Discovering Brazil

European immigrants (primarily from Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Portugal) were accustomed to a wheat-based diet, and introduced wine, leafy vegetables, and dairy products into Brazilian cuisine. When potatoes were not available they discovered how to use the native sweet manioc as a replacement. Italians added pizza, lasagna, and other pasta dishes to the popular foods in Brazil. Today pizza is a traditional meal for many people on Saturday nights, especially in São Paulo. Root vegetables such as manioc or cassava (locally known as mandioca , aipim , or macaxeira ), yams, and peanuts, and fruits like açaí, cupuaçu, mango, papaya, guava, orange, passion fruit, pineapple, and hog plum are among the local ingredients used in cooking. Climate and soil vary depending on location in the country; therefore, the agriculture is different from region to region. Some tropical fruits such as açaí, cupuaçu, and star fruit, can only be grown in certain parts of the country and have to be shipped from their native states to places in Brazil to be consumed in smoothies or as fresh fruit. Rice and beans is an extremely popular dish and considered basic at any Brazilian table, a tradition that Brazil shares with several Caribbean nations. Salgadinhos (salty snacks) are popular finger foods and can be found in delis, bars, and diners. They are often served as appetizers in restaurants and at family parties. The most common salgadinhos include:  Pão de queijo (cheese bun or cheese bread): A small, soft roll made of polvilho flour, eggs, milk, and minas cheese. It can be bought ready-made at a corner store or frozen and ready to bake in a supermarket  Coxinha: A chicken croquette shaped like a chicken thigh that can also be found filled with the typical Brazilian soft cheese catupiry  Quibe: A mixture of ground beef, special grain and spices. Brought over by Syrian and Lebanese immigrants, it can be served baked, fried, or raw  Esfiha (Arabic Sfiha): Another Lebanese and middle-eastern dish resembling pie/cakes with fillings such as beef, mutton, cheese, or seasoned vegetables  Pastéis are pastries with a wide variety of fillings brought to Brazil by the Japanese diaspora. They are mainly made in shapes like half-moon and square that originally would set the difference between the fillings, but nowadays are just for decorative reasons. Size, flavor, and shape may vary greatly  Empada: A small snack that resembles pot pies. Can be filled with a mix of palm hearts, peas, and flour with chicken or shrimp Popular Brazilian cheeses include queijo minas , a soft, mild-flavored fresh white cheese usually sold packaged in water; requeijão , a mildly salty, silky-textured, spreadable cheese sold in glass jars and eaten on bread; and catupiry , a soft processed cheese sold in a distinctive round wooden box. Other typical dishes include feijoada , a simmered bean-and- meat dish; tutu de feijão , a paste of beans and cassava flour; moqueca capixaba, consisting of slow-cooked fish, tomato, onion and garlic topped with cilantro; and, chouriço , a mildly spicy sausage. Brazil is also known for cachaça , which is a popular native liquor distilled from sugar cane that is the main ingredient in the national drink, caipirinha .

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Discovering Brazil