Merrilees starts her journey in the Afro-influenced coastal city of Salvador, where she cooks a spiny lobster and a fish "moqueca" with a popular TV chef. She next journeys to the rainforest in search of Brazil nuts, exotic fruits and herbal medicines, then heads south to Recife, where Portuguese flavors dominate the cuisine. Merrilees samples "cachaca" (known as Brazil's answer to rum), celebrates Easter at a spectacular open-air reconstruction of old Jerusalem, enjoys a festive barbecue with the famous gauchos and ends her experience in Rio de Janeiro, where she samples "feijoada," the national dish.
