In one of the oldest markets in the country, Ver-o-Peso, which was inaugurated in 1625 on the shores of Guajará Bay, Lúcia has been serving her fish with açaí for 25 years. This indigenous dish is a tradition in Pará and the Northern region, where açaí is consumed as an accompaniment to savory recipes. The bowl with the smooth and homogeneous beaten fruit accompanies the crispy fish, breaded with cornmeal and fried, and a portion of sautéed jambu, the typical herb of the region that numbs the mouth. To complete the dish, tapioca or d’água flour is added. While serving her dishes to tourists from Brazil and around the world, Lúcia spreads smiles and takes photos with customers who come from far away to taste her delights. She does the shopping early in the morning at the market itself: spices, açaí, and Amazonian fish — she prefers using dorado, pescada, and filhote. She pours all her culinary talent inherited from her family, which combines origins from Ceará, Portugal, and Maranhão, into the pots. “Cooking must have love,” she says.