1. Brazil and its Many Flavors
Reed T. Gonzales
GEOG101
American Military University
Professor James Myers
February 23, 2014

3. Brazil is located in South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean to its east and
many other countries to its north and west such as Venezuela, Columbia, Peru, and
Bolivia, just to name a few. Brazil is knows as “The Giant” of South America due to
its size and economic prowess. Since embracing a democratic government in
1989, the country has become one of the four biggest emerging markets in the
world. Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world with a population of more than
200 million. Its highly diverse population and culture result from a blend of its
indigenous people with European settlers and African slaves.

4. Brazil contains five major regions:
• Northern Region
• Northeast Region
• Central-West Region
• Southern Region
• Southeast Region

5. NORTHERN REGION
The Amazon Rainforest is dominant in every state but Tocantins. All cities are spread apart in the
region which has the lowest population density of the country. Very few paved highways pass through.
It is also the biggest region of Brazil, being responsible for almost half of its territorial extension.
Manaus serves as the capital of Amazonas where the black waters of the Negro River meet the white
waters of the Solimoes River, flowing side by side without mixing for several miles.

6. Foods like manioc, fish, peanuts, and tropical fruits are eaten in the Northern
Region. Many meals served at restaurants typically include rice, beans,
manioc flour and red meat, sometimes with a lettuce leaf or tomato.
Picadinho de Jacaré: Found
predominately in the Northern Amazon
region, it is a traditional indigenous meal
made from alligator meat.
Tacacá - a popular soup made from
jambú, a type of paracress (Brazilian
herb), dried shrimp, yellow pepper and
tucupi, a broth made of manioc root.
Maniçoba - a dish made with the leaves
of the manioc plant that is often eaten
during religious festivals.
Pato no Tucup or Duck in Tucupi
Stew, a stew made of duck boiled in
manioc root broth.
Caruru is a condiment that is made with
okra, onions, shrimp, palm oil, and
toasted cashews or peanuts. It is
frequently enjoyed with acarajé, which
is deep fried black eyed peas.

7. NORTHEAST REGION
This region was the first found by the Portuguese, and the first Brazilian capital, Salvador, was
founded here. The biggest cities are Salvador, Fortaleza and Recife, which are the regional
metropolitan areas of the Northeast, all with a population above a million inhabitants. The people who
live there, are from there, or have family in the Brazilian Northeast, are called nordestinos.

8. Popular dishes in the Northeast Region are heavily
influenced by the origins of Amerindian, African, and
Portuguese cuisine.
Moqueca - literally
translated means "stew"
and is a seafood stew that
has been made in Brazil
for over 300 years. It
contains fish, garlic and
onions, olive oil, cilantro,
tomato, peppers, and is
cooked slowly without
added liquids.
Staple foods are ones grown or
found locally and might include
tropical fruit such as mango,
guava, passion fruit, papaya,
orange, and pineapple. Other
popular ingredients for all kinds
of dishes are okra, black beans,
white rice, coconut, seafood
and shellfish.

9. CENTRAL-WEST REGION
The West Central region is where the national capital, Brasilia, is situated. The Mato Grosso- Pantanal
(Wetlands), a veritable ecological sanctuary, preserves the pristine nature in this unique ecosystem.
Local wildlife include crocodiles, anacondas, rheas, anteaters, parrots, deer, capybaras, and countless
birds that choose the Pantanal as one of the world's most important stops on their migratory routes.

10. The Central-West region comprises of dry open savannahs or prairies with
wooded terrain in the north. The famous Pantanal, one of the finest game and
fishing regions on earth, is also located within this region.
Fish from the rivers and beef and pork from the vast ranches of the region
dominate the menu, along with the bounty harvested from the agricultural
crops of soybean, rice, corn, and manioc.
A lot of meat is eaten in the
Central-West region as
people here regularly hunt
and fish.
Tapioca is sort of a Brazilian taco that can be
enjoyed sweet or savory. The recipe starts with
a coarse white powder called goma de
mandioca, which is made from manioc, a
brown root cultivated around the world but
native of west-central Brazil.

