Many many moons ago, while taking an Archaeology of South America course in university, we learned about a “strange but wondrous” (not my words) root that is one of the main starch staples of South America: the manioc root. While in Fortaleza, I finally got to experience first hand what all the fuss was about.
Also known as yuca or cassava, manioc is often ground into a white flour and used in making tapiocas. Tapioca is a treat specific to Northern Brazil; and, even for some of my co-workers from the South, it was their first time eating tapioca.
In the morning it is common to see a line up of people at the tapioca counter waiting for fried manioc stuffed with cheese. A couple of scoops of manioc from the bowl above go into the frying pan, in a few minutes it’s rubbery and waiting to be rolled with filling.
My personal preference was for banana and cinnamon.
The best tapioca of the trip was a coconut version made at the Santa Clara Cafe at the Dragão do Mar Center. More doughy than chewy, it was the perfect combination of manioc flour and coconut.
When we were kids tapioca pudding was a favorite.