Rainforest food

[Tim_MaA_MidB]

Acai and guarana are two common drinks here that, if the internet can be believed, are sold in health shops in the UK. Has anyone encountered/ingested either of these in the UK?

(me tucks into piranha soup)

[sejintenej]

Acai and guarana are two common drinks here that, if the internet can be believed, are sold in health shops in the UK. Has anyone encountered/ingested either of these in the UK?

(me tucks into piranha soup)

I don't know Acai but my children are adddicted to Brahma's guarana. (For others, Brahma is a large Brazilian drinks manufacturer. Guarana is made from an Amazon nut and is sold in tins as commonly as say Coke or Fanta)

Yes, Guarana is sold in UK health food shops for everything from Arches (dropped) to Zygocactus infection ie whatever the supplier can come up with. Comes as a powder but I do wonder if it actually does do anything except raise the shoulders and make the buyer walk taller because there is less weight in the purse.

cynic

[gma]

Acai and guarana are two common drinks here that, if the internet can be believed, are sold in health shops in the UK. Has anyone encountered/ingested either of these in the UK?

I'm not sure about the health shops but Tesco does a fruit smoothie (in wax carton box thingy like oj) with Acai in it and it's delish!

[sejintenej]

Acai and guarana are two common drinks here that, if the internet can be believed, are sold in health shops in the UK. Has anyone encountered/ingested either of these in the UK?

I'm not sure about the health shops but Tesco does a fruit smoothie (in wax carton box thingy like oj) with Acai in it and it's delish!

I have also known Tesco sell real "cachaca" or "pinga" - ISTR it was "51" - a well known brand in Brazil. Cachaca is sugar cane fermented but not like rum. Another name would be "firewater" - sometimes drunk neat with a beer chaser (perfect cure for nervous problems as I found out) or with crushed lime and sugar - caipirinha which is also recommended. I don't know the strength - I guess a bit stronger than you would think!

[Tim_MaA_MidB]

A fruit called acerola is very common here. Apparently, just one of the cherry-sized fruits contains as much vitamin C as 10 oranges.

Brahma is more widely known as just another kind of lager.

Guarana is sold under approximately 20 different labels. The locals are fussy about which brand they prefer, but I still can't tell the difference except that some are sweeter than others.

[gma]

Guarana is sold under approximately 20 different labels

Only thing I'm a little confused about is the 20 different labels, local bat, local seabird, local seal, imported bat, imported seabird and imported seal I get, so where do the other 14 types come from?

[Tim_MaA_MidB]

Guano?

[englishangel]

Yeah, tastes like birdsh!t

[gma]

Thought that one had been missed (or studiously ignored!)

[sejintenej]

A fruit called acerola is very common here. Apparently, just one of the cherry-sized fruits contains as much vitamin C as 10 oranges.

Brahma is more widely known as just another kind of lager.

Guarana is sold under approximately 20 different labels. The locals are fussy about which brand they prefer, but I still can't tell the difference except that some are sweeter than others.

Acerola I don't know; I was probably too bust on guarana and pinga!

Brahma made several different types of beer (a lager type for the benefit of most readers) - I usually had Chopp which was draft (though I suspect it was also bottled) - very good as a chaser for cachaca. I also used to drink Especial which was a beer from a different company up in the northeast and less gassy but dearer.
(I got to know a number of the Brahma people because of the work I was doing - very impressive but did they take chances!!!!! Worse, I suspect that they were teetotal!

[Tim_MaA_MidB]

In the UK I only really ate avacado on its own with a little black pepper and vinegar or in a salad, but here it is more commonly liquidised with milk and sugar and served as a cool drink.

[Katharine]

In the UK I only really ate avacado on its own with a little black pepper and vinegar or in a salad, but here it is more commonly liquidised with milk and sugar and served as a cool drink.

There are similar ideas in Borneo, I'm told it is ideal with condensed milk which must be much the same. I never tried that,

[cj]

Mashed avocado and banana is great for little kids. Our younger daughter grew up on it. I adore avocados. They are great with smoked bacon or prawns in a salad.

There was a fad a few years ago for guarana. It was in drinks, chewing gum etc and advertised as the 'natural' way to beat tiredness. Haven't seen any for ages, but then I havent really been looking out for it.

[J.R.]

I can't STAND avocado

[Jo]

Like CJ, I love it. Coincidentally the first time I ever had it was at Horsham when the Hertford UVI came down for Speech Day (I think). It was the starter at lunch. This would have been 1975, and I was aware of it as a trendy new fashion food, but I was quite underwhelmed by it at the time. However, it has grown on me since and it's one of my favourite foods now. Sadly high in calories, even though it's supposed to be very healthy. I've only ever had it as a savoury - interested to read about it as a sweet drink, or with banana - will have to investigate further