Just take a look at Gerbrand...

Gerbrand volunteered with us in June, and as I write is still here on our NGO Volunteer Program.

I think he was quite amused and surprised to be voted The King of The Corn during the festival of St John - in all fairness to Gerbrand , he played along with it, and in fact did a magnificent job, too.

(Gerbrand is from Holland but is currently studying at the University of Wales in Cardiff....)

Some further information and a delicious sweetcorn recipe:

On 23rd June is the celebration of São João (St John The Baptist) the most popular saint in northeast Brazil. Fires are burnt in front of the houses, quadrilha is danced ( from French folklore) , all this is to give thanks for the good harvest, traditional meals are eaten and it is a great excuse to have fun...

Recipe for Canjica Pernambucana
Ingredients: · 25 spikes of sweetcorn· 1 cup of thick coconut milk· 4 litres of thin coconut milk· 3 cups of refined sugar· 1 soup spoon of butter· 1 soup spoon of salt· 1 cup of sweet herbal tea· 50 grames of butter cheese (optional – use a mincer if you have one)

Preparation and Method:

Grate the sweetcorn spikes and wash the mass with part of the light coconut milk through a thin sieve. Place mixture in a mincer machine or a liquidizer.
Add the rest of the thin coconut milk and boil it, always stirring it with a wooden spoon.After one hour and a half of boiling and stirring, put all the other ingredients and the remainder of the thick coconut milk.

Boil it on a low heat, always stirring it with the wooden spoon. Place it in a crosspiece plate or small plates and sprinkle with cinnamon…..
Hope you enjoy it!

PS: Thank you to, Mirian Machado-Thomas for writing about the June Festivals and providing the recipe for the delicious canjica...Obrigado Mirian...

If you have a question about the June Festivals or would like more Brazilian recipes , you may contact Mirian here

See you soon...