The Brazilian cuisine varies from region to region and has been influenced by the Portuguese, Spanish, Africans, Italians, Germans and Japanese.
Here are some home-grown delicacies
Picadinho de jacaré – A dish made with the meat of an alligator.
Caruru – Sun-dried meat, beans, goat and corn meal.
Feijoada – Simmered meat & beans.
Tutu de feijão – A paste of beans and mandioca flour.
Moqueca capixaba – Braised tomatoes and fish.
Mandioca – A type of sweet potato.
Yams – Also a type of sweet potato.
Peanuts, pineapples and passion fruit.
Almost all imports thrive in Brazil and are grown and used with great gusto locally.
Mangoes and guavas, papaya, oranges, hog plums.
Brazilian classics would almost certainly contain:
Chouriço – Spiced sausage.
Salgadinhos – A cheesy bread.
Pastéis – Crispy Brazilian Wontons (turnovers) stuffed with Heart of Palm. You
can also vary the stuffing to include cooked, diced shrimp or chouriço
if you prefer).
Cuscuz branco – A ground tapioca pudding.
Pinhão – Local pine nuts that grow in the Brazilian pines in the south of Brazil.
The Churassco
Brazil have their very own gauchos (cowboys) in the Pampa regions who, like their Argentinian brothers, enjoy a good barbecue, known locally as a churrasco.
The difference lies chiefly in the fact that the meat is grilled on huge skewers.
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