Brazi Bites now available at Wegmans!!

We are excited to announce Brazi Bites is now available at Wegmans across the NE! Our Brazilian Cheese Bread will be available in the freezer section in 32 locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts.

Full list is as follows:

New York
Penfield- 2157 Penfield Road – Penfield- 14526
Geneva- 300 Hamilton Street- Geneva- 14456
Ridgemont- 2833 Ridge Road West- Rochester- 14626
Pittsford- 3195 Monroe Avenue- Rochester- 14618
Elmira- 1100 Clemens Center Pkwy- Elmira- 14901
DeWitt- 6789 E. Genesee Street- Fayetteville- 13066
Great Northern- 3955 Route 31- Liverpool- 13090
Ithaca- 500 S. Meadow Street- Ithaca- 14850
Johnson City- 650 Harry L Drive- Johnson City- 13790
McKinley- 3740 S. McKinley Pkwy- Buffalo- 14219
Ellicott- 945 Fairmount Ave. WE- Jamestown- 14701

Pennsylvania
Allentown- 3900 W. Tilghman Street- Allentown, PA- 18104
Dickenson City- 1315 Scranton-Carbondale Hwy.- Scranton, PA- 18508
Wilkes-Barre- 220 Highland Pk. Blvd.- Wilkes-Barre, PA- 18702
Montgomeryville- 500 Montgomeryville Mall- North Wales, PA- 19454
Collegeville- 600 Commerce Dr- Collegeville, PA- 19426
Malvern- 50 Foundry Way- Malvern, PA- 19355
King of Prussia- 1 Village Dr.- King of Prussia, PA- 19406
Harrisburg- 6416 Carlisle Pike- Mechanicsburg, PA- 17050
State College- 345 Colonndale Blvd.- State College Park- 16803

Virginia
Dulles- 45131 Columbia Place- Sterling, VA- 20166
Fairfax- 11620 Monument Drive- Fairfax, VA- 22030
Leesburg- 101 Crosstrail Blvd.- Leesburg, VA- 20175
Potomac Mills- 14801 Dinning Way- Woodbridge, VA- 22191
Lake Manassas- 8297 Stonewall Shops Sq.- Gainsville, VA- 20155

Maryland
Woodmore- 9001 McHugh Dr.- Lanham, MD- 20706
Frederick- 7830 Wormans Mill Rd.- Frederick, MD- 21701
Germantown- 20600 Seneca Meadows Park- Germantown, MD
Columbia- 8855 McGraw Road- Columbia, MD- 21045
Bel Air- 21 Wegmans Blvd.- Bel Air, MD- 21009
Crofton- 1413 S. Main Chapel Way- Gambrills, MD- 21054

Massachusetts 
Northborough- 9102 Shops Way- Northborough, MA- 1532

IMPORTANT: If your favorite store is NOT on this list please submit your request to Wegmans Consumer Affairs Department Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST at 1-800-934-6267 or send them an email through this link. 

Italy meets Brazil! Stromboli made with BraziBites Brazilian Cheese Bread

Italy meets Brazil in this fabulous Stromboli made with Brazi Bites Brazilian Cheese Bread created by an awesome facebook fan!

Recipe:
1) Thaw one full bag of Brazi Bites and knead pieces together.
2) Roll out dough with olive oil using your fingers.
3) Add salami and provolone to taste and roll dough around filling. Make sure to have a tight seam.
4) Bake as you would bake Brazi Bites. 20 minutes or until golden at 400°F.

Enjoy as a meal or snack!

BraziBites launching at all Fresh & Easy locations in California, Arizona and Nevada!

We're so excited to share the news with you! Our line of Brazilian Cheese Bread is now available in the freezer section at all Fresh & Easy locations in California, Arizona & Nevada.

Check out our store locator to find a Fresh & Easy near you.

www.brazibites.com/california
www.brazibites.com/arizona
www.brazibites.com/nevada

5 ways to step up your Thanksgiving Appetizer with BraziBites!

Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays. There's nothing better than spending quality time with family and friends around good food.

