Brazilian Cuisine

Looking at the size of Brazil, being the fifth largest country in the world, it's no surprise that there is no such thing as a 'typical Brazilian cuisine' but many different regional cuisines, all influenced by their geographical and climatical conditions as well as the various streams of immigrants who have settled in the various parts of Brazil. So, for example, you will find dishes with Arabic or Japanese influences as well as German, Italian, and Indian influences. Basically, the Brazilian cuisine rests on three pillars: The African, the Portuguese and the native Indian pillar. These three main pillars are complemented and sometimes even substututed by other ethnic influences.

Despite all the regional differences there are some staple ingredients that are used in every part of Brazil. Most of these ingredients like red or black beans, coconut, rice, manioc, dried, salted codfish (bacalhau) were introduced by the Portuguese. Others like DendÍ Oil (azeite de dendÍ) were brought into Brazil by the African slaves.

Herbs and spices in Brazil

• Coriander is used like parsley. It gives fish- and seafood-dishes their very special taste

• Garlic is used regularly but is not overly used

• Pimenta Malagueta: Hot chili-peppers

• Cheiro Verde: A bundle of green herbs with chives, parsley, coriander and green mint. Usually cheiroverde is cooked with the dishes and removed before serving.

Brazilian Drinks

• Caipirinha is the famous Brazilian national drink. It consists of Cachaca, a sugarcane liquor, crushed lemons, crushed ice and sugar.

• Beer: Brazilian beer like Antarctica or Brahma is very popular in Brazil.

• Non-alcoholic drinks: Sucos (Fruit-juices), Vitaminas (Fruit-Milk-Shakes), Água de Côco (Juice from green coconuts), Caldo de Cana (Sugar Cane Juice), Guaraná (Drink made from a tropical plant with small red fruit with a high caffeine content)

• Brazil is also one of the most important coffee-producing countries in the world.

Regional cuisines in Brazil

Although it is almost impossible to describe all the various regional cuisines in Brazil, there are five main regions:

• North
  The greater region of Amazonia is influenced by both native Indians and people of mixed Indian and Portuguese ancestry. They live on a diet of fish, root vegetables such as manioc, yams, and peanuts, plus palm or tropical fruits.
  The cuisine of the North is heavily influenced by native Indians.

• Northeast
  The northeastern region is very dry and arid. The cuisine is influenced by Creoles and Africans. The coastal regions offer fish and seafood while the inland-regions have rice, beans, manioc and dried meat.
  One special region within the Northeast of Brazil is the region of Bahia. Due to the very strong African influences in this area the Bahian cuisine is the farthest away from the Colonial-Portuguese cuisine and can therefore be considered as the most 'Brazilian' cuisine. The Bahain cuisine uses lots of native herbs and spices such as ginger, coriander, nutmeg and ret hot chili peppers.

• Central-West
  The Central-West consists of dry open prairies as well as of forrests. The Central-West diet consists of beefand pork from the huge ranches of the region, of fish from the river and of soy beans, rice, corn and manioc.

• Southeast
  Southeast of Brazil is home of the mostfamous Brazilian dishes. Especially beans (black beans in and around Rio de Janeiro and red beans in and around São Paulo), rice and corn are staples in this region. In São Paulo the European immigrants from Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal had a major influence on the local cuisine but the African cuisine also left its traces.

• South
  The South of Brazil is Gaucho-cuisine with lots of meat and beef, grilled barbeque-style over open fire. In addition to this, European influences are strong, especially from Germany and other Middle-European countries. Manioc is used as substitute for potatoes and are prepared in the same way as potatoes.