Brazilian Foods and Cuisine

Brazilian Foods and Cuisine

Brazilian Foods and Cuisine

Brazil, the largest country in South America, borders every other South American country except Chile and Ecuador. From west to east it stretches nearly 2,700 miles from the Andean foothills eastward to the Atlantic Ocean. Its official name is the Federal Republic of Brazil, or, in Portuguese, the Republica Federativa do Brasil.

It occupies almost half the area of South America and is the world's fifth largest country. Although just slightly smaller than the United States in area, Brazil's population is about 40% less.

Most Brazilians live in the densely populated areas of eastern Brazil. Although urbanization has not produced actual declines in rural population, internal migration has caused cities to grow much faster than rural areas.

The largest cities are Sao Paulo (16 million people), Rio de Janeiro (11 million), Belo Horizante (3.8 million), Salvador (2.3 million), Recife (1.8 million), and Porto Alegre (3.1 million).

Brazil is politically subdivided into 26 states and territories plus the federal district of Brasilia.

Brazilian Foods and Cuisine

Brazil's Eclectic Cuisine

About 1 million native Indians lived in Brazil when the first Portuguese explorers arrived early in the 16th century. Beginning in 1538, almost 5 million Africans arrived before the abolition of slavery in 1888. Portuguese immigrants were followed by Italians, Germans, Syrians, and Lebanese. Asians arrived during the 1930's.

This population mixture has created a national cooking style marked by profound differences. "The cuisine did not evolve, however, by absorbing these influences, eliminating their identity in the process" explains Joan and David Peterson, authors of Eating Smart In Brazil (Ginko Press, 1995). "The distinct contribution of each is still apparent in many Brazilian dishes today. Interestingly, the national cuisine of Brazil is more a collection of unique regional ones."

Brazilian Foods and Cuisine

If one were to divide the country into regions by cuisine there would be five:

North (Acre, Amazonas, Amapá, Pará, Rondonia, Roraima, and Tocantins)
Collectively, the region is known as Amazonia for it includes a large part of the rain forest, and tributaries flowing into the Amazon River. Culturally, the Amazon basin is heavily populated by native Indians or people of mixed Indian and Portuguese ancestry who live on a diet of fish, root vegetables such as manioc, yams, and peanuts, plus palm or tropical fruits.

The cuisine of this region is heavily Indian influenced. One popular dish is Caruru do Pará, a one-pot meal of dried shrimp, okra, onion, tomato, cilantro, and dende oil.

Northeast (Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhao, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio Grande do Norte, and Sergipe)
Geographically the region comprises a dry, semi-arid region used for cattle growing inland from the fertile costal plain, an economically important sugar cane and cacao growing area. The spectacular beaches make the coast Brazil's fastest growing tourist region.

Within the State of Bahia the predominate cuisine is Afro-Bahian, which evolved from plantation cooks improvising on African, Indian, and traditional Portuguese dishes using locally available ingredients.

In the remainder of the coastal plains there is less African influence on the food, but seafood, shellfish, and tropical fruits are menu staples.

Inland, in the drought stricken, arid cattle growing and farm lands, foods typically include ingredients like dried meat, rice, beans, goat, manioc and corn meal.

Central-West (Federal District of Brasilia plus Goias, Mato Grosso, and Mato Grosso do Sul)
A region comprising 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 important 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.

Southeast (Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo)
The industrial heart of Brazil is home to the several distinctive styles of cooking.

In Minas the regional dishes include a lot of corn, pork, beans, and local soft ripened cheeses. Around Rio and Sao Paulo a simmered bean and meat dish of Bahian origin, feijoada completa, is popular especially in restaurants as a Wednesday and Saturday luncheon. Also consumed frequently is arroz-feijao, or rice and beans. Traditionally, black beans are prepared in Rio, red or blonde beans in Sao Paulo, and either black or red in Minas Gerais.

Brazilian Foods and Cuisine

In Sao Paulo, the influence of European and North African immigrants is noticed in the region's cuisine. The majority arrived from Italy, along with many from Portugal and Spain, plus other Europeans and Arab countries.

