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Brazilian Gastronomy

Tropeiro beans, typical of the Southeast region of Brazil, do not have a specific state of origin, extending to places such as São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Goiás, in the Central-West region. The recipe includes beans, generally the purple type, with a reddish color, providing a thick broth when cooked. Other common ingredients are cassava flour, bacon (pork fat), pork, which can be complemented with Calabrian sausage and fried or scrambled eggs. Originated in the 18th century during the movement called "Tropeirismo", linked to the mining cycle in Minas Gerais, the tropeiro bean was an inheritance from the tropeiros who traveled long distances transporting ore. With the absence of women in the troops, they prepared this food to last during the journeys, using ingredients such as almost dried beans, sun-dried meat and bacon, originating from Minas Gerais cuisine, resulting in the name tropeiro beans.

International Tea Day, celebrated on May 21, is not just about enjoying the drink, but also about drawing attention to the challenges faced by tea plantation workers, small producers and consumers. It was first officially celebrated in 2005 in Delhi, India, and has gained global prominence since then. In addition to promoting discussions and actions for the development of the tea industry, the date seeks to guarantee workers' rights and achieve fair prices for products. Recognizing the economic and cultural importance of tea, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed May 21 as International Tea Day in 2019. The event highlights the socio-economic relevance of the sector and promotes better policy, innovation, investment and inclusion.

The Portuguese colonization of Brazil from 1530 onwards brought a diversity of foods and spices, a result of relations between Portugal and India. With the court moving to São Vicente (today São Paulo), foods such as rice, coriander, mint, oranges and spices were introduced. Livestock activity began with the introduction of various animals. Rice cultivation resulted in dishes based on this ingredient, and the use of spices such as salt, rosemary, cinnamon and cloves became common. Notable influences on Portuguese cuisine include Brazilian feijoada and desserts such as marmalade, orangeade, rice pudding and sponge cake.

In the Southern Region of Brazil, barbecue is a tradition in Rio Grande do Sul, along with dishes such as arroz-de-carreteiro and pork salami. Chimarrão, typical of the Gauchos, is made with yerba mate and consumed in a gourd with a bomb. Italian colonization brought wine production, especially in Serra Gaúcha. In Paraná, barreado stands out, a mixture of meats cooked in a clay pot with side dishes. In Santa Catarina, fish stews and apple pies, brought by German immigration, are culinary features.

In the Southeast Region of Brazil, traditional dishes such as bean tutu, feijoada and fish slices with pirão are enjoyed in several states. Highlights include Moqueca Espírito Santo in Espírito Santo, and in Minas Gerais, varied dishes such as pork, chicken in brown sauce, and the famous cheese bread. Rio de Janeiro contributes the minced meat with okra and shrimp with chayote. São Paulo, influenced by Italian immigration, introduced pasta and pizza, in addition to the popular pastries whose origin is uncertain. Typical desserts are cornmeal cake, guava paste with cheese, sweets in syrup and dulce de leche. Furthermore, Japanese immigration left its mark on the tables of São Paulo, especially in the capital, where there are several Japanese restaurants.

The Central-West Region, known for its ecotourism destinations, offers a varied cuisine, rooted in its cultural traditions. Highlights include rice with pequi in Goiás, where pequi is native to the Cerrado. In Mato Grosso, freshwater fish such as pintail, pacu and piranha star in dishes such as mojica de pintado and piranha broth. In the Federal District, cuisine ranges from traditional dishes to exotic meats from animals native to the Pantanal region.

In the Northeast Region of Brazil, cuisine is characterized by contrasts between the coast and the hinterland. On the coast, fish-based dishes are common, while the hinterland stands out for foods such as bottled butter, sun-dried meat and jerky. The African influence is evident in Bahia, with dishes such as vatapá, sarapatel, acarajé and fish moqueca, highlighting the use of palm oil. Traditional sweets include cocadas and quindim. In Pernambuco, fish and seafood are enjoyed on the coast, while in the interior, sun-dried meat and goat buchada are popular. In Ceará, seafood is popular, while in the hinterland, carne de sol, baião-de-dois and panelada stand out. The region is rich in tropical fruits used in sweets, juices and ice creams. In Rio Grande do Norte, alambica, a pumpkin soup with milk, stands out.

The cuisine of the Northern Region stands out for the presence of plants, herbs, spices and many freshwater fish, with cassava performing several functions. In Acre, beef is prominent, influenced by northeasterners who migrated during the rubber cycle. Dishes such as "quebe" and Acre-style cigars stand out. In Rondônia, dishes based on broths, flour and fish are popular, with emphasis on the Buriti fruit. Roraima preserves the centuries-old dish "damurida", a broth with meat, peppers, cariru, black tucupi and cassava beiju. Amapá has a variety of fish species, shrimp and dishes such as pacu in banana leaves. Tocantins, preparations such as rice with pequi and tropeiro beans. In Amazonas, Uarini flour is exclusive, and dishes such as pirarucu de casaca and pavê de cupuaçu are popular. In Pará, it is reflected in dishes such as açaí with flour, Chibé, Pato no Tucupi, Maniçoba, Tacacá, Vatapá and Caruru.

