Cuia de Tacacá - Brazilian Gourd Bowl

Since I have been traveling to the north of Brazil I have been in love with these bowls. They are handmade from a fruit by local river communities, man usually harvest the fruit and women make the cuias. The art in them change from area to area depending on the tribal heritage of the region. These cuias have the art of Marajó island. They are light, beautiful, fun and have many uses, they also look great in pictures. On the “let’s save the world” side of it: they are wild harvested, biodegradable and fair trade. They come with a support base basket, also made in the region. I absolutely get a kick out of the fact they use these cuias almost exclusively for a northern dish called “Tacacá”, when I ask to have my acai in a cuia they look at me like I lost my mind… At my place I have chosen to use it for pretty much everything including my infamous crazy clay mask blends… Since cuias are actual fruits, their size and shape vary from cuia to cuia. All designs are one of a kind and I am sure you will love the one you receive. These bowls are a natural plant, DO NOT MICROWAVE, DO NOT PUT IN THE DISHWASHER AND DO NOT SOAK FOR A LONG TIME. Just wash with warm or cold water, you can use light soap. They measure 5″ to 7″  and come with the support basket. “Gourds include the fruits of some flowering plant species in the family Cucurbitaceae. The term refers to a number of species and subspecies, many with hard shells, and some without. One of the earliest domesticated types of plants, subspecies of the bottle gourd, Lagenaria siceraria, have been discovered in archaeological sites dating from as early as 13,000 BCE. Gourds have had numerous uses throughout history, including as tools, musical instruments, objects of art, and food.” “Tacacá (Brazilian Portuguese: [taka’ka]) is a soup common to North Brazil, particularly the states of Acre, Amazonas, Rondônia, Amapá and Pará, where it is popular and widely consumed. It is made with jambu (a native variety of paracress), and tucupi (a broth made with wild manioc), goma de tapioca manioc, as well as dried shrimps and small yellow peppers. It must be served extremely hot in a cuia.”