{"time":1771952394922,"blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\"Everything edible can become ice cream.\""}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"That's how Italian Andrea Panzacchi runs VERO, a small, relaxed factory in Ipanema, where the counter functions all day like a window to the season: fresh fruits, aromatic leaves, seeds, and spices transforming into frozen flavors."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Today, the 31 flavors come and go according to the weather and the farmers' supply, because good ice cream also has its season."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The stars are the native fruits of the Atlantic Forest – grumixama, donizete, cabeludinha, quaresmeira, uvaia, black raspberry – and ingredients that go beyond the commonplace: PANCs (non-conventional edible plants), herbs and spices like ora-pro-nóbis, citrus basil, priprioca, cumaru, amburana, puxuri. Flavors of the forest, in the form of ice cream."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"VERO makes ice cream like someone transforming territory into flavor: artisanal, with natural ingredients, support for family farming, less sugar, less waste, and low-impact packaging. These principles go hand in hand when the ice cream leaves the small factory in Ipanema and arrives at restaurants, hotels, and even hospitals—always clean, light, and authentically from Rio. Ice cream that respects the fruit's natural cycle, the farmer's skill, and the beauty of discovering that biodiversity can also be frozen."}}],"version":"2.18.0"}

{"time":1771951978968,"blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"After debuting as a tasting menu restaurant and artisanal grocery store in a small, charming space on Rua das Laranjeiras, Trégua has moved to a new location: it now occupies the rooftop of the Telhado cultural space, still in the same quiet, residential neighborhood that, during the Court's era, housed mansions and embassies."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The dining room, surrounded by contemporary artwork, including sculptures and paintings from the hosts' personal collection, combines elegance and history. The large 1940s table made of fine wood, along with chairs from the same era, preserve the spirit of the historic building that now houses the restaurant. In contrast, the open kitchen is modern and minimalist, equipped with state-of-the-art technology."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The contemporary cuisine restaurant operates once a week, under the direction of chefs Ana Paula Souza and Victor Lima. The number of guests is limited, and dinner is served in two shifts: the first accommodates ten people around the communal table, while the second hosts eight, plus four seats at the kitchen counter. The address is only revealed after reservation confirmation. The menu is dictated by local produce, seasonal vegetables, fresh fish, and carefully selected ingredients, comprising seven courses: four vegetable dishes, one fish dish, one meat dish, and one dessert."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The wine list is curated by sommelier Maíra Freire, who in 2024 became the first Brazilian to receive the Michelin Sommelier award, granted by the Michelin Guide."}}],"version":"2.18.0"}

{"time":1771951516640,"blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Led by Rafa Costa e Silva, Lasai is today the leading contemporary reference in haute cuisine in Rio de Janeiro. Located in the tranquil Largo dos Leões, in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro's most gastronomic neighborhood, the ambiance is designed to make the food the focus. The dining room is like a stage, without windows, made of a marble counter with only 10 seats, where the kitchen team interacts directly with the customers."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"There, the spotlight is on native, organic, local, and seasonal ingredients. Fish from the Rio de Janeiro coast, from artisanal fishing, as well as vegetables and fruits harvested from their own gardens or from small producers, in addition to cuts of pork from Brazilian breeds, form the basis of a constantly evolving menu."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Rafa insists on stating: he doesn't work with recipes. Alongside his team, he creates the menu items based on what is available in the restaurant's garden in Vale das Videiras, Petrópolis. It is there that they invest in biodiversity and rediscover little-explored flavors, such as Jerusalem artichoke or melon cucumber. What is served at Lasai are dishes made with 100% Brazilian ingredients, harvested at the peak of their flavor, which surprise with their creative and striking combinations."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"With a 15-course tasting menu, the experience can be paired with wines selected by Maíra Freire, elected Sommelier of the Year 2024 by the Michelin Guide. The restaurant only accommodates ten people per seating, by online reservation. After all, the waiting list for Lasai, which has two Michelin stars and is the 28th best restaurant in the world according to \"The World’s 50 Best Restaurants,\" is long."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"<a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/restaurantelasai/\" target=\"_blank\">Lasai Restaurante</a>"}}],"version":"2.18.0"}

