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© 2016 Dwellworks
Page 13
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
.