As in all other countries, Brazil also has a diverse cuisine with a great wealth of dishes that have their roots in Indian, African and Portuguese cultures. Since Brazil is divided into different climatic zones, different types of vegetables and fruits can be found depending on the region. This also applies to spices and fish, among other things. That is why a trip through Brazil is an adventure even for lovers of food culture.
Food Roundtrip through the Day – a short overview
If you start the day in Brazil with a sumptuous Café de Manhã in the pousada, you will notice the richness of the breakfast buffets. Various types of bread, cakes, fruit and fruit juices, cheese, cold cuts, fried eggs, jams, pastries and other delicacies await the hungry stomachs.
Oh yes, the oh-so-well-known espresso machine is often searched in vain and is not available in all restaurants. During my first trip to Brazil, I had this painful experience as a downright coffee lover and spent an hour looking for a place in Cabo Frio that would serve coffee in European style with an espresso machine. I found what I was looking for in a ReidoMate and immediately experienced the power and aroma of Brazilian espresso which manifested itself with a slight racing heart after the second cup.
Nevertheless, you don’t have to do without the so-called Cafezinho anywhere, the typical Brazilian filter coffee that is also delicious.
Moqueca, Feijoada, Rodizio, Pão de Queijo, Vatapá, Acarajé, Linguiça Caseira Frita, Carurú …… the variations of the dishes are enormous.
From bean stew to sweet pastries. For me, one of the biggest highlights is sunbathing on a paradisiacal beach near a barraquinha and having a famous Bahian moqueca served.
Drink a caipirinha or a skol and watch the hustle and bustle on the beach. The Moqueca is a fish stew that is specially prepared with palm oil and coconut milk in different variations and depending on the region. It is usually served with rice, Fejiao doce, salad, pirão (cassava porridge), farofa (cassava flour), and other side dishes.
The feijoada is the Brazilian national dish. The hearty bean stew was once prepared by the African slaves from leftovers from the manor houses. Meat and sausages with spices are cooked for hours with the black beans. Again, Farofa and rice are served as well as other side dishes. In the past, the stomach, pig ears and tails were also cooked. The feijoada is delicious, even if like the Swiss cheese fondue it is heavy on the stomach. So you shouldn’t have to do a lot of physical activity immediately after a feijoada.
The Rodizio is an absolute must when visiting Brazil. At the Rodizio, waiters run around with a meat skewer and cut and serve the meat to the guest right at the table. The meat skewers are stocked with a wide variety of meats and the side dishes can be selected independently at the buffet. The Rodizio is usually available in specially made restaurants or in the Churrascarias on certain days of the week and is offered à discrétion.
Of course, there are many other Brazilian dishes and specialties, one or the other of which we present on this blog.
When it comes to sweets, there is also a long list of Brazilian specialties that should be tried. I am fascinated by the different cakes that are offered. The Docinhos de Coco, Quindim or Brigadeiro are typical sweet pastries.
The Pamonha is a paste made from corn and cooked, which is wrapped in corn leaves. They come in different variations and can be sweet or salty. Other sweets are the Cocadinha, Cocada de Coco, Bolo de Milho, Bolo de Aipim, Pudim de leite condensado ………
Cachaça, Cerveja and Batidas are popular drinks in Brazil. But the very first drink I take whenever possible as soon as we land in Brazil is the Água de Côco. The coconut water is very refreshing and the coconut is picked and prepared directly on the beach.
The beer in Brazil, although the alcohol content is equally strong, it is lighter in taste. I can’t say why that is, but I have the feeling that the beer is more carbonated. Well-known brands are Antártica, Brahma, Skol, Nova Skin, Bohemia and others. The most famous drink from Brazil is the caipirinha. The cocktail made from cachaça (sugar cane schnapps) is now drunk worldwide and is very popular.
Not only limes but also other fruits are used for the preparation. The cachaça that is normally used in Europe is, in terms of Pitú or 51, not exactly the best. Really good cachaça can also be drunk neat and from my point of view, it can be compared to a good grappa. The Batidas are also Brazilian mixed drinks made from fruit juices and cachaça and sometimes also refined with condensed milk and sugar.
Finally, one must not forget the many fruit juices that are available and that are a lot better and healthier than the artificially pimped juices known to us (forgive me for this expression). Oh yes, and the sweet drink Guaraná, which consists of the caffeinated fruit of the same name, can also be counted among the Brazilian drinks here.
