouldn’t want to come join us?

Hope is more than a market. From their site:

This unique weekly gathering space will be a platform to introduce local artists and Austin residents to surrounding area farms, healthy lifestyle companies, education in the arts and local community volunteer programs.

The market is at the corner of E. 5th & Waller Street at the Pine Street Station.

Also, Empower Yoga Studios is hosting Yoga workshops!  “Bring your mat and towel and enjoy stretching and breathing during the 45 minute yoga sessions on Sundays! 11AM  &  1PM”

Rio’s Brazilian will be there with our savory pastries, malagueta sauces, and gluten-free cheese breads (pao de queijo.)

We hope to see you there!

Ben

I wrote this article in Brazzil Magazine quite a few years ago.  I thought I’d reprint it below to let everyone know they’ll be just fine communicating on their first visit to Brazil.

Relax! You already speak “Brazilian”

Maybe back home in the U.S. the big boss was rude, the office boy broke the Xerox machine, your check-up was a bust, or the babysitter quit.  But you’re on vacation now, so it’s time to release the stress.

So you want to visit Brazil but you don’t speak Portuguese. No worries, my friend. Your existing vocabulary will serve you well and ensure that all of your needs are met.

Once you’ve arrived in Brazil you’ll certainly be looking for something to eat. Your most convenient option would be to stop at a McDonald’s and order a Big Mac and a milkshake followed by a sundae. But did you travel all this way to eat Mickey D’s? If you’re really craving fast food try Bob’s, Habib’s or call for delivery from China in Box.

On the street you’ll find plenty of vendors cooking up hotdogs and x-burgers. (Why the x? In Portuguese the letter x is pronounced “sheesh.” Cheeze-Sheesh…get it?) There are plenty of self-service restaurants but if you’re looking for something a little more diet maybe you’d better stick to cream crackers and Coca-Cola light.

While you’re in Brazil you’ll definitely want to do some shopping and there’s no better place than the Shopping. You’ve plenty to choose from: Shopping Ibirapuera, Shopping Morumbi, Shopping Rio Off-Price, Barra Shopping, and the list goes on.

Rest assured that you’ll be looked upon as very fashion once you buy your tennis at Puppy, baby look T-shirt at Tubby, and your jeans at Scrap. Those of you who prefer a look more clubber be sure to check out Hot Buttered. You’ll leave looking sexy without a doubt.

If it’s electronics you need, check out a showroom. Finding a new mouse for your computer, a walkman to drown out the voice of your personal trainer, or a video (cassette recorder) to watch your favorite movies will be a cinch; just remember to purchase a rack to keep it all organized.

Head downtown and you’ll find lots of items for your kitchen. You may even be surprised with the design of furnishings for your living room. There is always a sale on sofas.

Brazilians treat their businesses with respect as can be seen by the formality with which they name them. Take for example Mr. Forno, Mr. Gato, and Mr. Informática. Oh no, it’s not pizza, it’s Mr. Pizza to you, buddy!

You’ll find many shops while visiting Brazil as well. The most prolific are the sexshops but you’ll also discover a petshop or two. While at the bookshop pick up the latest bestseller. It will probably be about some Oscar winning actor who turns out to be a serial killer and ends up dying from an overdose. What a pity.

Here in Brazil, as in the rest of the world, there has been a boom in technology. Don’t worry that you’ll feel left out of the conversation. Simply bring up your favorite site and you’ll have plenty to talk about. Any type of new software you can download from the Internet is always a welcome topic. If you’re a workaholic please leave your laptop at home. If, however, you have the know-how to be a hacker, be sure to delete any incriminating evidence from all of your e-mails.

If you decide to bring the kids on your trip to Brazil they’ll get along just fine as well. Brazil is in the highest world ranking for watersports. Maybe your son or daughter will be the next to break a surf record. If they’re into skate boarding they’ll make plenty of new friends. I’ve noticed that most of these kids not only break dance well but are also covered with tattoos and piercings. Now that I think about it, maybe it would be better to just bring your child’s videogame along for company.

Maybe back home in the U.S. the big boss was rude, the office boy broke the Xerox machine, your check-up was a bust, or the babysitter quit. But you’re on vacation now, so it’s time to release that stress. The best way to do this is to enjoy the night or even take in a show.

Before you do this though you’d better take a shower in the box and remove that excess hair with your Gillette. To shampoo your hair you should try Pom-pom but I wouldn’t use Skin Pop to soap up with if I were you. I’ve never tried it but just the name gives me the creeps.

Now that you’re ready to go out you can take a van, hop in your pick-up, or if you’re a playboy you’ll ride in your limousine, wearing your smoking (tuxedo) of course.

Heterosexual men will want to enjoy happy hour by having a cocktail at one of the many American Bars located throughout Brazil. (Just don’t drink too much and black-out.) If you’re lucky you’ll meet a top model who won’t mind if you’re interested in more than her book.

Homosexuals needn’t fear. Say gay and you’ll be directed to a club complete with a darkroom, stripper, and plenty of drag queens with whom you can share a drink. Your choice of bars is extensive. Check out Le Boy and Loch Ness if you want to party hard but if you’re looking to relax you’ll much prefer Blue Angel.

Whether your taste in music runs towards Techno, Dance, Pop, or Rock I feel confident that you’ll enjoy the sounds of U Can Dance, P.O. Box, and Fat Family. Their remixes are super.

