European literature spoke of dry, controlled environments, but Breno, from Porco Alado (@charcutariaporcoalado), had to learn to deal with the humidity that the Atlantic Forest brought to his charcuterie, made predominantly from native pigs in Rio de Janeiro.

Nice to meet you, guaquica. This little fruit, nearly extinct, was common in the backyards of Rio de Janeiro in the 19th century. It is a myrtaceae like our jaboticaba, pitanga, or guava, and can be found here and there, from Paraty to Cabo Frio.

During the 19th century, it was one of the favorite ice creams of the carioca population and also of Emperor Pedro II, who would go with the Empress to Rua Direita for their usual pitanga ice cream at the Hotel do Norte. The sign read: “Antonio Franzione, ice cream maker of Their Imperial Majesties.

The arrival of the Portuguese Court in Brazil brought a custom to the table: eating game birds.

At 6 a.m., the milkman’s horn would sound, and door-to-door selling was already a habit in the 19th-century Rio de Janeiro. Fresh milk had to come from nearby.

We were at the world's largest gastronomy event in Spain, bringing native ingredients and excellent products in yet another initiative to promote Rio de Janeiro as a sustainable gastronomic destination.