{"time":1771951017445,"blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Angá Ateliê Culinário, in Petrópolis, an hour and a half from Rio, has a clear mission: to leave stress behind and reconnect with the flavors of the land. This is the desire of chef Lydia Gonzalez who, after periods in Spain and various places in Brazil, returned home in 2017 to raise her children and also the restaurant that has become a gastronomic reference."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Alongside Bruno Sobreira, she creates menus with organic, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients, highlighting the flavors of backyard gardens, with ingredients such as cassava, eggplant, and wild edible plants, preferably harvested from the agroforestry area she cultivates around her home."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Fish and meat can be included in the six courses of the menu, which changes according to the seasons and the availability of local producers. Here, the items have names and surnames: from the cheese of Capril do Lago, in Valença, to the cocoa of Bom Jesus do Itabapoana, passing through Celso's rapadura (unrefined cane sugar) and Sandra's carrots. On the table, you'll also find naturally fermented breads—cinnamon, focaccia, or flaxseed flour. The drinks menu includes cachaças, craft beers, and natural wines made by the restaurant's partners."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"On our last visit, we tried, among other dishes, pitangola (a type of fruit) baked in turmeric leaves with fresh mussels, golden cassava, and a coconut milk and turmeric sauce, finished with pink peppercorns from the Atlantic Forest. And we ended with a dessert of bread pudding with quilombola molasses, cream ice cream, and burnt bread praline."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Between glass windows and doors open to the Atlantic Forest, the space is decorated with sentimental finds, such as mortars and pestles and antique kitchen utensils. The atmosphere is cozy and romantic."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The challenge is returning to reality afterward."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"<a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/angaatelieculinario/\" target=\"_blank\">Angá Ateliê Culinário</a>"}}],"version":"2.18.0"}

{"time":1771950413924,"blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"On an unlikely street in Botafogo, a mix of chaotic shops, workshops, residential buildings, and a parking lot, a large glass storefront can be seen."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The former tenement, now taking on an industrial air, is the city's premier artisan bakery: Slow Bakery, Fábrica e Café, owned by former advertising executive Rafa Brito Pereira."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"From the entrance, the immense high ceiling houses ovens that produce 12 tons of naturally fermented bread per month. The production is shipped throughout the city, or enjoyed right there in one of the bakery's 67 seats, distributed among small tables, a communal table, and a counter."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Their famous croques, tartines, croissants, sandwiches, yogurts, jams, and eggs are made with cheeses or charcuterie from small local artisans and primarily organic ingredients."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"There are no ultra-processed foods, the packaging is recyclable, and the establishment aims for zero waste."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Open all day Tuesday through Saturday, and with reduced hours on Sundays, Slow has become a must-visit destination for foodies, business people, and tourists drawn by its numerous accolades in international guidebooks."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Don't leave without trying the choux pastry filled with Atlantic Forest vanilla and a cup of house-blend brewed coffee, or without checking out Rafa's new addition. It's Lazy, a house specializing in natural wines, pasta, and a mozzarella bar. But that's a topic for another post…"}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"<a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theslowbakery/\" target=\"_blank\">The Slow Bakery</a>"}}],"version":"2.18.0"}

{"time":1771960193320,"blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Copacabana, the neighborhood of Rio's most famous beach, is known for its bustling atmosphere. Amidst this urban chaos lies Umai. Rio: a secluded room, tucked away on the second floor of a discreet building, where the finest Brazilian ingredients meet Japanese techniques."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Umai (\"skillful\" in Japanese), created by Menandro Rodrigues, is a spin-off of his award-winning Haru Sushi, and is dedicated exclusively to omakase, a Japanese-style tasting menu."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Its 16 courses revolve around fresh fish from our coast, such as snapper, mackerel, or piraúna, always respecting the seasons and with low environmental impact. Both the soy sauce and all the dashi (broths) are made in-house, and the other ingredients are predominantly local and from small producers, such as native bee honey and seasonal Brazilian fruits."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The restaurant boasts one of the city's most extensive sake lists, including the first Brazilian craft sake: Tomoe."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"<a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/umai.rio/\" target=\"_blank\">Instagram Umai</a>"}}],"version":"2.18.0"}