To celebrate we're sharing 5 delicious ways you can enjoy Brazi Bites as an appetizer. Enjoy!

1) Brazi-Bobs  
On a stick with salami, fresh basil, mozzarella & olive oil. Cute & delicious. Check out full recipe here

2) Mixing our 3 flavors in a bowl. Be surprised!  

This is the easiest and most fun way to serve :D Bake about 10 pieces from each bag and wait for the smiles to come.

3) Cheesy-Bacon Appetizer Bites  

For the bacon lover... check out recipe here. Courtesy of blog Around My Family Table.

4) Caprese Mini-Sliders  

Cut pieces in half and stuff with mozzarella and fresh basil topped with cherry tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Courtesy of blog SanBriego.

5) Meat & Cheese Platter

Serve your favorite meats and cheeses and give your guests the option to cut the bread in half to make sliders. We love prosciutto and aged cheddar cheese.

Brazi-Bobs - Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipe

Here is an awesome appetizer recipe for Thanksgiving or a Holiday party this season. It's easy and fun to make and even more fun to eat!

Serving: 4 sticks (4 to 8 guests)

Ingredients:
- a bag of Brazi Bites Original
- salami (8 slices)
- fresh basil (8 leaves)
- fresh mozzarella (2 balls)
- kabob sticks (4)
- olive oil

Instructions
1) Pre-heat oven to 400˚F
2) Place full bag of Brazi Bites on baking sheet lined with parchment paper of lightly greased
3) Bake Brazi Bites as instructed in bag - about 20 minutes or until golden
4) Wash basil leaves and cut mozzarella into triangle pieces
5) Once bread is baked insert ingredients in the stick in the following order: BB piece, salami, BB piece, basil, mozzarella and repeat until 5 pieces of BB are in.
6) Drizze olive oil on top

Serve and enjoy!

What is Tapioca Flour?

Have you ever asked the question "What is tapioca flour?". We hear it all the time! We also frequently get asked "Where does it come from?" or "What makes it different from white, wheat, or other flours/starches available at the grocery store?"

Tapioca flour is one of the main ingredients in Brazi Bites making our products naturally gluten-free, and most of all giving our bread a fantastic texture.

Tapioca flour (or tapioca starch) is harvested from the root of the cassava plant (yuca/manioc which is native to Asia and South America). It has characteristics similar to a potato. It's then grounded into a powder form.

Tapioca flour has the ability to maintain a gel-like form when frozen and cooked with, which is one of the reasons the insides of Brazi Bites are so soft and fluffy!  Other flours use different plants such as grains, beans and often go through chemical or enriching processes. Many of them contain gluten whereas tapioca flour doesn't.

Tapioca isn't limited to only Brazilian Cheese Bread. You can use it to make tapioca pearls, puddings, fufu (an African staple), yuca buns/bread, and more!

We make Brazi Bites with only the finest natural ingredients. All of our ingredients (including tapioca flour) are gluten free and Non-GMO. Tapioca flour helps us achieve that rich flavor and cheesy texture!

What are you thoughts on tapioca flour? Do you use it for cooking in your own kitchen?

Leave a comment below and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more news and updates!

Brazi Bites now available at Safeway, Albertsons & Bashas

We're excited to announce our launch in many new stores this month! You can now find our Brazilian Cheese Bread in the freezer section at Safeway locations in Oregon, Washington, Alaska & Idaho; Albertsons in Texas, Arkansas & Louisiana; and Bashas in Arizona.

These new locations will carry our three delicious flavors - Original, Jalapeno and Bacon.

Check out our store locator to find the closest to you www.brazibites.com/where-to-find/

Gluten-Free Food Fair in Portland April 26

If you follow a gluten-free diet or if you are interested in learning more about it, the Gluten-Free Food Fair by GIG is a great event coming up in Portland on Saturday, April 26.

You'll get to taste some of the best GF products in the region and buy from your favorites, from 11AM to 3PM at the DoubleTree by Hilton in NE Portland.

Check out details in this poster. We'll be there sampling our products, answering questions about our ingredients and selling bags at a great price so you can stock up :D Don't miss out!

