Brazilian Food
One place that Brazil’s extremely diverse culture is manifested is the wide variety of cuisine styles available in the country. The styles of cuisine vary greatly by region, as does Brazil itself. The styles of cuisine reflect the mix of Portuguese, Amerindian, African, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Syrian, Lebanese, German, and Japanese influences. The different influences have come together to create a national cooking style that does vary from region to region. There is a national dish of Brazil that unifies the diverse styles of cuisine. It is the whole feijoada, which is a meat and bean stew, very similar to the French cassoulet.
The cuisine of the North is heavily influenced by indigenous cuisine. Some of the more famous dishes are tucupi, which is a yellow broth extracted from cassava, mixed with duck or shrimp, okra mixed with shrimp and seasoning, broth with shrimp, seasoning, and pure coconut milk, and a variety of fresh fish dishes. Many of the dishes take a great deal of time to prepare. For example, tucupi takes a week to be fully brewed. The leaves of a cassava plant are also often stewed for days to remove harmful acids and make it edible.
In the Northeast, an abundant rainfall enables the growth of many kinds of tropical produce, such as sugarcane and cacao, that influence the region’s cuisine. The typical dishes include, seafood and palm oil dishes, salted muffins made with dried shrimp and vegetables, and mashed okra served with nuts and shrimp. The staple dish of the region is a plate of white rice and black beans.
The Southeast is the industrial heart of Brazil and home to some of the nation’s most well known culinary styles. Here the regional dishes include maize, ork, beans, chicken, and traditional soft ripened cheeses made locally. The cuisine of this region defeinitely reveals the influence of European and Middle Eastern immigrants. There is also a significant Italian and German influence on local dishes. The state dish is a tomato and fish stew prepared in a clay pot that is of Amerindian origin. Spicy sausage and fried bananas are other popular dishes in the region.
The Southern region’s cuisine is greatly influenced by the gaucho or cowboy culture. The dishes of this region are made with sun-dried or salt-dried meats and churrasco which is the Brazilian counterpart of barbecue. The traditional food in this state is the barreado which is boiled meat made in ceramic pans and put out to boil under the sun’s heat. Because European immigrants were accustomed to a wheat-based diet, they introduced many wine, leaf vegetables, and dairy products into the Brazilian cuisine. Because potatoes were not available they discovered how to use sweet manioc which was native to the region, as a replacement.
Though most Brazilian dishes are traditionally prepared with meat and fish, it is not difficult for a vegetarian to survive off of Brazilian cuisine. He country has an incredibly abundant supply of fruits and vegetables, and dishes such as cheese buns are popular across the country.