Seranata do Amor

Love in Brazil, is spelled GAROTA. This is the name of the world famous brand of Brazillian chocolate which boasts of exports to more than 27 different countries. Though I was not allowed to take pictures, Caleb, Geli(my program director) and I visited the huge chocolate factory in the middle of the city of Vila Velha about a week ago. I was thrilled. Windows down riding in the backseat of the car, the aroma of sweet sugary hot chocolate fills the air surrounding and I indulged. Inside we wore clothing and hair protectors and were given a full length tour from manufacturing to production. I kept thinking about my chocolate factory I will open one day....(and also all that chocolate they must have stored away!!)

Anyways, at every stop they have barrels of chocolate where you can taste as many as you please(dont worry I didnt overdo it). They had milk chocolate, white chocolate and of course my favorite, dark chocolate, and every chocolate had some kind of surprise filling. Awesome sauce. The infamous candy which caleb and I bought by the pound at the gift store is this certain piece of heaven labeled Seranta do Amor(Serenade of Love).Below. I assume they must call it this because when the bom bom is in your mouth, Coltrane plays Mood Indigo outside your window. I have a picture of the melting bom bom below, it is a luscious chocolate fudge outside enclosing a wafer with white chocolate bursting out of the center. it is in sensations like this that you forget you exist for reasons beyond feeling. I will gladly send this love home.

On every Seranata do Amor candy bar, there is advice about love which is surprisingly poignant. For example:

My poor translation:

"Can love be transformed into friendship?

The natural path of love is to be transformed into friendship. But this does not mean that one thing has to end for another to begin."

How right you are little chocolate bom bom.