100 Things to Love About Brazil (Part 2 of 10)

Brazil may not share America's love of peanut butter, Mexican food, and cheddar cheese yet, but it does have its share of great food.  Here are a few:    

11.  Pão Francês -- French Bread

What's better than hot, straight-out-of-the-oven French bread?  Available at supermarkets and neighborhood bakeries all day long, pão francês is a staple for breakfast and light evening meals.         

12. Pão de Queijo -- Cheese Bread

Another breakfast and snack favorite, pão de queijo or cheese bread, is made from manioc flour.  These chewy bite size balls of cheesy goodness can be addicting.  

13. Cafezinho

What trip to the supermarket or store would be complete without a free shot of espresso?  

14. Beans and Rice

The staple of the Brazilian diet, beans and rice are served for the main noon meal everyday.  Both pinto and black beans are common.  For beans with all the "trimmings", enjoy a serving of feijoada, made with black beans cooked with beef and pork.       

15. Farofa

Toasted manioc flour served with rice and beans.  It can be mixed with a little bit of everything -- bacon, green onions, eggs, raisins, carrots, bananas, you name it!    

16. Vinagrete

Made from tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, vinegar, and salt, vinagrete is like a fresh Mexican salsa without the heat.  Its zestiness makes it a great side for churrasco or Brazilian BBQ.  

17. Mandioca -- Manioc

Another great Brazilian side is cooked manioc.  Although simply boiled is the most common, one of the tastiest ways to enjoy mandioca is deep fried like french fries.  

18.  Beef

Beef is a big deal in Brazil.  From everyday meals to social events, beef is the main attraction.  If you're learning to speak Portuguese, perhaps some of the first vocabulary words you will learn are the names of the different cuts of beef.  Brazil even has an extra cut called cupim which is the hump over the cow's back.  Think of the tenderness of Grandma's pot roast yet cooked over an open fire.   

19. Guaraná

Brazil may not have Mountain Dew or Root Beer, but it does have Guaraná.  A soda made from the guaraná fruit and packed with caffine, its taste is unique and extremely popular.  Think Vernors in color, but with a subtle fruity flavor.   

20. The Fruit

Brazil is one of the top fruit producing countries in the world.  It is home to hundreds of varieties of fruits including rarities such as cupuaçu, jabuticaba, and acaí.  

Have you had a fresh picked mango, papaya, or guava lately?