"Maria's Cookbook"
is at Blurb.com

Where Are You?

We regret we're not able to offer you a cafezinho, as Brazilian hospitality demands!

A gorgeous new space in a restored old house in Catete, Ameno Resedá brings the crème de la crème of Brazilian music to you. If you're going to Rio in March, the all-star lineup includes Nó em pingo d'água, Marcos Sacramento, and João Donato!!! And great food, to boot...

Photo Courtesy: Rodrigo Lessa

Whenever you travel to Brazil, please remember to get your gifts at museum stores and craft shops that help artisans around the country: Museu do Índio and Museu do Folclore are great alternatives.

You can also find great buys at public markets, such as the ones in Belo Horizonte, Recife, etc. These lovely one-inch-tall dolls came from the São José market in Recife.

View capim dourado objects in a gorgeous catalog published by Central do Cerrado. Plus, you get to see the plant itself and the women who weave the to-die-for collection!! It's much easier to shop for the objects and jewelry now...no need to go well the way to Jalapão: in Rio you'll find them at the Feira Hippie, Gen Osório Square, Ipanema. There you have it!

Brazilian desserts are some of most delicious and gorgeous sweets in the world...Take a look at these brigadeiros de colher made by Nanda Carino in Rio de Janeiro and, please, please, visit her blog Doce Mistura to see more of her amazing creations. Wouldn't you just love to have her cater your next function or birthday party? More on our Brigadeiros Page...

You know when you're itching to go somewhere and wish all the goodies and inside scoop were packed into one site? Well, if you read Portuguese, before you pick out your bikini and comfy shoes, pay a visit to Férias Brasil.

Art lovers: Please include the extraordinary Inhotim Institute in Minas Gerais in your Brazilian itinerary! Contemporary Art installations spread around an amazingly beautiful Botanical Garden.

Well, if the New York Times didn't wake up and notice the spectacular Lençóis Maranhenses in our old favorite state of Maranhão...

The most amazing place I've ever climbed up and down: Serra da Capivara in the state of Piauí. Magnificent cave paintings and other vestiges of prehistoric Brazil. Worth every drop of sweat! (And you will perspire an awful lot...) You can even shop, but not til you drop, remember!, at the wonderful Cerâmica Serra da Capivara. Check out the photographs in our book!

Best kept secret: this tiny colonial gem near the mouth of the São Francisco....

A sweet, sophisticated collection of José Henrique Nogueira's guitar compositions, produced by master flutist David Ganc. Ah, the musicians he assembled here: Ganc, Luiz Flávio Alcofra, Rui Alvim, Edu Morelenbaum...

Thanks to iTunes Store I can now listen to this marvelous, crazy CD. Thanks so much, Henrique Cazes! What a brilliant idea and so deserving of Carmen: her voice, her singing, clean it all up, add some great instrumental base and voilà! What a lovely surprise! Don't miss it!

Remember the gorgeous sounds of Rodrigo Lessa's "Das Ilhas Mestiças," dedicated to the Cabo Verde Islands? In "Cidade Mestiça" he pays an equally beautiful homage to the musical heritage of his native Rio de Janeiro, in company with the musicians in Pagode Jazz Sardinha's Club, plus samba luminaries such as Arlindo Cruz and percussionist Marcos Esguleba.

Monica Salmaso has been our favorite Brazilian singer for ages and this is one of her best: "Alma Lírica Brasileira," released by Biscoito Fino in Rio. Hard to listen to right now...too much saudade in my heart!

It sounds so familiar and yet so foreign (unless you speak Korean, that is)...it's around the world with a guitar and a song and that unmistakable soft beat. Thanks to Putumayo for this delicate, fun hybrid. (I'm a huge fan of their Salsa Around the World, too...)

Much more music...