11. SOUTHERN REGION
This region includes the states of Parana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande Do Sul. Large amounts of
Europeans migrated here during the 19th century and influenced the demography and cultural aspects
of it. The main ethnic groups of Southern Brazil are of Portuguese, German and Italian descent.

12. People of Italian and German descent who immigrated to Brazil inhabit the
Southern region. They brought the knowledge of making wine and growing
leafy vegetables which are found in this region's dishes.
Barreado - is a
very popular meat
stew that is
simmered with
spices for up to 18
hours and then
served with rice,
mandioca flour
and fried bananas. Arroz
Carreteiro - the
literal translation
is "Rice
Wagoner" or
"Cart Riders",
and it is a mixture
of meat, rice,
tomato, onions
and spices.
Lasagna and
other
pasta dishes

13. The Southeast region is the richest and most densely populated. It has more inhabitants than any
other South American country, and hosts one of the largest megalopolises of the world. Sao Paulo and
Rio de Janeiro are the country's two largest cities. The region is very diverse, including the major
business center of São Paulo, the historical cities of Minas Gerais and its capital Belo Horizonte, the
third-largest metro area in Brazil, the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, and the coast of Espírito Santo.
SOUTHEAST REGION

14. Within the Southeast, there are specific dishes a few of the states are known for serving.
Frango com
quiabo - chicken
with okra
Queijo -
cheese!
Feijão preto
- black beans

15. São Paolo is the largest city in Brazil and it is the most "westernized" in its culture. The
population is quite diverse and is reflected in their food.
Rejadinho - brown beans,
also known as feijão
Virado a Paulista -
sautéed collard greens,
rice, bean paste, manioc
flour, and pork chops
Moqueca Capixaba - is a variation of Moqueca
which, unlike the Northeast, uses olive oil instead of
palm oil, and does not use coconut milk. The stew
contains onions, cilantrol, chives and tomatoes. In
this version a pigment called urucum is added to
the stew and it is cooked in a clay pan. The stew
can be made with fish or other seafood like lobster,
shrimp or crab. Some versions use raw bananas.

16. Some of the more popular dishes have spread out, and can be found in multiple regions.
Acarajé is made from black eyed peas
that are rolled into a ball and fried, and
stuffed with condiments, salads and
sauces. Some fillings contain shrimp,
some are vegetarian. This dish is a
popular street food in Brazil, and is
also eaten in Nigeria for breakfast with
corn or millet gruel.
Vatapá - This mixture of bread,
coconut milk, shrimp or other
white meat, peanuts, shrimp
and palm oil is enjoyed in other
regions of brazil as well. In the
Northeast it is enjoyed with
acarajé.
Moqueca - literally
translated means "stew"
and is a seafood stew that
has been made in Brazil for
over 300 years. It contains
fish, garlic and onions, olive
oil, cilantro, tomato,
peppers, and is cooked
slowly without added
liquids.

17. Although some of Brazil’s amazing and delicious culture has found its way into other
countries, there is a stark difference that can be found at U.S.-based Brazilian
steakhouses. One such example can be found at Tucanos Brazilian Grill, an
emerging franchise among the increasingly popular Brazilian restaurants in the
United States. I was excited to experience authentic Brazilian cuisine after my first
experience in Rio de Janeiro in 2010. The Salad Festival was very pleasing and
fairly similar to that of Brazil with the exception of the added American specialties.
The follow-up to the salad experience is the serving of the many varieties of meat. It is this
Churrasco style dining, in which the grilled skewers of meat are brought directly to the table, that
sets Brazilian steakhouses apart from the rest of the world. Enter the Tucanos Cue. This is a
small, cylindrical piece of wood at the dining table that is green on one end and red on the other.
While a patrons cue remains green side up, the meat servers will “continue” to bring meats to
the table. The red side up signals them to skip the table. In theory, this method is great. The
problem is that the cue often remains green side up for long periods of time before the servers
actually arrive with food. My later research findings are that similar style Brazilian steakhouses
throughout the U.S. share this method.

