Last week, my roommate and I took a trip to Marietta to shop at Atlanta's Brazilian supermarket called Rio. As a native Brazilian, I was incredibly excited to find a store that would sell all of my favorite snacks and foods while also taking the opportunity to document my experience for Spoon.
Below is a list of things we bought at the grocery store followed by a few treats we purchased at the neighboring Rio Steakhouse and Bakery. I highly recommend that anyone who is interested in Brazilian and South American cuisine head up to Marietta for lunch or dinner at one of these delicious establishments!
Must-Try Savory Foods
Let's start off with the savory...
1.) Calabreza Sausage: An incredibly flavorful sausage with slight hints of spice and a strong garlic flavor. Try grilling this sausage at any barbecue gathering or cutting it up for a tasty pasta ragù.
2.) Tapioca Flour: Made from the Cassava root, tapioca flour serves as the perfect vessel for any form of filling. Prepared similarly to a crepe or quesadilla, the tapioca flour is heated on a pan, creating a flat pancake that can be filled with any ingredient you like! Personally, I enjoy adding shaved coconut with condensed milk or sliced cheese with ham.
3.) Batata Palha: A very thin potato chip typically added on top of Brazilian stroganoff. You can also try adding this ingredient to any salad (similarly to a crouton) for an extra crunch and salty flavor.
Must-Have Treats
Now onto the sweets...
1.) Guaraná: My absolute favorite drink! Made from the Amazonian fruit Guaraná, this soda has a unique flavor that is unlike any other beverage.
2.) Trakinas: A Brazilian version of the Oreo, except the filling is made out of chocolate, and the crackers have different faces on them. This was one of my favorite childhood snacks!
3.) Biscoito Recheado com Moça: Sweet crackers with condensed milk filling...a must!
Food from the Rio Steakhouse and Bakery
Although we did not sit down for a proper lunch (the restaurant was absolutely packed), we managed to buy a few delicious treats from the Brazilian bakery...
1.) Açaí: Not to be confused with the Americanized version of Açaí bowls, this soft-serve-like dessert is refreshing and delicious and reminds me of sunny days at the beach. This was our absolute favorite treat from the whole day!
2.) Coconut Tapioca Cake and "Beijinho": The first is a deliciously moist cake with a coconut crunch that is best served with coffee or tea. The second is a condensed-milk truffle rolled in coconut shavings with an incredibly rich flavor and smooth texture.
After trying all of these different items, I could not recommend enough that you head up to Marietta for a shop at Atlanta's Brazilian Supermarket or lunch at the Rio Steakhouse and Bakery. Everything is absolutely delicious and will give you a taste of the unmatched Brazilian cuisine and culture!