Monday, October 15, 2012

Olha Pamonha


This is one of my favorite commercials here. Cracks me up every time. It's for a headache medicine called Neosaldina [pronounced: "nay-yo-sahl-jeen-yuh"], and showcases a colorful pamonha [pronounced: "puh-moin-yuh"] vendor.




The lady buying "Neosa" doesn't quite appreciate Paulo Pamonha's flair (hence the headache medicine), but I love it. I wish our local neighborhood vendors with massive speakers on their vehicles had this much rhythm. I also wish they didn't come by at 8 a.m. on Saturdays.

The most common phrase heard booming from a pamonha vendor's speakers is, "Olha pamonha!" on a loop, as they slo-o-o-owly make their way up & down the streets. Olha [pronounced: "ol'-yuh"] means look.

Look! Pamonha!

Pamonha is a bigger, fatter, more moist version of Texas tamalesPamonha is either salty, spicy, or sweet,  and can be filled with cheese, sausage, or both. I personally like the sweet version sans filling.

Just so ya know, saying "olha pamonha" around these parts can be rude [when there's no pamonha in sight]. Pamonha is also a derogatory slang term for a person that has cinched their belt a bit too tight, and implies that it is because they are overweight. See the instructional video below at 0:48 for a glimpse of some bulging pamonha.




There's also a variation on pamonha called pamonha assado that something akin to cornbread. The flavor can vary, depending on the chef & recipe. Assado [pronounced: "ah-sah-doh"] means "baked." Here is a how-to video with a homemade recipe for pamonha assado.

Still can't get Paulo's catchy tune out of your head? Here's a clip of the song. You're welcome.


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