One of Acre's most emblematic dishes is known by a curious name: Baixaria. This delicacy consists of a combination of hydrated corn couscous with butter, well-seasoned ground meat, fried egg and green scent. Accompanied by a generous mug of coffee with milk, Baixaria is often enjoyed in the early hours of the morning. The peculiar origin of the name dates back to the arrival of a cowboy at Mercado do Bosque, where the dish was created. Driven by hunger, the cowboy requested a dish with a mixture of available ingredients, including couscous from breakfast, ground beef from lunch and a fried egg on top. When asking for the bill before heading off to another day of work, the cowboy asked: "How much did that dish I ate cost?"

Baião de Dois, considered the main typical delicacy of the state of Ceará, has origins linked to rural workers, who prepared it with the ingredients available on farms. This delicious mix of rice, beans, dried meat and coalho cheese authentically represents Brazilian cuisine. The popularity of the dish grew even more with the song "Baião de Dois", a collaboration between composers from Ceará Humberto Teixeira and composers from Pernambuco Luiz Gonzaga, known as the king of baião!

Acarajé, originating from the Yoruba people in West Africa (Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon), bears a resemblance to Arabic falafel from the Middle East. This delicacy was introduced to Africa by the Arabs in several incursions between the 7th and 19th centuries, adapting to black-eyed peas. During the Atlantic slave trade, acarajé arrived in Brazil brought by enslaved people. Manuel Querino, in his ethnographic description in the book "A arte culinary na Bahia" (1916), details the process of preparing black-eyed peas. Acarajé, easily found in Salvador, is a fritter fried in palm oil, made with black-eyed peas, salt, garlic, ginger, onion and stuffed with shrimp. The question "hot or cold" refers to the pepper level, indicating the desired degree of spiciness. The "hotter", the spicier the acarajé will be.

Feijoada stands out as the main typical delicacy of Rio de Janeiro, being enjoyed throughout Brazil and easily found in several neighborhoods in Rio. The ingredients follow traditional recipes, combining beans (generally black), dried meat, jerky, paio, salted pork (foot, tail, ear and rib), accompanied by white rice, farofa, braised cabbage and orange slices. Feijoada has become practically synonymous with relaxation, associated with caipirinha and cold beer. For a contrasting pairing, we recommend examples of white and sparkling wines with good acidity and freshness, capable of balancing the fat of the meat and beans, preparing the palate for each subsequent bite.

Carreteiro rice, typical of the Southern Region of Brazil, consists of rice combined with finely chopped and braised beef, dried meat or shredded or chopped sun-dried meat, occasionally paio, bacon and sausage pieces, all braised in a generous amount of fat, with garlic, onion, tomato and green scent, always well seasoned. Its origins date back to the carredores (cargo transporters) who traveled through the south of Brazil in carts pulled by oxen, cooking a mixture of chopped beef jerky (stew) with rice in iron pans. Nowadays, carreteiro can also be made with ground meat and barbecue leftovers, offering an excellent way to avoid waste.

In the 16th century, the Portuguese brought chicken cabidela, a typical dish from the North of Portugal, to Brazil. In Minas Gerais, during the 18th century, the dish evolved into "chicken with brown sauce", using all the pieces of chicken, bird's blood, vinegar, African spices and Minas Gerais seasoning. During cooking, both the sauce and the chicken acquire a brown hue, giving rise to the name "brown sauce chicken". This recipe has become a Minas Gerais culinary tradition ever since. Writer Fernando Sabino immortalized the dish in his book "O Menino no Espelho", illustrating the playful relationship between children and animals, a tradition that persists in Minas Gerais culture.

Brazilian sweets have their origins in the colonial period, standing out from the 18th century onwards with the expansion of sugar mills. Before that, desserts were based on tropical fruits drizzled with honey. During the beginning of the colonial period, banana with orange was a main dessert, and guava, bananada, cocada, meringue and roasted or fried banana with cinnamon also stand out during this period. The introduction of sugar brought fruit syrups and jams by slaves who peeled and cooked the fruit. Portuguese religious people adapted recipes with eggs, creating sweets such as quindim and pudding. The significant presence of eggs reflects the fact that Portugal was the main producer in Europe between the 18th and 19th centuries. Each region has developed unique recipes, incorporating local ingredients. This diversity has made sweets an essential part of Brazilian cuisine.

Moqueca from Espírito Santo, although also consumed in Bahia, has a unique preparation in Espírito Santo. Unlike the Bahian version, this moqueca does not require ingredients such as coconut milk and palm oil, being replaced by annatto and tomatoes to add color to the stew. It is generally prepared in a clay pot, consisting of cooked fish (which may be dogfish) with seafood, such as shrimp, and a variety of seasonings. The moquém technique, originating from different indigenous groups in Brazil, refers to a meat "dryer", which could be carried out over a fire. It involves a process similar to clotheslining over coals or burying meat, often wrapped in leaves, while a fire is lit over it; When extinguished, the meat is cooked in its own juices. The clay pot reproduces this ancestral method.