Churrasco is today’s dictionary.com word of the day. I find that these daily words often seemed contrived to coincide with current events. It’s probably no coincidence then, that many of us will be barbecuing this weekend. Hence today’s word. Wikipedia gives an expanded definition:

Churrasco (Spanish: [tʃuˈrasko], Portuguese: [ʃuˈʁasku]) is a Spanish and Portuguese term referring to beef or grilled meat more generally, differing across Latin America and Europe, but a prominent feature in the cuisine of Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Nicaragua, Peru and other Latin American countries. The related term churrascaria (or churrasqueria) is mostly understood to be a steakhouse.

A churrascaria is a restaurant serving grilled meat, many offering as much as one can eat: the waiters move around the restaurant with the skewers, slicing meat onto the client’s plate.[1] This serving style is called espeto corrido or rodízio, and is quite popular in Brazil.

This weekend, here in the US, we will be celebrating Independence Day. Like most holidays many of us will spend our time oblivious to the true reason for the occasion. For some the day will simply be a much needed respite from work. For others it will be an occasion for gatherings where spirited beverages flow freely and everyone gathers around red hot pits sizzling with churrasco (aka: roast meat), stuffing and drinking themselves into sleepy stupors. Many of us will ooh and ah at colorful firework displays in a tradition reminiscent of our country’s first Independence Day celebration where “In 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired in salute, once at morning and once again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.” (From Wikipedia)

On this Independence Day, may we pause from our celebrations long enough to remember the price many paid for our freedom. 😊

Back to my challenge. Here then is my haiku about roast beast…

Holidays are spent
Feasting ’round churrasco pits
Oft’ forgetting why.

kat ~ 1 July 2016