The Acai Story
The Acai Story
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Selecting prime acai is an artformOld hands can assess the quality of acai by touch. Experience tells them the value of the product and whether it suits the buyers particular market. As the sun rises, the price of acai begins to fall .... the best will have arrived and been sold before the first rays of dawn have painted the heavens. |
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Normal açaiThere is only one species of acai (Euterpe oleracea) but differing soils or other conditions can give rise the fruit developing anormal characteristics. The norm is the near black fruit. |
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White açaíA common variant is "white acai" which produces green but ripe berries and a slightly subtler flavour in the resulting juice. A seed from a white acai palm planted next to a standard acai palm will in due course produce a standard black fruit. Conversely a seed from standard acai palm planted in the vicinity of a white acai palm will produce the green fruit. |
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Processing açai - Açaí do LenoOnce the fresh açaí arrives at an outlet, such as Açai do Leno in Ananindeiua, Para, it is soaked, pasteurised and placed in the beaters until the right consistency is achieved. A litre of thick (grosso) açai sold (in 2009) for about US$2 while the thin acai is cheaper. As a staple food, acai is served at any time of day - breakfast, lunch, dinner or as an intermediary snack. Prices have gone up - and while many locals will benefit from this boost to the economy, the costs of this staple food is now out of reach for many! |
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Açaí wine ... an aquired taste for someAçai has a rich earthy flavour that not everyone finds appealing. The traditional way to eat açai is as an acompaniment to either lunch or dinner. Some like it with tapioca, some prefer it with farofa d'agua, while others enjoy it with either jerked beef, prawns or fried fish. It is occasionally served as a hot porridge - for those chilly tropical evenings when the temperature falls below 24degrees celcius!!! But outside the region it is generally served as an energetic drink, mixed with guarana or banana. Açai does not travel well hence the need to pasteurise and add sugar before freezing and transporting. |