First Jungle Club Meeting

Hello, Stoneleigh!
We tasted two delicious snacks this week at our first Jungle Club meeting.
Plantains are a crop of bananas that are typically used for cooking. The plantain crop is sometimes called the dessert banana. They are grown as far north as Florida, the Caribbean, and Central and South America in countries like Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, southern Brazil, the Canary Islands, Madeira, Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, southern Japan, and Taiwan. We ate Plantains at our first club meeting. We cooked them by slicing them lengthwise, deep fried them, and then we sprinkled them with cinnamon and sugar on top.

Brigaderos are simple Brazilian chocolate candies created in the 1940s and named after Eduardo Gomes who was a Brazilian Air Force brigadier. Their shape is similar to some varieties of chocolate truffles. The brigadero is usually served at parties and is popular among both children and adults. It's about one of the most popular candies in Brazil. They were excellent!

Below are the recipes we used at home. Enjoy!

By Ariel B.

Brigadeiros (chocolate balls)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

5 heaping T. of Nesquick, or to taste

1 heaping T. of butter or margarine, or to taste

Chocolate sprinkles

Mix all together over medium low heat for approximately 15 minutes or until mixure has a thick consistency. Take off heat and put in the fridge until cool (about 1/2 - 1 hour). Butter fingers and shape into small balls (about the size of a small superball). Roll in chocolate sprinkles and place in little foil confection cups. A sweet Brazilian treat to enjoy! Makes approximately 24 little balls.

Fried Plantains (Brazilian Style)by

2 - 6 plantains, black in color

sugar and cinnamon

Slice blackened plantains length-wise and thinly. Heat vegetable oil in fry pan (approximately 1/4 inch thick with oil). Carefully place sliced plantains into hot oil. After a minute or so, turn the plantains and fry on other side. Remove from oil unto papertowel covered plate to dry. When cooled slightly, coat slices in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon and eat while warm.