Brazico

Brazilian Regional Diversity. Brazil’s massive geography incorporates several biodomes and cultural history. Its Northeast region reflects the Afro-Brazilian roots of the slaves who settled there. The Amazonia region produces exotic fruits, river fish, and much of the indigenous cuisine of the tribes in these parts. The colder, pastoral South is where many European immigrants settled. It’s this region where Churrasco was begun by gaucho cowboys grilling beef over fire. The Southeast is Brazil’s economic hub, incorporating Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paolo. Here, inputs from other parts of the country and the world alike would come together to form modern fusion. 

Salpicão de Frango is a mayo-based shredded chicken salad that’s crunchy,  sweet, salty and tangy all at once.  Salpicão comes from the Portuguese word for scattering, the idea being you toss together many ingredients. It’s believed to be an adaptation of European cold meat salads from the Portuguese colonial period, with the Brazilian twist of the  batata palha (potato sticks) topping adding a salty crunch. It’s a typical Brazilian dish, blending European roots with local flair. 

Pão de Queijo (Minas Gerais)  are round cheese puffs with a crispy outside and chewy, airy inside made with tapioca starch (instead of wheat flour) and typically using queijo minas, a mild, semi-soft cheese from the Minas Gerais, a mountainous, pastoral state known as the dairy capital of Brazil. The dish would become widespread because it used local ingredients: cassava from Indigenous know-how and cheese from Portuguese dairy traditions. Over time, the dish became deeply tied to Minas Gerais identity; a typical afternoon includes a fresh pot of coffee and a basket of warm Pão de Queijo, which are eaten all day. Tonight it’s served with malagueta guava- a sweet and spicy mixture of a signature Brazilian chili pepper and the beloved tropical fruit, of which Brazil is one of the world’s largest producers.

Bolinho de Bacalhau (Rio de Janeiro), or “little codfish ball” is a savory fritter originating in Portugal. Salted cod has been a staple of Portuguese cuisine for centuries- fishermen salted and dried cod from the North Atlantic to preserve it for long sea voyages. When the Portuguese colonized Brazil in the 16th century, they brought bacalhau with them, becoming a delicacy, especially for the Catholic communities during Lent. Over time, the dish became more “Brazilian”, with the addition of potato for fluffiness, more native spices, and a smaller, rounder shape. The dish is now a classic  petisco- a Brazilian version of tapas, and is iconic along the beaches of Rio, often served along with a cold beer. 

Calabresa Acebolada (Southern Brazil) features linguiça calabresa, Brazil’s take on spicy cured sausage, most famously of Calabria, Italy. Italian immigrants would bring their sausage-making traditions to Brazil in the late 19th century and over time the dish would become wildly popular, especially in the South where the churrasco (bbq) culture thrives. “Acebolada-style”, adding sauteed onions, is common of Brazil’s boteco culture- informal bars where Brazilian community thrives. 

Coxinha Cremosa (São Paulo)  is one of the country’s most iconic street foods, a deep-fried snack made of savory, chicken-broth infused dough, and filled with shredded, seasoned chicken shaped into a tear drop. One possible origin story goes as such: In the late 19th century, a Brazilian princess’s son only liked to eat chicken drumsticks ( coxa). One day, the cook ran out of drumsticks and shredded other chicken pieces, wrapped the meat in dough, shaped it like a drumstick, fried it — and the  coxinha was born. The now ubiquitous snack is part of the broader Brazilian  salgadinho tradition — small savory pastries and fried snacks you see at birthday parties, cafés, and corner bakeries. It’s a dish many Brazilians are most nostalgic for. 

Catupiry (Minas Gerais), a major ingredient in Coxinha Cremosa was created in 1911 by an Italian immigrant in Minas Gerais as a creamy cheese with a shelf life, its name derived from an indigenous Tup-Guarani word for “superior”. Today it’s a ubiquitous ingredient and the gold-standard for cream cheese in Brazil, with the name “Catupiry” used to refer to any cream cheese topping (not just the  actual thing).

Dadinhos de Tapioca (São Paolo), or “little tapioca dice”, is a relatively new dish, but with indigenous and regional roots. It was popularized in the early 2000s by Chef Rodrigo Oliveira, the acclaimed chef behind Mocotó — a beloved São Paulo restaurant that reimagines traditional Northeastern food. Rodrigo’s recipe was inspired by the textures of  bolo de queijo (cheese cake/bread) from the Northeast, and by the popularity of tapioca-based street snacks. As such, dadinhos uses that region’s  coalho cheese, known for its squeaky texture when bitten into. They’ve since become a darling of the Boteco scene and a symbol of how modern Brazilian chefs remix traditional ingredients.

Tapioca (Northeast Brazil) has its roots in Brazil’s Tupi-Guarani indigenous peoples, who mastered the art of processing the cassava safely (as raw cassava can be toxic). Tapioca, it should be noted, refers to both the cassava/manioc starch and to the chewy flatbreads made from it. Later known as manioc, the starch became a culinary staple, especially in regions where wheat was scarce. Enslaved Africans would learn the Indigenous ways of preparing manioc, preparing  farinha (toasted manioc flour) and tapioca pudding. Today, it’s an edible link between ancient and modern Brazil. 

