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Jaíne Mackievicz

San Diego
Featured in: Favicon substack.com (+1)

Articles

  • 1 week ago | jaine.substack.com | Jaíne Mackievicz

    I like to say my heart is half Amazonian, half Californian (and when I’m in Paris, it’s completely French—pardon moi, but how could it not be?). I’ve been lucky enough to taste fruit from so many places in this life, but in my humble experience, nowhere grows it better than the Amazon and California. But being an Amazonian by birth, there’s one fruit that will always be my pride. Our gift to the world.

  • 2 months ago | jaine.substack.com | Jaíne Mackievicz

    Every February, without fail, I find myself back at the stove, stirring up what I consider the ultimate Brazilian treat. The 14th may demand chocolate, not that I'm particularly attached to Valentine’s itself (especially since we celebrate it on a different day in Brazil), so if there’s ever a sweet that feels like a sweet hug, it’s brigadeiro. Soft, rich, chocolatey, and so simple.

  • Feb 2, 2025 | jaine.substack.com | Jaíne Mackievicz

    Today, Brazilians, particularly those from the North and Northeast, honor Yemanjá—the Mother of the Waters. A magical figure, she embodies motherhood, the life-giving force, and protection. Her essence is reflected in that rhythmic ebb and flow, cradling those who seek solace, guidance, and strength. Yemanjá is an orixá, a deity, and a spiritual being—regal, mermaid-like, crowned with shells, and radiating beauty.

  • Jan 26, 2025 | jaine.substack.com | Jaíne Mackievicz

    I don’t think my dad ever tasted tahini—much less in a cake. It wasn’t exactly the kind of ingredient you could stumble upon in the middle of the Amazon. I wonder how many days traveling by boat it would have taken for tahini to even reach there. My guest? At least 10. But my dad tasted so many amazing things in his life, I bet. He only lived to 44, which feels absurd now that I’m 32 and doing the math. How much life can you pack into 44 years? Very little, it seems obvious.

  • Jan 19, 2025 | jaine.substack.com | Jaíne Mackievicz

    It’s surprisingly cold here in Oceanside today, which naturally doesn’t match the vibe, less so to this Brazilian. The mood feels heavy in California, as we all know. It breaks my heart to even think about it, but right now, honestly, I wish I could be anywhere else in the world—anywhere but here, especially with everything going on tomorrow. The whole thing just feels wrong to me. With the whirlwind of this January, I’ll admit, I haven’t been eating nearly as much of the rainbow as I’d like.