Brazil is the land of exuberant Carnival and the insistent rhythm of the samba. Its vibrant people love the pleasures of life, music, dance, and food. Especially food. Taking its influences from Portuguese colonizers who imported the art of making sweets and pastries; from the African slaves who introduced coconut, palm oil and chilies; and from the native Indians who contributed maize and cassava, the cooking of Brazil is dramatically varied, and nowhere is this more evident than in its food.
Brazilians have an insatiable appetite for savory morsels that can be consumed in one or two bites. At any public event food-sellers peddle everything from tiny pastries stuffed with meat or cheese and fried balls of salt cod, to sweet treats with whimsical names such as Longings and Angels' Cheeks. In central Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, all the food cultures meet and you will find the appetizing fish cuisine of Bahia (with spicy sauces of coconut, lime, chili and cilantro) alongside gaucho grills from the south in churrascaria restaurants where waiters circle with barbecued cuts of meat skewered on a sword.
Brazilian food is healthy, flavorful and very simple to prepare and the 75 recipes chosen for this book reflect its vibrant, wide-ranging tastes. Many are quick to prepare, such as the delicious Shrimp Stew or Spicy Stuffed Crab, the latter ready in a mere'15 minutes—others, such as the National Dish (feijoada), invariably accompanied by a refreshing White Rum Sour (caipirinha), take a little longer to assemble. Unusual and utterly seductive, the flavors of Brazil are here for the taking.