Guaraná Jesus novamente no The New York Times

Embalagens tradicionais do produto que agora está de "roupa nova"

É isso mesmo, de São Luís do Maranhão para o mundo. O boa-praça Seth Kugel - jornalista norte-americano que vive em São Paulo - está escrevendo para o blog "The Frugal Traveller" do The New York Times. Recentemente, ele postou uma matéria contando a experiência de beber, pela primeira vez, o refrigerante maranhense Guaraná Jesus, "o sonho cor de rosa das crianças".

O correspondente, que trabalha para o Globalpost.com e colabora com diversas publicações, teve a deliciosa tarefa de experimentar o produto. Ele escreveu: "Estou no Maranhão, berço deste que se tornou o mais emblemático refrigerante regional do país: o Guaraná Jesus. Me disseram que tinha gosto de chiclete, uma coisa horrível. Na verdade, o sabor é interessante. E dou nota B+. Estou certo de que Jesus - esteja onde estiver - ficaria feliz de ouvir isso. O Jesus em questão é o inventor do produto", brinca Seth.

Guaraná Jesus: Crisp, With a Slightly Tart Aftertaste

By SETH KUGEL

Seth Kugel for The New York TimesOne of my favorite guilty pleasures in traveling to a distant land for the first time, is that I suspend my no-sugary-soda policy and try whatever regional soft drink the local crowd favors. Sometimes, they’re terrible (I’m looking at you, Peru, with your neon-yellow Inca Kola that tastes like melted circus peanuts) and sometimes they’re fantastic. (Uruguay’s Paso de los Toros grapefruit soda rocks. Fresca, pffft!)

I’m in Maranhão state in northeastern Brazil, home to what has got to be the country’s most legendary local soda: Guaraná Jesus. Guaraná, as you may know, is an Amazonian fruit that flavors Brazil’s popular Antarctica brand sodas, which is available in the United States. But Guaraná Jesus is a local favorite. And only a local favorite. By policy, it is not sold outside the state (even after it was bought by Coca-Cola).

I had heard from everyone back in São Paulo that the stuff is terrible. Gross pink color. Tastes like chewing gum. Way too sweet. So when the owner of the inn I’m staying at said my frigo-bar was stocked with it (for two reais, or just over a dollar) I cracked open a cold one. Gross pink? Check. Tastes like chewing gum? Perhaps. Way too sweet? Actually, I found it crisp, with a slightly tart aftertaste. I’ll give it a B+.

I’m sure Jesus, were he alive today, would be happy to hear it. By the way, I’m referring to the soda’s inventor and namesake. Who did you think it was named after?

Leia a matéria na íntegra diretamente no jornal The New Yorl Times: http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/guarana-jesus-crisp-with-a-slightly-tart-aftertaste/