South (Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and Santa Catarina)
To the national cuisine the gaucho, or cowboy, contributed dishes made with sun or salt dried meats and churrasco, a meal of wood fire grilled fresh meats.

The immigrant homesteaders, many from Germany and middle Europe plus a few from Italy, were accustomed to a wheat based diet. They were agricultural people who worked the land and introduced wine, leafy vegetables, and dairy products. When potatoes were not available they improvised and discovered the native sweet manioc could be cooked and served in the same way potatoes were served in their homeland.

Germany Cuisine and Foods

German cuisine is a style of cooking derived from the nation of Germany. It has evolved as a national cuisine through centuries of social and political change with variations from region to region. The southern regions of Germany, including Bavaria and neighboring Swabia, share many dishes. Furthermore, across the border in Austria one will find many similar dishes. However, ingredients and dishes vary by province. There are many significant regional dishes that have become both national and regional. Many dishes that were once regional, however, have proliferated in different variations across the country into the present day.[wikipedia]

Germany Foods

Germany Foods

Germany Foods

Germany Foods

Germany Foods

Indian Foods

We combine the ancient with the modern and take you down the path to losing yourself in the exotic flavours of india. Without exception we aim to ensnure you into a truly unique, unforgettable cuisine experience. indian food The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.An army marches on its stomach and so many other cliches that all centre around one of life's necessities - eating.

These spices are also used as appetizers and digestives. Browse through and savor the finest collection of Indian cuisine.The essence of good Indian cooking revolves around the appropriate use of aromatic Indian spices.The skill lies in the subtle blending of a variety of spices to enhance rather than overwhelm the basic flavor of a particular dish. Presenting a variety of Indian recipes which has delicious Indian taste, flavor and seasoning. India is diverse in its culture, racial structure, its geographical and its climate, so is its food.

But one must not forget that every single spice used in Indian dishes carries some or the other nutritional as well as medicinal properties. Throughout India, be it North India or South India, spices are used generously in food. Foods of India are better known for its spiciness. Just like Indian culture, food in India has also been influenced by various civilizations, which have contributed their share in its overall development and the present form.

It reflects a perfect blend of various cultures and ages. Indian food is different from rest of the world not only in taste but also in cooking methods.

Favorites Recipes india :

* Chicken Biryani
* Butter Chicken
* Egg Fried Rice
* Pav Bhaji
* Shahi Paneer
* Chicken Curry
* Vegetable Sandwich
* Paneer Butter Masala
* Vegetable Burger
* Aloo Palak
* Dal Fry
* Palak Paneer
* Easy Home Made Cake
* Dal Tadka
* Tomato Soup

Japanese Foods

Japanese Foods

Japanese Foods

Japanese Foods

Japanese Foods

Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule. In the early modern era massive changes took place that introduced non-Japanese cultures, most notably Western culture, to Japan.

The modern term "Japanese cuisine" (nihon ryōri (日本料理?) or washoku (和食?)) means traditional-style Japanese food, similar to that already existing before the end of national seclusion in 1868. In a broader sense of the word, it could also include foods whose ingredients or cooking methods were subsequently introduced from abroad, but which have been developed by Japanese who made them their own. Japanese cuisine is known for its emphasis on seasonality of food (旬, shun),quality of ingredients and presentation.[wikipedia]

Greek Foods (greece foods)

Greece foods

Greece foods

Greece foods

Greece foods

Greece foods

Greece foods

Greek cuisine (Greek: Ελληνική Κουζίνα) is a typical Mediterranean cuisine, sharing characteristics with the cuisines of Italy, the Balkans, Turkey, and the Levant. Contemporary Greek cookery makes wide use of olive oil, vegetables and herbs, grains and bread, wine, fish, and various meats, including poultry, rabbit and pork. Also important are olives, cheese, aubergine, courgette, and yoghurt. Greek desserts are characterized by the dominant use of nuts and honey. Some dishes use filo pastry.

