Food
The Festa Junina food is different in each region of the country. Tasting the variety of Festa Junina‘s food we can experience even far away from Brazil a little flavor and feeling for this most traditional Brazilian celebration.
Starting with the Amazon, in Manaus (the capital of Amazonas State), Festa Junina is celebrated with cassava cake, sweet tapioca with coconut. The Amazonians also enjoy the podre cake, and peanut brittle, which has Brazil nuts in it. Amazonians had a strong influence from indigenous peoples who brought to the Festa Junina the tacacá (porridge of a wild cassava—tucupi—starch and shrimp served hot in a bowl), fried pocovã bananas, caruru, vatapá, cocada and aluá (pineapple peel juice).
At Festa Junina we will try to keep it simple but at the same time allow you to try the real taste of the Brazilian countryside.
Here are a few recipes for you to try it all out! We are going to serve them at the party. 
Curau or Canjica, Canjiquinha (Brazilian Fresh Corn Pudding)
10 medium size ears, cleaned and washed
2 quarts of milk
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 cup of coconut milk
2 tbsp of margarine
cinnamon to taste
Grate the corn ears inside a large glass bowl, using a cheese grater. Make sure you get as much as you can out of each ear and put them aside. Mix the milk with the grated corn. Dip each ear into the milk and use a paring knife to squeeze out as much of the corn starch as you can from them. Use a strainer or a cheese cloth to separate the liquid from the grated corn. (In Brazil, the solids are then used to make bread, but I wouldn’t know how!)
In a large, heavy saucepan add the sugar to the liquid and start cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly until it starts to thicken. Add the coconut milk. Continue to cook, stirring, and test the cream by dropping a 1/2 teaspoonful onto a plate. When it cools it should have the consistency of Jello, firm but not solid. OK, I promise. Next time I make it I’ll time it. Brazilian recipes are generously shared by everyone, but they are a bit vague sometimes…Stir in the margarine, mix well. Pour onto a pirex or a more decorative pie server. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Let it cool and serve or refrigerate to serve later. Fabulous stuff!
MINGAU DE MILHO VERDE
6 fresh sweet corn ears
1 can (12 fl oz) evaporated milk
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1½ cup water
1 pinch salt
Ground cinnamon to decorate.
Cut the corn from the cob. Place corn in a blender container with the water and beat for about 30 seconds.
Press the mixture against a strainer to extract the corn juice. Pour the corn juice into a medium saucepan. Add evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and a pinch of salt.
Simmer the mixture in a medium heat until the mixture become creamy —about 10 minutes.
Use a wood spoon to stir the mixture for the whole 10 minutes to the mixture gets creamy.
Pour mixture into custard cups (6 oz). Sprinkle ground cinnamon.
Hint: Riper corns make a thicker pudding. Too young corns don’t have enough starch; therefore they make a thinner pudding.
Serve refrigerated. Makes 6 custard cups.
Bolo de milho Carioca (Carioca Corn Cake)
1 1/2 cup of fubá (yellow cornmeal)
3 cups of sugar
3 whole eggs
1 tbsp margarine
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp baking soda (if you can’t find the Brazilian Fermento Royal)
4 cups of milk
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix sugar, whole eggs and margarine. Add the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, parmesan and milk. The consistency will be liquid. Pour into baking pan. Bake until it turns a golden color on top. The center should be very moist, theoretically that’s where the parmesan cheese ends up. This is fantastic with a nice cup of espresso.
Brigdeiros (Brigadiers)
These sweets made with condensed milk and chocolate belong to that marvelous category of Brazilian “docinhos.” They are perpetual favorites with children and adults alike. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Brazilian birthday party without them and they are a huge success with Americans, too.
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 stick of butter or margarine (you can use only 1 Tbsp and it will still work out)
2 heaping Tbsp of Nestlé Quick or 1 Tbsp of Quick and 1 of Hershey’s Cocoa. I actually even use Suchard breakfast chocolate when I can get it from Switzerland.
In a heavy saucepan mix chocolate with condensed milk and add the margarine. Cook in low heat stirring constantly until you can see the bottom of the pan. Continue to stir for another two minutes. Pour onto a plate and let cool completely before you form the little balls (I usually leave it in the cupboard until next day). Butter your hands slightly to form the little balls. Roll the balls in chocolate powder or jimmies and put them in small paper cups.
Chocolate Carrot Cake
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
In a large mixing bowl, combine carrots, sugar & oil. Pour water over the mixture; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Add to the carrot mixture; mix well. Pour batter into a non-stick or lightly oiled 8″ square pan. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Frost with cream cheese frosting or a glaze, or serve .
Cinnamon rice pudding
1 litre whole milk
1 small cinnamon stick
Rind of half a lemon,
pith removed
Rind of half an orange,
pith removed
125g calasparra or other
short-grain rice
100g caster sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 Put the milk, cinnamon stick and citrus rinds in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Discard the rinds and cinnamon stick.
2 Return the milk to the heat, bring it to a simmer and add the rice. Keep stirring over a low to medium heat. After 10 minutes, add the sugar and stir for another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, cool, then chill in the fridge. Serve dusted with cinnamon.
