Starting this month, we are selling a\u00e7a\u00ed at Haven BJJ. In this blog, we give you a crash course to understand a\u00e7a\u00ed. This is a topic I have become an expert in over the years, as a\u00e7a\u00ed is one of my favorite snacks.<\/p>\n
THE BASICS
<\/b>Let's start with the pronunciation: ah-sah-ee and not akai! Now that we have that out of the way: a\u00e7a\u00ed is a berry from a palm tree that grows in and around the Amazon rainforest. It is known for its antioxidants and has been a staple in the diet of surfers and jiu jitsu athletes for many years. Mainly in Brazil, but in recent years also in the US and Europe. It is eaten in various ways, as discussed in the paragraph below.<\/p>\n
THREE STYLES OF ACAI <\/b>
There are basically three styles of a\u00e7a\u00ed: a\u00e7a\u00ed as juice (seen in Rio de Janeiro), a\u00e7a\u00ed as ice cream (seen in S\u00e3o Paulo), and pure a\u00e7a\u00ed (seen in the North).<\/p>\n
Juice a\u00e7a\u00ed is the version that is popular in Rio de Janeiro and is usually served at tournaments around the world. The consistency is similar to that of a slush puppy and it is mixed with Guaran\u00e1 syrup and water. Standard toppings are banana, strawberry, and granola. Many juice bars in Rio also serve versions mixed with other juices, or even a\u00e7a\u00ed with protein powder. This is the style of a\u00e7a\u00ed you get at Oakberry.<\/p>\n
The approach to a\u00e7a\u00ed in S\u00e3o Paulo is quite different from that in Rio. In Rio, a\u00e7a\u00ed is seen as a healthy addition. The a\u00e7a\u00ed in S\u00e3o Paulo is viewed and served as a type of ice cream. The a\u00e7a\u00ed is scoopable and is not only topped with fruit and granola, but also with things like condensed milk, chocolate balls, wafer rolls, and pa\u00e7oca (sweet peanut candy).<\/p>\n
Finally, my personal favorite: pure a\u00e7a\u00ed. It is a bit harder to find, but worth the search. The actual pure a\u00e7a\u00ed is eaten as a savory sauce with fish dishes in the North. A slightly sweetened version can be eaten with tapioca pearls (like flavorless mini popcorn). I know two places in Rio de Janeiro that serve this style of a\u00e7a\u00ed: Tacac\u00e1 do Norte in Flamengo and Amaz\u00f4nia Soul in Ipanema. They are a bit more expensive than the regular Rio a\u00e7a\u00ed, but very worthwhile.<\/p>\n
At Haven BJJ, we sell high-quality S\u00e3o Paulo-style a\u00e7a\u00ed, complete with a spoon and granola.<\/p>\n
<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Vanaf deze maand verkopen we a\u00e7a\u00ed bij Haven BJJ. In deze blog geven we je een spoedcursus om a\u00e7a\u00ed te begrijpen. Dit is een onderwerp waar ik door de jaren heen een expert in ben geworden, omdat a\u00e7a\u00ed een van mijn favoriete snacks is. DE BASIS Laten we beginnen met de uitspraak: as-sa-ie en niet […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4102,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n