Meze is a collective name for a variety of small dishes, typically served with wines or anise-flavored liqueurs as ouzo or homemade tsipouro. Orektika is the formal name for appetizers and is often used as a reference to eating a first course of a cuisine other than Greek cuisine. Dips are served with bread loaf or pita bread. In some regions, dried bread (paximadhi) is softened in water.

french foods

france foods

france foods

france foods

france foods

french foods

If you should spend a few days in one of France's twenty-two Regions, A.F.Touch - Cuisine will provide you with the names and addresses of French restaurants where you will discover, or rediscover, the many flavors of the French cuisine we offer you on this site. Each specialty is presented within its regional context accompanied by a list of traditional producers , guardians of tradition and expertise which have been handed down from generation to generation. A.F.Touch cuisine will offer you all the specialties of the French food. With aftouch-cuisine.com, we invite you to pull off the “Communication Superhighway” for a moment and roam the back roads of the French countryside to discover the regional French food, French recipes cuisine and the wonderful people of the past and of the present who are behind French cooking world-wide reputation.

When speaking of such traditional specialities from our soil and french cuisine , many mouth-watering recipes immediately come to mind.These French recipes are an integral part of our cultural cooking heritage. The result of our culinary creativity which arise from a search for excelence through centuries of traditional family cooking : the " French touch "

Basque Foods

Basque Food

Basque Food

Basque Food

Basque Food

Basque Food

Cuisine and the kitchen are at the heart of Basque culture, and there is a Museum of Gastronomy in Llodio. Basques embraced the potato and the capsicum, used in hams, sausages and recipes, with pepper festivals around the area, notably Ezpeleta and Puente la Reina. Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal created a chocolate and confectionery industry in Bayonne still well-known today, and part of a wider confectionery and pastry tradition across the Basque Country. Basques have also been quick to absorb new ingredients and techniques from new settlers and from their own trade and exploration links.

The French and Spanish influence is strong also, with a noted difference between the cuisine of either side of the modern border; even iconic Basque dishes and products, such as txakoli from the South, or Gâteau Basque (Biskotx) and Jambon de Bayonne from the North, are rarely seen on the other side. The mountainous nature of the Basque Country has led to a difference between coastal cuisine dominated by fish and seafood, and inland cuisine with fresh and cured meats, many vegetables and legumes, and freshwater fish and salt cod. Basque cuisine is influenced by the abundance of produce from the sea on one side and the fertile Ebro valley on the other.

Saudi Arabian Foods

Saudi Arabian Food

Saudi Arabian Food

Saudi Arabian Food

Saudi Arabian Food

These breads are used at every meal, in place of a fork or spoon, to scoop up other foods. Flat breads— fatir, a flat bread cooked on a curved metal pan over a fire, and kimaje, similar to pita—are the other mainstay of the nomadic diet that are eaten by all Saudis. Yogurt is eaten alone, used in sauces, and made into a drink called a lassi.

Camel (or sheep or goat) milk has long been the staple of the Bedouin diet, and dairy products are still favorites with all Saudis. According to Islamic law, animals must be butchered in a particular way and blessed before they can be eaten, so Saudi Arabia is the world's largest importer of live sheep. Lamb is traditionally served to honored guests and at holiday feasts. Saudis are strict Muslims and, following Islamic law, do not eat pork or drink alcohol. Saudis rank as the highest consumers of broiler chickens in the world, eating an average of 88.2 pounds of chicken per person per year.

Saudi Arabia has over 18 million date palms that produce 600 million pounds of dates each year. However, the basic ingredients are the same: fava beans, wheat, rice, yogurt, dates, and chicken are staple foods for all Saudis. The average meal of the Bedouin nomads who remain in Saudi Arabia is much simpler than that of the urban Saudis who make up the majority of Saudi Arabia's population today. The people of Saudi Arabia are very traditional and eat the same foods they have eaten for centuries.

Albanian Foods

Albanian Food

Albanian Food

Albanian Food

Albanian Food

Albanian Food

While corn is the mainstay of the Albanian food, Cottage industries and increase in crop yields, such as rice, are slowly raising the general living standard. Progress is being made in medicine (control of diseases), agriculture (irrigation and diversity), and literacy. Cultural influences include Italian, Greek, Turkish, and more currently, Russian.

