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| Brazilian food |
Brazilian Feijoada
Reputedly introduced in Brazil by black slaves
as early as the sixteenth century, "feijoada" -- a bean potpourri type dish -- is roughly
the Brazilian equivalent of our American "soul food". It
is without a doubt the country's national dish. It is in fact so popular
throughout Brazil that most restaurants, from the humblest inner-city " lanchonete" to
the sophisticated hotels lining the Bahia and Rio shores, designate
specific days in which "feijoada" is served at lunch time
as "o prato do dia" -- the day's special. Other eateries
pride themselves in the fact that they serve it every day and advertise
it in the yellow pages and/or in conspicuous blackboards outside their
premises.
Cachaça, Pinga, Capirinha
Since "feijoada" is in general a particularly "heavy" dish,
it is only served at noon. The recommended post-feijoada activity is
a nap. Because of the high fat content in the true feijoada, Brazilians
believe that it must be watered-down with a "caipirinha"," a
mixture of lime juice, sugar and "cacha‡a" or "pinga," a
strong liquor derived from sugar cane (often better than 100% proof!!!).
Like its Mexican counterpart, the "margarita," the "caipirinha" --
also known as "batida" and "caipir¡ssima" --
is made with lots of crushed ice, in a cocktail shaker. Hence the name "batida" or
shake. As of the last few years, middle and upper-class Brazilians,
particularly of the female gender, have been turning to the "capivodka," which
utilizes a far less detectable base...
In a real feijoada, or as the Brazilians say, "uma feijoada leg¡tima," every
part of the pig is thrown into the pan. It is also a known fact that
the sight of the pig's ear, tail or snout floating in the feijoada
will upset the gringos. So feijoada is often made -- to the dismay
of the traditionalists -- with only the noble parts of the pig. This
reduces the fat content and makes it visually less offensive to gringos.
Rice is the main staple of Brazilian cuisine. As such, it is only too logical that it be the ideal companion for the "feijoada." This main dish is customarily presented with "farofa" (mandioca meal fried with a variety of ingredients that include bacon, garlic, onion and boiled eggs). Another side dish is "couve mineira" (collard or mustard greens cut in very thin strips and fried at the last minute in oil, garlic, and bacon). In addition, the presentation features "fatias de laranja" or orange slices. The citric acid in the oranges is also supposed to counteract the fat in the pork. The meal is then topped off with what is lovingly referred to as "Romeu e Julieta," a side dish made up of "queijo mineiro" (a special soft cheese from the state of Minas Gerais, vaguely resembling our Monterey jack) and a slice of "goiabada" a dark sweet paste made with the guava fruit.
What follows is one of many recipes intended to introduce the uninitiated to the art of making Brazil's culinary claim-to-fame. Try your hand at it soon and GOOD LUCK!
source: www.brazilbrazil.com
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by New Jersey Brasil.com |