If you meet a lovely Brazilian and feel that an amorous relationship may result you’ll be happy to know that there are many motels such as Lovers, Stop Time, and Vanity just a short distance away. One of the most interesting has to be Sinless Hotel. Their motto: “Love is not a sin.” If you prefer love on the go you can park in a Drive In. It will be cheaper than a hotel but don’t expect a double-feature (unless you’re feeling up to it of course.)

You may even discover, as I have, that your name has another meaning. Benjamin in Brazil is what we Americans would call a three-prong plug adapter. Not so glamorous I know but luckily Brazilians often confuse my name with “beija mim” or “kiss me.” Much more chique.

So friend, as I’ve mentioned, your existing vocabulary will enable you to acquire all of the necessities: food, clothing, transportation, entertainment, and even passionate shelter.

So what are you waiting for? Come to Brazil and practice your English!

We thought it would be kind of cool to show how our logo has evolved from a quick sketch on paper to our most recent (and lovely) logo.

While living in Philadelphia we started exploring the possibility of bringing“Rio’s Brazilian” to life.  As part of that I threw down a few sketches, taking into account the image we want to project – - that of Rio de Janeiro and all of it’s wonder.

At that time I read a quote from Andrew Draffen of the Lonely Planet guide books.

Known throughout Brazil as pleasure-seeking hedonists, Cariocas (Rio natives) have a lust for life and love of romance.

That passage really resonated with me and encapsulated how I, too, felt about those crazy Rio de Janeiro natives.

Moving to Austin we put the plan into action.  There I started messing with  a design program and came up with the outline of our Sambista.  The color of the lines reflect the Brazilian flag, which in turn reflects the riches of Brazil as stated in the Brazilian flag anthem:

In thy beauteous bosom portraits

This sky of purest blue,

The impaired greenness of these forests,

And the splendor of the South Cross Constellation.

Moving forward with getting our Malagueta sauces ready for stores we had to have our labels designed.  The label designer helped us refine our Sambista outline and add details.

The first incarnation seemed too much like a “pixie” for me, so I asked them to take some sample faces I sent and rework “Ms. Rio’s” to be more true to actual Sambistas in Brazil. (We removed the star from her crotch because it seemed a bit too stripper-ish…although I loved it since it is part of the Brazilian flag.)

Although we saw the connection, we soon learned that our labels and logo were not readily identifiable to other people.

As we moved forward with preparing our labels for our cheese breads (pao de queijo), we hired a Brazilian designer to rework “Ms. Rio’s” once again.

It was much easier to describe how I felt to this designer, Mr. Luiz Eduardo de Souza of Braza Branding.  We talked about famous Sambistas like “Globeleza” and he hit the ground running.

So, here we are — Ms. Rio’s and our new Rio’s Brazilian logo.  We hope ya’ll like it as much as we do!

Below are some links to Brazil-related groups and such in Austin.  If we’re missing something, please let us know and we’ll gladly add it.

AustinBrasil Yahoo Group – http://groups.yahoo.com/group/austinbrasil/

• An awesome, up-to-date resource on all things Brazilian in Austin.  Mark Hall does an amazing job of keeping everyone informed on what’s happening; from classes and performances to lectures and parties.  Definitely worth joining!

The Brazil Center – http://www.utexas.edu/cola/insts/llilas/centers-and-programs/brazil/overview.php

• Did you know the University of Texas has a Brazil Center?  Julie Nordskog and Andre Franca do an amazing job representing Brazil throughout Austin with speaker, art and performance sponsorships, and much more! Visit the site and sign up for their newsletter at the end of the page.

Ana Brasil – http://www.anabrasil.com/

• Ana’s store not only carries beautiful Brazilian clothing, jewelry and art, but it’s also a friendly hub to practice your Portuguese and share a cafezinho.  Ana’s web site has tons of information about getting in touch with Brazilians who provide services in Austin.  Ana Brasil hosts fashion shows, children’s classes and music performances and has a great collection of Brazilian cds and videos.  Her store is great for gifts, too!  Located off of Anderson Lane and MoPac, it’s breeze to get to, parking is easy, and the staff is wonderful!

Acadêmicos da Ópera – http://www.austinsambaschool.org/

• These guys are incredible!  They are a group of more than 50 drummers and dancers in Austin, Texas, specializing in the music and dance of Brazil. Patterned after the samba schools of Rio de Janeiro, we bring the music, movement, color, pageantry and joy of Carnaval in Rio to parades, festivals and special events throughout the region. Keep an eye open for their performances, or join them!

Capoeira Evolucao – http://www.capoeiraevolucao.com/

• This is another experience that can’t be missed.  Capoeira, the traditional martial arts of Brazil is in your face, beautiful and powerful at the same time. Copoeira Evolucao’s goal “is to teach the traditions of capoeira Regional and Contemporânea to help establish a good source for capoeira knowledge and allow the art to grow.”  Be sure to check out their site for performance dates or to join them!

Esquina Tango – http://www.esquinatangoaustin.com

• Samba Beginner Classes with Rebekah Fowler at Esquina Tango: every Tuesday 7:45-8:45pm.  Samba Intermediate classes with Rebekah Fowler : every Saturday 11:45-12:45pm. Vamos Sambar Gente!!!!!

We’re so glad you stopped by!  Bem vindo!

In this blog we’ll spotlight Brazilian culture and cuisine in Austin, Texas, as well as highlight events we, Rio’s Brazilian, are taking part in.

We’ll also give insight into the history of Brazil and the many wonders of the country, culture and people.

As small food producers we understand the many challenges that face those of us trying to make all this work.  We’re proud to be a part of the online “foodie” community and hope to learn from all our online friends.

Um abraco forte,

Ben & Elias

www.HowDoYouRio.com