If you travel to Brazil then make sure you to travel to the lush jungles of the Amazon, where a very distinctive cuisine is served up by the villagers that live in the regions. These are dishes created by the hand of the cabocas and some the humble recipes have been handed down for generations.  Amazon cuisine is unlike any other type of cuisine you will find in Brazil or the rest of the food. It is made of specific fruits and liquors and fish that are indigenous to the Amazon forest in Brazil.

Some of these dishes are more elegant than any chef could serve up. A good example is pachica. This is a type of stew made from turtle blood and parts that is served up in the turtle shell itself. It is seasoned with chili and chicory and lemon.

As there is no wheat or any other substance to make flour with in the Brazil Amazon, the cabocas make flour out of fish. This fish flour is called piracui.  It is made out of a fish called acari, which is gutted, salted and dried.

The favorite fish of the cuisine is from a very fatty piscine found in the Amazon River called the pirarucu. This fish is so rich that it is not advisable for people with health states like pregnancy or diabetes. This fish is often fried or dried and is the main dish featured in many of the cabocas celebrations.

There is also a special casserole called the tambaqui, which is a fish stew that is made with parsley, shallot, chives, tomato, onion and a little palm oil or olive oil.

Yet another unique feature of this cuisine is the luscious fruits that are just served raw with it or made into ice cream, juice, desert, liquor, chocolate, salamis and wine.

You cannot travel here without sampling a pupnha. It is almost like bread it is so common in the Amazon. It is a big orange fruit somewhat like a papaya. A tucuma the fruit of a palm tree and has 1000 times more Vitamin A then an avocado. The jenipopo is a sweet purple fruit and is used to make wines. It is also used in celebrations that involve body painting.

If you are lucky you may be able to try cupuacu, which contains caffeine and theobromine. It’s juice is served everywhere in Brazil as a special drink and it is still used as a sacred drink in special ceremonies.

Some people eat to live and then there are those who “live to eat.”   These are the foodies of the world who will travel wherever they can to sample the best that can be offered by the gourmet goods industries.

Wine Expos are popular among people who love to sample liquor and food.  They also attract restaurant owners and caterers who want to serve the latest popular vintages and snacks to impress their clients. In general, anyone who loves cooking can be found at a wine expo.

These expositions which can be small and simple and feature a couple of local wine-growers who want to feature wines made from a certain region such as the Niagara region in Canada. Sometimes a group of small brewers will get together and hold an outdoors event where wines can be sampled at a wine expo that is like a county fair.

However usually wine fairs are gigantic like the annual Toronto Food and Wine Show which can feature over 500 vendors featuring wines, beers, hard liquors, cocktail treats, cheeses, meats and glass ware.

Vendors selling condiments and exotic garnishes for cocktails are also very common at these types of expositions as are vendors selling home wine-brewing kits, wine stoppers, wine decanters, wine racks and coolers for keeping wine at the right temperature.

There are usually a couple of booths selling cookbooks or the newest cooking gadgets on hand and many demonstrators on the floor offering you free samples of food and alcohol or discount coupons.

Depending on the laws where you live you can buy bottles of alcohol right at the wine expo or you can visit a licensed vendor to buy bottles of the wine you sampled during the show. Usually tickets are sold at the door and must be presented to each vendor, instead of cash, to trade for tasting various wines and products.

The fun part for many is all of the free samples. Depending on the laws in the country or state where you are enjoying the expo you might be offered free alcoholic drinks sponsored by a liquor company.  Most expos also have bars where you can independently sample the wine and liquor that you are interested in at a discount price.

It is also not unusual for travel agencies offering to sell you vacations that include wine tasting tours at wine expos or opportunities to go on cruises that feature wine tastings.