Brazil—exotic, sensual, mysterious—mingles pleasure with high energy, and its cuisine is no different. The recipes of The Brazilian Table frequently blend the native ingredients of manioc, cachaça, pequi, hearts of palm, and Dendê palm oil with the rich cultures of Portugal, Africa, Japan, the Middle East, and that of the indigenous population to create complex tastes that define this region of the world. A sample of the extraordinary cuisine includes Tucupi Duck Soup, Fish Paupiette with Crabmeat Brazilian-Style, Papaya Galette, Chicken Xim-Xim, Coconut Custard Bahía Way, Giló Puff Pastry Tart, and Guava Paste Soufflé. The Brazilian Table was a Julia Child First Book Award finalist and a finalist for the Gourmand International Cookbook Award. Authored by master chef Yara Castro Roberts-one of Brazil's most forthright advocates of its lifestyle and cuisine, this intimate look at the regions of Minas Gerais, the Amazon, the Cerado, and the Bahías from a food perspective not only introduces one hundred delicious recipes but also provides an in-depth cultural lesson on the regions and their unique foods. Chef Yara Roberts is well known in the arena of international chefs. She graduated from Boston University School of Culinary Arts and holds degrees from the Sorbonne and the École du Louvre. She taught at the Brazilian Academy of Cooking before moving to Paraty, Brazil, where she operates the Academy of Cooking and Other Pleasures with her photographer husband, Richard Barclay Roberts.
