DINERS enjoyed a true taste of Brazil at a specially-themed evening at the Escoffier restaurant at Bournemouth and Poole College last month.

The evening was part of a 13-week training programme to help students prepare for the influx of tourists expected at the Olympic Games next year.

Ten students, all from universities in Brazil, prepared a six course set menu and live entertainment with samba dancers.

For starters we had Tropicália, a traditional Brazilian salad of colourful vegetables, tropical fruits and a parmesan crisp which melted in the mouth.

Our next course was, Moqueca, which included a smattering of tiger prawns and slices of monk fish, which was firm and succulent, its delicate flavour enhanced by slivers of spicy peppers, tomatoes and coconut.

We were then served an exotic palate cleanser of mango and passion fruit sorbet beautifully presented in a hollowed out kiwi fruit.

Our main course was Feijoada, slow cooked beef with smoked pork, in a black bean sauce with chorizo and orange. This was a robust dish, packed with flavour and served with farofa accompaniment, a toasted flour mixture with a lovely nutty flavour.

Desserts are always one of the highlights of any meal at the Escoffier, and once again the chefs lived up to the restaurant’s reputation.

The Aquarela Do Brasil was a trio of desserts, with a guava jelly and cream cheese sorbet with drizzled honey; a Quindim (baked custard with coconut), and Bolinhos de Chuva (mini cinnamon doughnuts).

Everything was perfectly cooked and artistically presented on a large square white plate.

All in all a memorable evening over seen by the charismatic award-winning lecturer, Josephine Pearce.

Price was £28.50 per person which included live entertainment (diners were treated to a samba demo and a short lesson) plus a Brazilian coconut and vodka cocktail.

The evening was sponsored by Pebble Beach restaurant.