Understanding the mechanics behind the 2014 World Cup tournament isn’t easy – it’s a global event that brings together millions of fans all over the world. In this article, I’ll try to clarify some of processes/things you need to understand about the games and the classification to be able to follow along. After all, you’re going to be there with Adventures in Brazil in 2014…right? Then you’ve got to learn everything about the World Cup!

The World Cup is organized by FIFA – Fédération Internationale de Football Association, located in Zurich, Switzerland. The first World Cup took place in Uruguay in 1930 and with the exception of 1942 and 1946 – because the WWII – it’s taken place every 4 years. The tournament originally started with 16 teams, expanding to 24 in 1982 and to 32 in 1998. Due to the number of countries that want to participate (there are roughly 200+), countries are required to compete in qualification tournaments for a chance to play in the World Cup games.

FIFA – Qualification – is divided by 6 continental zones: Africa, Asia, North and Central America (plus Caribbean), South America, Oceania, and Europe. The tournament that USA is a part of is organized by CONCACAF – Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football. The qualification tournament is required to reduce the number of 200 participants to 32. Out of the 19 Word Cup games since 1930, USA participated 9 times. Since 1990 the USA team has qualified for every World Cup since, up to and including the 2010 World Cup.

USA is in Group A, competing for 1 of the 4 spots reserved for CONCACAF confederation for the 2014 World Cup. The first game will be USA x ATG (Antigua and Bermuda) on 8, June 2012. The second game will be Guatemala x USA on 1, June 2012 – note that all the location is to be announced.

Every time I go out, I am energized by the pulsing of music and the gleam of wide smiles. When the sun shows his face, I am caught up by the frenzy of the beach culture. Even if you are out at work and without a bikini, everyone runs to the nearest thrift stand to buy a R$20 suit so as not to waste a moment stopping back at home that could be spent on the sand. It is amazing the urgency I feel, even though I know the sun will be out for hours, to get the beach as quickly as I can. Throngs of people stream to the buses and Metro, heading to there favorite Posto (the beach is divided into Postos, each with a different general populace; my favorite is Posto 9). Those headed to the beach can be spotted carrying folding chairs, umbrellas, coolers, and tell-tale “beach purses” which withstand the sand much better than your every-day bag. SMS messages awaken your cell phone as everyone you know attempts to convene in one spot, where we rent a group of chairs and an umbrella from one of the various barracas for pennies (although I have found the prices increase as Carnaval approaches). Then we sit for hours, while vendors circulate selling matte or beers or coconut waters, fried cheeses and pastels, biscuits and bathing suits, jewelry and sunscreen. I continue to wonder at the men and women who pace the beach all day under the sun, advertising their products at the top of their lungs, heavy tins or coolers slung over their shoulders or even perched upon their heads!

Sitting on the beach, you can see those from all different walks of life. Women stand, coated in a white paste to bleach their hair, and turn like your average rotisserie chicken to hit all angles. People flip like pancakes from one side to the other, attempting to get an even tan. In a never-ending dance, people rotate between sitting in chairs to lying on cangas to standing with their backs to the sun. In this way, the Cariocas maintain their legendary marquinhas de biquine, or tan lines, unless they aren’t careful and pass over into the land of the camarão (sunburn). Tattoos, a Brasilian fetish, are displayed in varying levels of complexity and sensibility, and bikinis range from the conservative (usually worn by the gringo) to the almost non-existent. When the heat becomes too strong, one runs to the waves for a dive, floating in the crisp water and enjoying a brief respite from the shouts and clutter of the beach. Upon returning to land, it is time to shower off the salt and sand at one of the various showerheads set up along the beach, then head back to the group who has so kindly kept an eye on your belongings while you were away. And so the cycle repeats.

As the sun dips behind the hills, the audience on the beach claps. As darkness falls, those manning the barracas begin to collect chairs, umbrellas, and trash. Men with garbage bags gather empty cans to sell for pocket money. The people, tanned and full of matte and Biscoito Globos, grab their gear and head to the sidewalk, where they jump and stomp their feet in an effort to shake off as much sand as possible before replacing their havaianas. And then we pray that tomorrow, too, will be sunny, so we can do it all over again.

I love to make barbecue for my friends and often receive compliments about the flavor of the Brazilian barbecue.  Since some of my Americans friends have been asking, I decided to write about the secret of “rodízio” style* barbecue. It’s not hard for me to get excited about this topic – I LOVE meat!

Picanha - Top Sirloin cut

Brazilians cut their meat differently than American butchers. In the U.S. the “Picanha” cut (which is prized for Brazilian barbecue)  is called “Top Sirloin” and weights no more than 2 ½ pounds. What makes this meat great is the thick layer of fat on one side  – next blog I’ll create a video about how to identify a Picanha cut of meat in the market.  Usually Brazilians like to roast the Picanha for about 15 minutes, slicing the meat into small pieces until you can see the blood again. Once you see the blood, the Picanha goes back into the “churrasqueira” (Brazilian grill) to be roasted for more 10 minutes. Picanha should be eaten medium rare – cooking Picanha well done is considered a sin by Brazilians.

This picture will help you how to identify a good piece of Picanha:

Picanha cut - Brazilian Meat

Here is a great video by Marcos Bassi* with instructions how to roast and grill a Picanha. I hope you like the instructions and don’t forget to invite me for your next barbecue!

Rodízio Style: Brazilian restaurant system where customers pay a fixed price and the waiters bring an selection of different foods to the table several times throughout the meal, until the customers signify that they have had enough. This concept originated in the South of Brazil and was first adopted in Churrascarias style restaurants that specialize in meat. Today, many types of cuisines offer a Rodízio style dining experience – pizza and sushi for example.

Marcos Guardabassi: (São Paulo, 1948) is a business man from the gastronomy sector. He started his career when he was 13 years old by selling meat in the streets. In 1976 he started the Central Frigorífica de Carnes Bassi. In 1979 he opened his first restaurant Templo da Carne Marcos Bassi – Rua 13 Maio, 668  Sao Paulo, 01327-000, Brazil (0xx)11 3288-7045. In 1999 Marcos Bassi sold all his businesses except his restaurant, where you can meet and chat with him.