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Brazil’s Ambassador to the UAE, H.E Fernando Igreja showcased Brazil’s participation at the Expo 2020 Dubai to the diplomatic community in Abu Dhabi at an exclusive luncheon session, serving some of the signature dishes of Brazil prepared by the acclaimed chef, Geraldo Thomazini, with a verve and passion he is known for in his scrumptious culinary skills.
The Ambassador highlighted the diversity of the country’s cuisine, culture, food products, tourism and investment potential at the session, while guests feasted on a six-course food journey starting from charcoal cassava to start with, and ending with the Shakespearean themed desert Romeu & Julieta, served in contemporary style and ambience.
In between the glimpses of the Brazilian pavilion on screen, guests were also enthralled over the course with smoked eggplant seasoned with Valencia juice, garlic, basil and crisp spring onion, Crab Cake over charcoal tapioca bread, Acaraje stuffed with prawns, a specialty of Bahia in northeastern Brazil and Baiao with picanha steak at the penultimate course.
“The idea was to take the guests through an experiential journey on Brazil’s participation at the Expo 2020 Dubai while they savour and enjoy our eclectic dishes, served with the right look and feel,” the Ambassador said, while presenting the Brazil pavilion’s unique water and nature-themed design elements, reinforcing the South American country’s focus on sustainability.
During the lunch, guests were also served Brazilian Caipiras with the chef preparing it one by one. The highlight also included the refreshing Brazilian national cocktail Caipirinha to wash the food down.
On the Brazil pavilion, the Ambassador said it has been conceived and built as if floating on water. “The central square will be covered in a thin layer of water and enclosed by a tensile structure covered in a white fabric which will be used as a projection board to provide a sensory experience of the country’s diverse landscape,” he said.
Brazil through its participation at the Expo 2020 Dubai is seeking to reinforce the country’s strategic bilateral trade, investment, and cultural relationship with Arab and South Asian countries, he said adding that the focus will be on two-way trade and investment, tourism, food products such as meat and poultry, commodities like sugar and coffee, apart from reinvigorating the cultural ties with the Arab region.