Comments for Ypióca: the Rich History of Brazil's Poor Man's Drink at http://www.brazzilmag.com , comment 0 to 5 out of 5 comments http://www.brazzilmag.com Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:51:38 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/8552/54/#pc_10658 Well, thanks for the tip. - Ric Sat, 11 Aug 2007 18:45:46 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/8552/54/#pc_10651 Cluther, you are right about the ill feeling about Brazilian wine; there are some fine vintages coming out of Brazil, but there is a stigma on the national product due to the fact that for many years Brazilian wine was below par. At my last visit in July, I did sample some fine examples of local wineries and was surprised; in Brazil, Argentinean, Chilean and Portuguese wines seem to be more popular among the upper crust (totally unscientific findings, though). As for the dragon breath of cachaca, try the organic flavored cachaca, which leave none of it - Ernest Barteldes Sat, 11 Aug 2007 03:39:50 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/8552/54/#pc_10639 It´s none of the above, you goop. It´s that cachaça is ubuquitous and in many places, free at the counter by the shot. And the smell on the breath is easily identifiable and offensive to most. Could be any drink, vodka in Russia for example. But for the Brazilians unloading ships, cutting cane, pushing carts, hacking down the jungle, carrying sacks of cement on their heads, when it´s over they can´t afford Old Eight and can´t order a cocktail, and when it´s time to pass out they drink cachaça. Let them sleep it off. Perhaps if they didn´t have it they would murder their masters like the Haitians did to the French. There are a lot of cheaper pingas than 51 and the one mentioned above...... - Ric Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:14:12 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/8552/54/#pc_10637 It is a very Brazilian comment to suggest that it is Cachaça, not alcoholism or any number of other social ills, which makes people poor. It is an example of the social stigma that Cachaça carries with the Brazilian middle and upper class (as noted by the article's author). A similar stigma is attached to by Brazilians to anything Brazilian made - a belief that ANYTHING foreign made is better than domestic. So while Cachaça and caiparinhas are the rage at sophisticated bars in Europe the sophisticated Brazilians drink less interesting caiparioskis (made with imported vodka). It's been explained to me that this anti-Brazilian bias is a hang-over from the colonization but it continues to baffle me considering the quality of many Brazilian goods these days (from food to furniture, clothing and airplanes). The Brazilians will call me naive, but I wonder how many more social problems Brazilians could solve if they only believed in themselves more. Until that day arrives I advise other gringos not to make the social faux-paux of bringing vino nacional (Brazilian wine) as a gift when invited to a dinner party in Brazil. While I found the wine to be surprisingly good, I later found out (through a 3rd party of course) that the host was slightly insulted by my gift. - cluther Fri, 10 Aug 2007 15:03:17 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/8552/54/#pc_10627 According to some comentators, cachaca is why many poor stay poor. - Ric Thu, 09 Aug 2007 23:33:14 +0100