In the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community, Acai goes part and parcel with the sport and lifestyle. Once you get your first taste for it, you will love it from then on and go out of your way to find the best places to buy it. Most competitions have a stall selling it, and around London you can buy it from a few Brazilian cafes.
A friend of mine is in Rio at the moment and checked in at Bibi Sucos, the best place in Rio for Acai. It just made me slightly jealous, and even more keen to make my own as that was the first place I tried Acai. I was so happy to find out that Carlson Gracie in London and Essex now sells it so we can make our own, and thats exactly what I did!
Now that I have my new blender, smoothies will be a regular feature in my blog. I can't believe it has taken me so long to buy one as I just put my food processor to good use most of the time! The attachment on my food processor isn't good enough to make Acai!
This was my first attempt at making Acai and I know that over the next few weeks I will be experimenting more and making the best recipe possible.
I'll be interested to know your recipe for Acai if you have one.
Ingredients:
1 Acai pouch
6 cubes of ice
1/4 can of coconut milk
Small dash amount of water
Tablespoon of Honey
Handful of Raspberries
4 Large Strawberries
This makes 2 glasses of Acai or one large one!
Method:
Crush the ice in your blender
Add the Acai (slightly thawed) to the blender, then add the fruit, honey coconut milk and dash of water.
Simple!
If you want to make more of a smoothie, add a banana to the mix. I had half with the ingredients above, then whizzed it up some more with a banana to make a smoothie.
Now I'm sure there are a few Non BJJ heads reading this blog and wondering how to get hold of Acai. You can buy it online from www.sublimefood.co.uk but you have to buy it in bulk, so make sure you like it first! I really don't know why you wouldn't though....
Those who train at Carlson Gracie in London and Essex, you can of course buy it there. In London Lee will make you a smoothie to take away after training and Sarah, of course, will assist. You don't have to train in these places to buy Acai, you can just pop in.
www.BJJLondon.com
www.Carlsongracieessex.co.uk
Enjoy!
Jolie x
Thanks Jolie. One thing I learned from reading your post is that the correct pronunciation of Acai is 'ASSAEE' and not "AKAI". It is such a pity that I have been selling Acai Berry Juice but never pronounced it correctly. Thanks mate!
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