the first in a series of four videos taken while in brazil – sourcing coffee and cooking, eating, and talking at length with dozens of coffee farmers. for the long(ish) brazil essay and photos click here. in this video watch as the award winning coffee of carmo de minas is picked and sorted prior to processing. and as preparations for the feijoada one pot feast begin.

this video shows the different cuts of meat and sausage used in the traditional brazilian dish feijoada – a one pot preparation that is now considered the national dish of brazil but was first prepared on the coffee plantations of brazil – a humble dish prepared by the slaves with whatever scraps of meat that could be found. click here for a recipe.

the feijoada feast. as soon as we hit the table the conversation began – we learned much about the farmers, their lives, and the hopeful/tragic drama that underlines coffee in brazil. click here to read the essay brazil: dark shadows in paradise.