Brazi Bites launching at Whole Foods Southwest & Florida Regions!

We're excited to announce Brazi Bites is coming to Whole Foods Market Southwest & Florida regions.

Our products will be available in their locations throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma & Texas this month and Florida next month.

With the increasing number of requests we've seen from these states recently, we know there will be many happy customers.  Be sure to grab a bag from the freezer on your next trip!

You can now find Brazi Bites at Whole Foods locations in the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Super Bowl Party Appetizer!

This week we're sharing our favorite party snacks to get you inspired for Super Bowl.

Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy Brazi Bites as an appetizer. Who's excited for some seriously delicious game day grub??

PS - make sure to save yourself a few pieces before they make it to the crowd!

FOR THE BACON LOVERS 

Cheesy Bacon Appetizers - created by one of our favorite bloggers - Wendy from Around My Family Table. You can try this recipe with BB Original or Bacon. See full recipe here.

FOR THE MEATBALL FANS 

Cut Brazi Bites Original in half and stuff with meatballs. This is a big crowd pleaser!

FOR YOUR VEGETARIAN FRIENDS 

Cut BB Original or Jalapeño in half and stuff with veggie burger. This pic shows Brazi Bites Original with Chez Marie WOW Mushroom Veggie Patty. Yum! Chez Marie is also a Portland company (yay!). They make delicious patties using only real ingredients. Available in the freezer section of most stores that carry BB.

 FOR THE KIDS IN THE PARTY 

Serve BB in paper cones so kids (and adults) can carry them around popcorn style. These cones typically fit three pieces in each but you can make them as big or as small as you want. Serve one of each flavor per cone or mix and match to keep'em guessing!

Here we're using a vintage wood bottle crate to serve the cones. Fits them perfectly.

Check out this quick YouTube video on how to make easy paper cones. One sticker on the outer side instead of two works just as well and makes it even easier!

Holiday Party Appetizer

Are you hosting or going to a Holiday Party this season? Whether you are in charge of the whole meal or bringing a side dish, it's is a great time to try new things.

We're excited to share our latest recipe creation inspired by this Holiday Season. Here it goes: BraziBites Original cut in half, stuffed with salami and topped with parsley and green olives served as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

- a bag of BraziBites Original

- 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley

- salami

- green olives

1) Pre-heat your oven to 400F and bake BraziBites as instructed on package. Bake as many as you wish to serve.

2) Wash parsley and cut off stems. Set aside leaves.

3) Cut salami in thin slices. Anywhere between 1/8" and 1/4" is good but go as thick as you like.

4) After baked cut BraziBites in half, stuff with salami and top with parsley and olive

It's ready to serve. Share and enjoy!

Martha Stewart American Made Award

We're so excited to have been nominated for the Martha Stewart American Made Award. Several of our fans nominated us which gave us the opportunity to create a profile and tell our story through the contest.

American Made spotlights the maker, supports the local and celebrates the handmade. The journey culminates in an event this October in New York City. We're proud to make Brazi Bites in our hometown of Portland, OR and be a part of the American Made movement.

Click on the badge below to see our profile and vote for us!

Thank you so much for all the love and support,

Junea & Cameron

Brazilian Cheese Bread with Pork Tenderloin

We posted this pairing idea on our Facebook page last week so we wanted to break it down for you here in the blog. This is a delicious, gluten-free, meaty and fulfilling snack. One of our favorites and very popular in Brazil.

It's easy to make and guaranteed to be a hit at a party or the dinner table. Here is a step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Pick your Brazi Bites flavor. Jalapeño goes great with pork tenderloin but if spicy is not your thing, Original is a nice option too.

Step 2: Cook the pork tenderloin and bake the cheese bread (at the same time)

The bread and pork bake at the same temperature - 400°F - so you can bake them together. It'll be easier and the bread will taste just as delicious. Brazi Bites takes about 20 minutes while the pork takes 12. You can place the bread in the oven first and add the pork after 7 minutes. Both will come out together and should rest for a few minutes before slicing. 

