In Brazil, the meal is organized around an unchanging daily base: white rice and beans (arroz e feijão), accompanied by a green vegetable and a touch of farinha de mandioca. On top of this base are layered the festive dishes from Bahia, an Afro-Brazilian heritage rich in red palm oil and coconut milk, the street snacks sold in squares and on beaches, the cool drinks of tropical afternoons, and the preserved sweets of the June festivals. Astrud Gilberto, born in Salvador and raised between Rio and America, grew up with this structure, which she gradually lightened out of conviction for animal welfare.

This flamboyant orange oil, extracted from the African palm tree acclimated in Bahia, is the soul of Bahian cuisine. Brought by the African diaspora, it perfumes and colors dishes with a deep, earthy, inimitable flavor — the signature of Astrud's native region, Salvador de Bahia.