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South American Culinary Tour July-August 2003, Part Five: São Paulo, Brazil

Kurma Dasa
2006-02-25 17:16:46

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hands-on class. The ten students arrived, and after a short introduction and issuing Gopala Prasada aprons, we set about preparing the lunch, which was a similar menu to the one I prepared the day before in Rio Preto.

As usual, the home-made cheese was the star attraction. Even though I have made it hundreds of times, it always turns out slightly differently. This depends on the quality of the milk, the nature of the curdling agent, the length of time it was pressed in the cheese-cloth, and many other subtle kitchen conditions. This time it turned out especially succulent.

It always impresses my students how amazing it is that one minute there is milk in the saucepan, and fifteen minutes later it has been transformed into a block of cheese. I gave the class a taste of the fresh product, sliced while still warm, and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, a sprinkle of cracked peppercorns and a pinch of sea salt. Quite a sensual experience. More about homemade cheese.

The entire lunch took less than three hours to prepare. Inspired by my suggestion that 'half the cooking is cleaning', we all cleaned the kitchen. A group photo was in order. Best before we ate, I thought, so we could include the lunch in the photo. And of course, so we could all be standing for the photograph! It turned out a wise choice, since we all ate very well indeed.

After all the guests went home, we sat around and chatted. Madhava pointed out a noticeboard with many newspaper cuttings glorifying the restaurant. She also showed me her selection of vegetarian stickers which are very popular with the clientele. I chose a few to bring home, including the one pictured which says "Pigs are our friends, don't eat them!!"

In the evening we visited the Hare Krishna Temple at Avenida Angelica. It was the famous Sunday Feast! After the exhuberant congregational mantra chanting before the Deities of Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra, I read a few excerpts from my book "The Great Transcendental Adventure". A feast was served after that, and somehow I politely ate some, although our party were well and truly stuffed from the cooking class lunch. This was a wonderful spiritual finale to our all-too-brief stay in São Paulo. Tomorrow, onwards to Pindamonhangaba.

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