Mousse de
maracujá
Mousse de
maracujá is yet another creamy, soft, moist, delicious Brazilian desert. As the
name implies, it is simply a delicious Mousse made from the fruit Maracujá, passion fruit.
Legend tells that there was an extraordinarily beautiful sixteen-year-old
girl, native of a tribe in the Amazon. Her name was Mara. Although desired by
all the men in the tribe, she was promised to Mamangava, son of the chief. His
sincere love for her was limitless and she loved him equally. Still, they had
never even kissed, for that was the tradition of the tribe until marriage.
The other man
who desired her the most was the tribe’s wizard. Still, so great was her love
for Mamangava that the wizard’s spells didn’t work on her. As his last attempt
to obtain her, he took her out into the woods far away from the tribe. But when
she would not give into his undying desire, he killed her.
She was buried
in the most beautiful of the tribe’s gardens. In that very spot grew a gorgeous
set of flowers with an exuberant aroma. Daily bees would come from far away
attempting to pollinate her, but they weren’t able to. Just as no man could
posses her, neither could any bee.
Mamangava spent
his days admiring the beauty of the flowers. He kissed them with the same love
and tenderness as he would have kissed Mara’s lips had they gotten married.
Every time he watched a petal fall, he would cry, just as he cried when he
heard of Mara’s death. Over the passing years, Mamangava would languish at the
feet of Mara’s plant.
Mother nature,
glorifying that immortal love, transformed him into a bee. Each kiss he gave to
to each of the flowers pollinated them. A fruit, sweet was Mara’s lips was grew
out of the plant. That fruit was Maracujá, the fruit of the passion of Mara and
Mamangava.