Moqueca (Bahia-style) is a fragrant, slow-simmered seafood stew stemming from the Tupi word for “slow cooking”. This cooking method- steaming or roasting fish with native herbs- predated colonization by centuries. Later, enslaved Africans brought to work the sugar plantations of Bahia introduced palm oil (dendê) and coconut oil. Traditionally cooked in a black clay pot made by local artisans, Moqueca has become a symbol of communal dining on Brazil’s coast, as well as an emblem of Brazil’s biodiversity, coastal bounty, and Afro-Brazilian identity. 

Dendê/ Dendê Farofa. Dendê is red palm oil, brought over by West African slaves. Farofa is toasted manioc/cassava flour, abundant in Brazil and a substitute for wheat in regions where the latter is scarce. It’s crunchy, nutty, and absorbs sauces beautifully. The combination of the two creates a crunchy, flavorful and colorful element to meals, especially in the Bahia region. 

Frango Stroganoff (Rio by way of Russia)  is Brazil’s version of the 19th century Russian aristocratic dish, given the Brazilian twists of batata palha (potato sticks) , creme de leite (instead of sour cream), and white rice. Historians believe the dish made its way to Brazil via the wave of international hotels opening up in Brazil’s big cities during the mid-20th century. It took off, becoming a status symbol for cosmopolitan-types, before turning into a popular Brazilian comfort food that, Brazilians like to say, is more about the crunch of the rice and potatoes than the actual meat! 

Picanha Tom Jobim (Rio de Jaineiro) features top sirloin cap (picanha), Brazil’s most iconic beef cut, and is perhaps tonight’s only true taste of the churrasco-style cooking we’ve long associated with Brazilian cooking. The dish in named in tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim- credited with co-creating Bossa Nova music and writing that unofficial Brazilian national song, “The Girl from Ipamema”. While “Tom Jobin” himself had little to do with the dish, by calling it so , chefs evoke something stylish, classy and sophisticated- much like Bossa Nova itself. 

Feijoada (Rio de Janeiro) is Brazil’s national dish and culinary icon, a hearty black bean stew rich with history, soul and the Dead Chef-ian spirit of gathering around a big table. The concept traces back to Portuguese bean-and-meat stews made with leftover cuts- a tradition brought over to colonial Brazil. Enslaved Africans contributed smoked meats and spicy sausages and later Brazilian additions of oranges and farofa were added to cut the richness and add crunch. Today, Brazil’s national dish is a symbol of hospitality, found everywhere from rural homes to upscale restaurants. It’s Saturday ritual, with a pot simmering for hours while family and friends gather, sort of akin to Italian’s “Sunday Sauce”,. 

Vinaigrette, as made in Brazil, is a fresh chopped salsa of tomatoes, onions and olive oil inspired by European vinaigrettes but made chunkier (and yes, crunchier), by Brazilians. It’s a go-to condiment for churrasco bbq, and is often spooned over rice and farofa to add a little tang. 

Brigadeiros are rich, chewy chocolate truffles invited in the 1940s and named after air force brigadier Eduoardo Gomes, who ran for president 1945. A bit of a lady’s man, his supporters (mostly women) held fundraisers where they sold the homemade sweets, named in his honor because of his ‘rizz. Today anywhere there’s a cake, there will be a platter of Brigadeiros. 

Xingu Gold Brazilian Lager is a crisp, refreshing beer brewed to appeal to Brazil’s hot climate and the national love of easy-drinking light beer. Xingu was launched in 1986 by Amazon, Inc. (not  that Amazon, though who knows they probably gobbled them up too), with the name coming from the Xingu River, a major tributary of the Amazon, and the original brewery located in the Santa Catarinan city of Blumenau, a city with strong German heritage as the name suggests. The beer would help open the door for Brazil’s now-vibrant craft beer movement, all while raising indigenous awareness by featuring native art on its label. 

The  Caipirinha, that refreshing concoction of cachaça, lime and sugar, is Brazil’s most famous cocktail. Meaning “little hillbilly”- a nod to its rural origins- the drink is said to have been invented in early 1900s São Paulo state as a home remedy to treat Spanish flu before growing into an icon of beach bars, Carnival and Brazilian nightlife.  Cachaça is Brazil’s national spirit- a distilled liquor made from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice. It’s considered a more grassy, herbal and vibrant cousin to rum, which is distilled from molasses. Cachaça’s history dates back to the early 1500s, when Portuguese colonists set up sugarcane mills in Brazil. Slaves and workers discovered that leftover cane juice fermented naturally, and distillation techniques from Portugal and Africa would in turn create the spirit which evolved into cachaça. By Brazilian law, true cachaça must be made in Brazil, with a specific alcohol content of 38-48% ABV. They say cachaça is “Brazil in a bottle”- earthy and vibrant, while the Caipirinha is “Brazil in a glass”- sweet, tangy, refreshing, and made for sharing good times. Saúde!