in the street, in a private home or a fancy restaurant, the food of rio de janeiro is both delicious legacy, and edible metaphor for her often tumultuous past - and a testament to her vibrant present.

there are feast days and festivals in the city year round - the most famous being of course carnival, but there are celebrations of yorúbá gods, catholic patron saints and uniquely brazilian versions of european processional traditions, which cover the entire calendar.