Accustomed to authority and foreign domination, the Albanian's insecurity is most evident in many of the mountain villages, where the dwellings are so cleverly camouflaged as to be indistinguishable from the native trees and rocks, providing them with a sense of security especially in turbulent times. Past struggles, pain, and injustices press into the present, combining to make the Albanian's life difficult and insecure. In 1997, complaints of widespread fraudulent financial schemes affecting thousands of families caused serious violence and looting. Famine, illiteracy, malaria in the marshlands, and alcoholism plague the people. Yet troubles still dog the republic.

Moreover, by 1993, 90 percent of farming had been privatized. They gained some strength from the 1990 ruling that permitted private religious practice. It was said that with the establishment of a socialist republic under Hoxha in 1946, Albania became "one of the world's most thoroughly totalitarian states." More recently, Albanians have struggled through the difficulties inherent in an emerging democracy. They suffered through the 400-year domination of the Turkish Empire, when farmers were serfs to the sultan, and through the Communist period, when farmers were serfs to the state. The people of Albania, mostly engaged in pastoral and agricultural pursuits, barely eke out an existence from their harsh, rocky land.

thailand foods

thailand food

thailand food

Subsequent influences introduced the use of sizeable chunks to Thai cooking. Large chunks of meat were eschewed. Aquatic animals, plants and herbs were major ingredients. Originally, Thai cooking reflected the characteristics of a waterborne lifestyle. The characteristics of Thai food depend on who cooks it, for whom it is cooked, for what occasion, and where it is cooked to suit all palates. Thai cuisine is essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely Thai. Whether chilli-hot or comparatively blands, harmony is the guiding principle behind each dish. Thai food is internationally famous.

There must be a harmony of tastes and textures within individual dishes and the entire meal. The soup can also be spicy, but the curry should be replaced by non spiced items. A spiced salad may replace the curry dish. A proper Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, a dip with accompanying fish and vegetables.

Instead of serving dishes in courses, a Thai meal is served all at once, permitting dinners to enjoy complementary combinations of different tastes. It is generally acknowledged that Thai curries burn intensely, but briefly, whereas other curries, with strong spices, burn for longer periods. Eventually, fewer and less spices were used in Thai curries, while the use of fresh herbs increased. Overpowering pure spices were toned down and enhanced by fresh herbs such as lemon grass and galanga.

The ghee used in Indian cooking was replaced by coconut oil, and coconut milk substituted for other daily products. Thais were very adapt at 'Siamese-icing' foreign cooking methods, and substituting ingredients. Chillies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s by Portuguese missionaries who had acquired a taste for them while serving in South America. Culinary influences from the 17th century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch, French and Japanese.

Chinese influences saw the introduction of frying, stir frying and deep-frying. Traditional Thai cooking methods were stewing and baking, or grilling. Big cuts of meat were shredded and laced with herbs and spices. With their Buddhist background, Thais shunned the use of large animals in big chunks.

russian foods

russian food

russian food

russian food

russian food

russian food

Russian cuisine derives its rich and varied character from the vast and multi-cultural expanse of Russia. Its foundations were laid by the peasant food of the rural population in an often harsh climate, with a combination of plentiful fish, poultry, game, mushrooms, berries, and honey. Crops of rye, wheat, barley, and millet provided the ingredients for a plethora of breads, pancakes, cereals, kvass, beer, and vodka. Soups and stews full of flavor are centered on seasonal or storable produce, fish, and meats. This wholly native food remained the staple for the vast majority of Russians well into the 20th century.Russia's great expansions of territory, influence, and interest during the 16th–18th centuries brought more refined foods and culinary techniques. It was during this period that smoked meats and fish, pastry cooking, salads and green vegetables, chocolate, ice cream, wines, and liquor were imported from abroad. At least for the urban aristocracy and provincial gentry, this opened the doors for the creative integration of these new foodstuffs with traditional Russian dishes. The result is extremely varied in technique, seasoning, and combination.