recife

Winter season is upon us and that means days will be getting cooler and cooler. Now, people is trying to warm up and a great way to do it is with mulled wine.

Mulled wine is a popular drink in Europe made with red wine, spices and is usually served warm. It's a traditional drink during winter, specially around Halloween and Christmas. Come to Recife and try a glass of it. It will keep you warm and also tastes really good!.

If you are not a wine fan we also have other winter drinks like: Irish Coffee (coffee with whisky and wiped cream on top), Tequila Coffee, Cointreau Coffee or Hot Toddy which is hot whisky with lemon, clove and sugar. This last one is very good when you're catching a cold, drink one and I promise you will feel better.

Talking about wine, don't forget next Thursday 17th is Beaujolais Nuoveau party 2011. You can enjoy the new Beaujolais plus a variety of french wines. It's all you can drink for 3900 yen and includes buffet with different french dishes. Don't miss it.

Stay warm and see you soon ;-)

Andrea.

Dia de Muertos (Spanish for Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday dated back 3000 years and it's celebrated November 1st and 2nd. This holiday is a time to honor and remember our loved ones who have passed away. People flock to cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and build altars adorned with the favorite foods and drinks as well as photos and esteemed possessions of the departed. In some parts of Mexico people spent all night beside the graves of their relatives.

Some families build altars in their homes. This has been a tradition in my house since I can remember. Every year we gather together to build up a small altar. This is the one my mom and my sister made last year to honor our loved relatives.





Even I'm not spending Dia de Muertos in Mexico, I really like to keep the tradition alive and share some of my culture with my friends, that's why in Recife we also celebrate the day. This are some pics from last two years.
















One of the more traditional dishes for the celebrations is Pan de Muerto (Bread of the dead). Traditionally, this is a round loaf of bread decorated with bone-like pieces and covered with sugar. This year I decided to bake a Pan de Muerto at home.





Come tomorrow to the Day of the Dead celebration in Recife, I will cut the bread so you all can try it. See you there.

Andrea