Brazilian Brands: Balas Tamarindo Marllon
Brazilian Brands is back! Before we get going I should explain a little about the word bala. If you type this word into Google Translate, the first translation it returns is “bullet”. However, we aren’t going to be looking at some special brand of Brazilian ammunition! We’ll be looking at the other meaning of bala: “candy” (or “sweets” as we say in the UK).
I’m guessing that the ‘bullet’ meaning dates back to the days when ammunition was a spherical ball of lead that was pushed down into a musket. Then when candies became popular, they were similarly shaped and so took the same name. Or could it be the other way round? Does musket shot pre-date candy?
Regardless of how the word and its meaning originated, you should know that the term bala perdida means “lost bullet” (literally), but a better translation would be “stray bullet”. Sadly this term is in the news quite regularly in Rio (and many other Brazilian states), when people are hit by stray bullets.
The ‘lost bullet’ looks at a picture which says “You are here”.
Anyway, today we’re talking about the tasty, sugary balas, so let’s get on with it!
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Balas Tamarindo Marllon
Name: Balas Tamarindo Marllon.
Product: Balas de Tamarido (Tamarind flavoured candy).
Description: The manufacturer is called ‘Balas Marllon’ and is based on the other side of Guanabara bay in a town called São Gonçalo. They make a variety of other candies, but these Tamarind flavoured are the best known and most widely sold. Inside the colourful wrapper you will find a dark brown, slightly sticky ball.
Although the Tamarind tree is native to Africa, it was introduced into Central and South America in the 16th Century and has become a common ingredient in Brazilian cuisine, particularly in the north where it is made into a refreshing drink.
Here’s what they look like inside – small, brown, unassuming.
Verdict: I love these delicious sweets – they are seriously mouth-watering! I first saw them in a small bowl next to the cashier where I pay at my local Kilo restaurant. They put them there as a gratuity and I never fail to take advantage. Before I came to Brazil I knew tamarind as a sweet-savoury ingredient in Southeast Asian cuisine and had no idea it could be used to make sweets. The packaging is also very cool and includes a smart marketing strategy:
A bala dos cariocas (the candy of cariocas) – a nice way to find a place in the heart of all residents of Rio.
Have you tried these? I find the intense flavour of tamarind so mouth-watering that I temporarily lose control of my mouth. This often results in me sucking these sweets so hard that I have a sore mouth afterwards. It’s totally worth it!
aah, the mighty tamarind! In Barbados they have Sweet ‘n’ Sour tamarind balls – now those sweets were seriously eye-popping! I failed to acquire taste for them, I cant help but grimace thinking of them even now! But you got me intrigued – will have to try a Brazilian version! :-)
Hi Yulia – you should definitely try them :) Maybe just buy one individually to see if you like them (at 10 centavos it won’t break the bank!). I don’t think they’re very eye-popping, but maybe not everyone agrees!
I’ve ever tried these sweets. They’re really good. You’ve got a good taste!
Ha ha! Thanks Marcos! For me they are the perfect example of dar água na boca! :)
Not a fan of Tamarind.
Btw is this a friend of yours from the herb garden?
http://grittypoet.blogspot.com.br/2013/03/so-to-plant-some-sh.html
I say Tamarindo, you say Tamarind-no! :)
Man, growing your own food is one of the best things out there – I’m at work at the moment, but looking at the subject and comments on that TED talk, I can tell I’m going to love it. I’ve resisted the temptation to write a post about it, but we are currently growing rocket (aka arugula/rucula) and tomatoes in the window boxes. If you ask nicely I’ll post some pictures… ;)
“If you ask nicely I’ll post some pictures…”
I get the impression that I have – somewhere and somehow in the past – made you feel as though your herb garden and/or any other botanical musing presented via text or pictures were not entertaining enough for us regular Eat Rio readers.
I have no idea how you arrived at such conclusion ; ( Past Link)
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/c31ac68de3/ted-bores-fellow-passengers-from-airplane-from-airplanefan
Smirk, Exit…Stage Left
Methinks the Gritty doth protest too much (i.e. you love it really!). OK then, here you go…
It is pretty cool (we keep this among ourselves though).
Btw guess who just bore fruit for the first time in my backward – making me have to watch instructional videos like the one below so not to screw it all up.
Ahhhh, it’s a goiaba! From my Hamlet reference, to one half of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare would have been proud :)
p.s. don’t worry, I’ll keep your fruit nerdery under my hat…
These balas de tamarindo are HELL !!
A co-worker of mine brought last week some tamarindo candies from her home (Mexico).
Sort of a paste, with salt and chili peppers. I first thought it was some dried banana candy, but then the tamarindo revealed iiself… and then the chili… Odd.
That candy is only for very macho men !! Muy macho !!
And then she announced kids in Mexico love it.
Kids.
Madre mia !!
Woah! They come with salt and chilli?! Well you know that people here in Brazil are quite sensitive to pimenta – the balas from here in Rio don’t have any salt or chilli! I am not so surprised about the ones that come from Mexico – the flavours there are so intense and zingy! Man, I loved that place… :)