There is a heatwave going on right now in Rio de Janeiro, and it is pretty hot, even for the always-balmy Brazil (think 40 degrees Celsius – 104 degrees Fahrenheit). One delicious drink to enjoy on a particularly hot summer day in Brazil is Limonada Suíça (Swiss Lemonade). Don’t let the name fool you: it is actually a lime-aid, made with limes, sugar and condensed milk. Part of the confusion over the name comes from the fact that the Portuguese word limão can refer to various citrus fruits – including both yellow lemons (limão Siciliano), and also what people in the USA would call conventional green limes (limão Tahiti). In any case, we like green limes more that yellow lemons, so we are fans of this drink. Brazilians are fond of condensed milk, and even though it may seem like an unconventional choice for a beverage, the sum is definitely greater than the parts, and the drink is pleasingly tart, even despite its sugary ingredients. There are a few different varieties of Limonada Suíça you might try, including the classic with condensed milk, or a fizzy version with carbonation.
Limonada Suíça and Chocolate Croissants at Confeitaria Manon in Rio de Janeiro
Eating The World 