foreign Superliga champions extol Minas Gerais cuisine < No Attack

The Minas team, once again champion of the Women’s Volleyball Super League, has never had so many foreigners in a single season. In the victorious campaign of the 2023/2024 season, there were three: the Dominican Peña (pointer), in addition to the North Americans Annie (pointer) and Jenna Gray (setter). And for all three, they had one thing in common: having learned a little about what it means to be a Minas Gerais native and falling in love with Belo Horizonte.

Peña is, perhaps, the most enthusiastic. She shows more excitement about the “homeland”, perhaps because she is Latin, because, as she herself says, Belo Horizonte and its people are passionate, as is also the case in the Dominican Republic.

“The people here, the fans, are passionate. They appear to be friends, they care about you, something I hadn’t seen when I worked in Rio de Janeiro”, says the striker.

But there is another detail that made Peña fall in love with Belo Horizonte. Minas Gerais cuisine: “I fell in love with two foods. First, the beans. If they let me, I’ll eat just one plate of this delicacy. It is fascinating”.

So, one question cannot be left out: “The drover?” And the answer: “No, pure beans. I had never eaten anything so good.”

There’s also a dessert that she loved and wants to introduce to her family in the Dominican Republic: “You can’t help but like dulce de leche. I’m going to travel, I’m going back to my country, to defend the team, but I’m taking some cans. I want my family to prove it.”

Annie and Jenna

Annie and Jenna have different preferences for Minas Gerais cuisine. “The meat here is amazing. The picanha is the best of all. I had never eaten this meat. It’s fascinating. And there’s also cheese, beans and feijoada. Like every Saturday, which is a day here,” says Annie, showing that she even learned the Minas Gerais menu.

For Jenna, there is nothing like cheese bread: “It’s the most delicious food I’ve ever tried in my life.” She also says that she can’t do without a picanha and also some beans.

The American setter also praises the people of Minas Gerais: “Impressive. They seem to have a special concern for us, so that we are satisfied, happy, always”,

The three will now travel to their countries, but should be back in the middle of the year, when preparation for the next season begins.

Peña, Annie and Jenna remain in the group of Minas players. A pre-agreement between them and the club already exists. They are words.