Cachaca Cravo, lost secrets re-emerged

Cachaca cravo is a popular variant of the famous brazilian cachaca drink. Cachaca cravo or Cravinho, is made by soaking clove (cravo) in cachaça (the standard Brazilian sugar-cane based alcohol) and sweetening it with sugar. It's cheap, delicious, and deadly.

Originally this red flower came from India. When the conquestors of Brazil, the Portugese, found the Indian seaway, the flower species of Eugenia Caryophyllata was discovered and used for spice and intense aroma. It is harvested, dehydrated until it becomes dark brown and you can smell the characteristic scent of clove.

The plant, Eugenia Caryophyllata, has tranquilizing effects and is used to relieve tooth pain and also has digestive stimulants. ( So if you have problems going to the toilet, this might help =)

Cachaca was originally made in big alcohol distillation, home made and operated by slaves. The Cravo flower was put inside the cachaca and left to give the well know flavour. It’s also usual to use together with cinnamon in sweets.

To taste Cachaca cravo I suggest trying out one of the local cachacarias which serve a great variety of cachacas. You have to take care of course because the cachaca is strong enough to put any sized man in the ground.

Infusions are what the name implies, flavoring agents added to cachaça and left to steep. There are several infusions of cachaca which could be tried, two of the most popular are:

· Cravinho (made with clove), and
· Jatobá (jah-toe-BAH), made with the bark of the jatobá tree (Hymenaea courbaril, so named for the conspicuous form of its leaves)

· Another popular infusão is catuaba (renowned as an aphrodisiac), made from the bark of the catuaba tree (Erythroxylum catuaba)

A place which spesialize in Cachaca cravo is the cravinho in the old city of Salvador, the Pelourinho

From Cachaca cravo back to copacabana restaurant

From Cachaca cravo back to Copacabana.info mainpage