Exotic Food

The diversity of ingredients found in Brazilian cuisine whets the palate. A short trip through the different regions leaves no doubt that Brazil is a country well-served when it comes to gastronomic variety. The northern region, the state of Pará is contributing to the formation of this mosaic of food.

  

   The cassava (originally Mandioca) appears in many recipes. It is used in several ways: as different types of flour and the famous tucupi (juice of the cassava). The natural wealth also brings to the table diverse fruits. Açaí, for example, is quite versatile and can be used in juices and vitamins, it is common to be accompanied by cassava flour or even to complement fish dishes.Their breakfast is caloric. In general they eat tapioca and consistent food, like dried meat with flour, castanha-do-pará, castanha-de-caju and bananas. Often, canjica, porridge and fish are their first meal of the day.

Dried meat with flour

    The traditional foods for lunch and dinner include    ragout of various types of fish, duck, tucupi and tacacá.   For dessert, "mundico-e-Zefinha". This is a cupuaçu paste gratin with Marajó cheese, made with buffalo milk. The broth made from tucupi, dried shrimp and jambu (typical verdure of the region that causes a slight numbness in the mouth) is usually taken in the end of the afternoon. 

     The most tradicional fish is pirarucu which can weigh 300 pounds. The Menu in the North is full of typical ingredients. Land of açaí, cupuaçu and the Amazon fish has also the tucupi and the sauce extracted from cassava. The leaves of cassava is also used to prepare the famous maniçoba (a type of green bean stew that, apart from meat, leads maniva and is 7 days in low heat cooking before arriving at the table).

Mundico-e-Zefinha

Castanha-de-caju fruit

Pirarucu

Tucupi

      

Maniçoba

   Today, September 7 is the Brazil's Independence day!

As I'm writing about Brazil, I couldn't say nothing about this day, so here is a bit about the Independence of Brazil.

Independence Day - This is the name for the event "Independence of Brazil." What is this? It is the process that culminated in the political emancipation of the kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, occurred in the early nineteenth century. This date officially celebrated on September 7, 1822, day when the shout was called "Grito do Ipiranga". According to official history, on September 7, 1822 (Independence Day), on the banks of the creek Ipiranga (current city of São Paulo), Prince Regent Dom Pedro wept before his entourage: the so called Independence or Death!.

Certain aspects of this version, however, are disputed by some historians. The history of modern historiography in Brazil can be read in full here, as regards the beginning of the independence process of transfer of the Portuguese court to Brazil (1808-1821) in the Peninsular War, from 1808.

Listen to the anthem of Independence Day in Brazil

And Google As A tradition has created over a Doodle to celebrate the date.