Mousse de Maracujá

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.