18. My experience at Carretao, in Rio de Janeiro was quite different. Not only are the portions
larger, I nearly had to fight off the servers so that they would stop returning to fill my plate. I
have been unsuccessful at uncovering any evidence of a “cue” in use at any restaurants in
Brazil. My conclusion is that it is a form of distance decay that is exclusive to the U.S.
“Thank you Brazil, for spoiling my impression of Brazilian restaurants in the
United States. I look forward to visiting you again.”

19. The “Giant of South America” is one of largest and most diverse countries on the planet.
Within Brazil’s five regions is a cultural landscape that reflects European, African, Japanese,
German, Italian, Portuguese, and Amerindian natives. The evidence of cultures around the
globe are especially evident in the many foods throughout the country. Many foods and
dishes are exclusive to small areas and can be found only in specific regions. In contrast,
some dishes are spread wide throughout the country and have even made their way to North
America. Like many foods far away from their origins, differences can be found in both
recipes and the overall restaurant experience. As Brazil continues to grow its global economy,
the rest of the world might soon be able to have the countries many flavors shared with it.
Ingredients:
•Raw bacon - 3 strips
•Onions - 2 small to medium size
•Garlic - 3 cloves or you can substitute 1
teaspoon garlic powder
•Smoked sausage - 1 pound
•Boneless beef - 1 pound
•Stewed tomatoes with juice - 14 ounce can
•Hot water - 1 cup
•Yellow mustard - 1 Tablespoon
•Canned black beans with juice - 4 cups
•Salt and pepper to taste
Make the stew:
• Cut the raw bacon strips into large pieces and fry them at medium-high
heat setting in a large pot for about 3 minutes. Don't let them stick to the
bottom of the pot.
• Reduce the heat setting to medium.
• Dice the onions, peel and chop the garlic, and add both ingredients to the
pot with the bacon. Cook until the onions become soft, which is about 3
minutes.
• Cut the beef and sausage into bite-size pieces and add them to the pot.
• The meat should be cooked until all sides of the meat are browned.
• Add the stewed tomatoes and juice, water, mustard, and salt and pepper
to your desired taste.
• Turn the temperature setting down to simmer and cover the pot.
• Cook the entire stew for about 45 minutes. Stir it often to meld the
flavors.
• Add water if the consistency is too thick for you. Don't add more than 1/4
cup of water at a time.
• After the stew has cooked for 45 minutes, add the black beans and juice
and stir.

20. References
Better by the Year?. (n.d.). Brazil: People and culture. Retrieved from
http://www.betterbytheyear.org/brazil/brazil_people_culture.htm
Bryan and Sopheap. (2011, November 28). [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://wherethehellarebryanandsopheap.blogspot.com/2011/11/fat-friday-post-tapioca-in-olinda.html
Carretao Steak House. (n.d.). Carretao do lido. Retrieved from http://carretao.com.br/ver2013/
Celebrate Brazil. (n.d.). Brazil food. Retrieved from http://www.celebratebrazil.com/brazil-food.html
Clarke, F. (2010, April 20). Brasil sabor food festival. The Rio Times. Retrieved from
http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-entertainment/brasil-sabor-food-festival/
De Blij, H., Muller, P., & Nijman, J. (2012). Geography: Realms, regions, and concepts. (15 ed.,
pp. 273-281). United States: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Kennedy, R. (n.d.). Famous festivals and traditions in brazi.USA Today. Retrieved from
http://traveltips.usatoday.com/famous-festivals-traditions-brazil-100842.html
Tropical Adventures. (n.d.). Brazil: Regions. Retrieved from http://www.tropical-adventures.com/brazil.htm
Tucanos Brazilian Grill. (n.d.). About tucanos. Retrieved from http://www.tucanos.com/
TucanosUSA. (Producer). (2013, September 24). Tucanos Brazilian Grill: Tastebuds Samba
[Web Video]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=k_QvDzkbCiM
Whats4eats. (n.d.). Brazil: Recipes and cuisine. Retrieved from
http://www.whats4eats.com/south-america/brazil-cuisine