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2 weeks ago | 
jaine.substack.com | Jaíne Mackievicz
At the very, very beginning of my career, I did a little stage at an Italian restaurant on the outskirts of Boston, in Waltham, called La Campania. I was a Brazilian among an all-Hispanic kitchen crew. Some were Mexican, some Guatemalan, some Salvadoran. The camaraderie was unmatched, as you may imagine. Ice-cold Modelos at the end of every shift and all. To this day, I’ve never tasted better Italian food in my life.
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3 weeks ago | 
jaine.substack.com | Jaíne Mackievicz
This traditionally Piedmontese dish, usually served around the holidays and often in a fondue pot, is named bagna càuda, which translates from Italian to “hot bath.” Putting the hot part aside for a minute and focusing solely on the delicious bath, I find that bagna càuda truly shines in spring when vegetables are at their peak: fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor (though honestly, living in California feels like cheating... it’s always peak season here 😬).
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1 month 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.
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Feb 14, 2025 | 
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Jan 8, 2025 | 
jaine.substack.com | Jaíne Mackievicz
Every. single. year. I count down the days until it's finally time to bake Pão de Mel in the last week. Though this spiced honey cake is a beloved year-round treat in Brazil, it holds a special place in my heart as an end-of-year tradition from my childhood. While there’s no specific date tied to it in our gastronomic culture (ask anyone in Brazil anytime—they’ll likely conjure up a slice of Pão de Mel for you!), in my household, it was reserved for the festive season.
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Jan 8, 2025 | 
jaine.substack.com | Jaíne Mackievicz
Faço flans salgados com frequência aqui em casa desde que descobri a versatilidade de guardar assim, a forma inteira mesmo na geladeira, e ir tirando os pedaços para servir frio. Quando quero variar, uso as fatias como recheio de um sanduíche. O pão perfeito para isso? Algo leve e aerado, da família dos pães enriquecidos e com fermentação generosa, como uma focaccia (regada com azeite extra), e nas camadas do sanduíche as ervas que eu tiver à mão e tomates, quando verão.
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Jan 8, 2025 | 
jaine.substack.com | Jaíne Mackievicz
This week realized I hadn’t baked a single cookie this season, so in a moment of desperation to fix it, I thought about the cookies of my childhood—those buttery, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth little dreams: Sequilhos!I called my Auntie in Brazil last Tuesday to ask for the recipe.