Take feijoada completa (fay-jo-A-da kom-PLE-ta), the “national dish.” It is a rich stew of beans and leftover meats eaten with rice, collard greens, farofa (a crumblike condiment unique to Brazil), and orange slices. Brazilians drink caipirinha (kai-pi-RIN-ya), an icy slush of lime juice, syrup, and sugarcane alcohol, before the meal. For dessert, there is Romeu e Julieta, made of soft cheese and guava (a tropical fruit) paste. What countries influenced this traditional meal?
Native South Americans inhabited Brazil for thousands of years before the Portuguese came. They lived mainly on fish and the bounty of the forest— root vegetables, herbs, greens, fruits, and nuts. Manioc, a staple food, is the source of farofa, which is as common as salt and pepper on the Brazilian table. One legendary Amazonian dish is pato no tucupí, duck with a tongue-numbing herb sauce. Many energy drinks contain guaraná, a rain forest berry. Brazilians adore the freshly squeezed juice of tropical fruits such as papaya, mango, pineapple, and tamarind.
The Portuguese colonizers imposed not only their language and religion but also their food. Bacalhau (dried salted cod, pronounced ba-kal- YAW), linguiça (sausage, pronounced ling-GWIsa), savory pastries, and desserts like fresh cheese with marmalade enriched the native diet.
This story is from the May/June 2020 edition of Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
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This story is from the May/June 2020 edition of Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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