[category]
[title]
Craving a proper caipirinha? On 16 and 17 May, Palaphita hosts part of the second Cachaça Fest, a festival dedicated to the Brazilian spirit that serves as a crossroads for music, food, and culture. Under the concept “Distilling Culture”, the event offers a weekend with a diverse programme including musical performances, dance workshops, capoeira, cocktail masterclasses, and a gastronomic selection curated by Chef Natacha Fink.
Saturday: Samba and Pagode
The free-entry programme — with food and drink charged separately — kicks off on Saturday, 16 May, from 4.30 pm with a samba de gafieira and samba no pé workshop led by the Giro Danças school. Later, at 6 pm, Juninho Pagode e Samba takes to the stage with a repertoire dedicated to samba and pagode classics. From 8 pm, the music continues with DJ PaladJ Nelsin, spinning a selection focused on brasilidades and Afro music.
Sunday: Gastronomy and Capoeira
On Sunday, 17 May, the spotlight turns to the plate. Between 12 pm and 3 pm, Chef Natacha Fink presents the special “Cachaça na Panela” (Cachaça in the Pot) menu, developed exclusively for the festival. Cachaça is the star ingredient in several recipes, from starters to desserts. Highlights include grilled queijo coalho flambéed with cachaça and cashew jam, sautéed flambéed mushrooms served with grilled pineapple, octopus and prawn rice with fresh herbs and fried plantain, and pork cheek marinated in cachaça, served with mashed potatoes and chestnuts. For dessert, there is a standout tapioca and coconut dish with pineapple jam.
Also on Sunday, at 2.30 pm, the venue hosts a roda de capoeira with Mestre Fabiano Gavial and Grupo Senzala, followed by a forró workshop by Giro Danças. At 3.30 pm, bartender Nuno Ferreira leads a cocktail masterclass focused on using cachaça in signature creations. The live music returns at 5.30 pm with Trio Forró Carioca, performing themes associated with Northeastern Brazilian music.
The finale is scheduled for 8 pm with a performance by the Boi Tabaco bloco, bringing rhythms like frevo and maracatu to Palaphita, inspired by the atmosphere of traditional street carnival troupes.
Avenida Nossa Senhora do Cabo, 101 (Cascais). 16-17 Mai (Sat-Sun). Various prices