For tips on how to bake Brazi Bites like a pro check our previous post.

Balsamic-glazed pork tenderloin recipe 

Ingredients
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/4-pound pork tenderloin









Directions
1. Heat oven to 400° F. 
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Transfer the pork to oven. Roast until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, basting with the glaze twice during the last 5 minutes. Let rest before slicing.

Step 3: Cut Brazi Bites in half and stuff with a slice of pork.

Step 4: Serve and enjoy!

Post by: Junea

Pork recipe from Real Simple

Bite of Seattle Recap

Cameron and I had a wild 3 day weekend at the Bite of Seattle. It was the biggest event we've done so far since we launched Brazi Bites, 12 hours a day for 3 days with near 500,000 people coming through the Seattle Center. The sun was shining, music was playing and we made many new friends.

We had a great time meeting people from all over the country. Also met many fellow Brazilians living in Seattle - they always spot Brazi Bites from a mile away.  Here is a recap in photos.


We left Portland for Seattle Thursday at 5AM. Got coffee/happy at Dutch Bros half way there. It was early but we were ordered to "Dig Life" so we did.

 Got to the Seattle Center on time. Phew! Booth all set up, ready to go.

Gotta love some sunshine and the Space Needle as a backdrop!

These two read about us online and were way excited to try our cheese bread. They were some of our very first customers at the Bite on Thursday. Thanks girls, you're awesome!

Got to walk around for a few minutes during a lunch break and check out the huge crowd on Saturday. Ate Indian food from Chutneys Queen Anne - delicious! I wish I had taken a photo of my plate but I was starving and it was too good to wait.

We baked our cheese bread fresh non-stop. Countless trays coming out of the oven every hour.

Sunday, this stylish family was excited to spot our booth and find healthy, gluten-free snacks at the Bite. They were having a blast. This is one of my favorite pics from the weeekend.

We left the Seattle Center Sunday at 8PM and drove straight back to Portland. Work awaited Monday morning... no rest for entrepreneurs right? As we say, cheese bread never sleeps!!

The Bite of Seattle by the numbers:

3 days, 36 hours, 4,500 pieces of Brazi Bites baked!

Post by: Junea

Happy 4th! Stay cool with spicy foods

Temperatures are high in Portland and most of western states these days and everyone is looking for a way to beat the heat. Did you know eating spicy foods can actually cool you off?

It sounds counter intuitive but apparently spicy foods may actually make you feel warmer at first, and then make you feel cooler. This is also one of the reasons why spicy foods are so popular in tropical countries.

To celebrate 4th of July we'll be pairing Jalapeño Brazi Bites with an awesome Summer Corn Chowder recipe from Food52. Check out the full recipe below and some tips on how to bake Brazi Bites Jalapeño like a pro.

Happy 4th of July!!

Tip - Pre-heat oven to 400F before you take the Brazi Bites bag out of the freezer. Pre-heating the oven gives the bites the crispy crust and round shape they're suppose to have. If the oven is cool the bites might end up mushy.

Summer Corn Crowder Recipe

Source: Food 52

Serves 6

• 6medium ears of corn
• 6strips of bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1small onion
• 1medium poblano, finely chopped
• 1jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1small celery rib, finely chopped
• 3medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
• 2medium boiling potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed
• 1teaspoon salt
• 1/8teaspoon ground allspice
• Pinch of sugar
• 1small bay leaf
• 2cups light cream, at room temperature
• 1cup milk
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

1. Working over a bowl, cut the corn kernels from the cobs at about half their depth. Then, using the back of the knife, scrape the cobs over the bowl to release all the "milk"; set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, fry the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Crumble and reserve.
3. Discard all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from the pan. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the poblano pepper, jalapeño and celery and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, salt, allspice, sugar, bay leaf and the reserved corn kernels and their "milk" and stir well. Cook over moderate heat until mixture begins to sizzle.
4. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Stir in the cream and milk and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and season with black pepper to taste. Ladle the chowder into bowls and garnish with the crumbled bacon and parsley.