Polyana de Oliveira - Travel to Brazil: The Cookbook - Recipes from Throughout the Country, and the Stories of the People Behind Them

Copyright 2020

by Polyana Ferreira de Oliveira

First Edition December 2020

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. The moral rights of the author and the books contributors have been asserted.

The anecdotes and conversations in this book have been set down to the best of the authors ability. Every effort has been made to trace and gain approval of use of photos and stories of all copyright holders.

Book Design by Vildeci de Mattos

Image Curation and Cover Photography by Nathalia Segato

ISBN 978-6-5001-2866-6 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-6-5001-2865-9 (ebook)

https://www.travel-to-brazil.com/the-cookbook

Dedicated to the memory of Cinthia Barros

You were the best travel partner and dinner companion anyone could have asked for. The world sorely misses your laughter and spirit of adventure.

And to my parents, Arlete & Expedito

Thank you for teaching me to appreciate our own family story, and for encouraging me in everything I strive to accomplish no matter how seemingly crazy.

INTRODUCTION

I was in the fourth or fifth grade, when I realized that the Brazilian food I enjoyed at home with my family was different to what my American peers ate. My classmates and I were on a field trip - I dont remember where we went, but I do remember we visited an international food market for lunch. As soon as I saw a Brazilian food stall, I rushed over and excitedly ordered the feijoada . I was anxious to show my friends and encourage them to try some too. As I was about to dig in, a classmate of mine came over, and asked, Whats that?

For a split second, I wondered if Americans knew what beans were, but then I remembered those disturbing sweet beans served on hot dog days at the cafeteria, and said, What does it look like?

CRAP! he replied, and walked away, laughing, with his friends.

I still recall this event quite vividly, not only because it was an embarrassing and traumatizing moment for my 10-year-old self, but because who could possibly think feijoada is crap ?

I was offended that he didnt even want to understand what the food was; what my food was. How could he get away with insulting my heritage ?

I was raised to be very aware that we were Brazilian. We spoke Portuguese around the house, listened to Brazilian music, went to mass in Portuguese, and all our family friends were Brazilian. At home, we only ever ate Brazilian food, and since we lived in a town with a large Brazilian population, I got to know the foods and customs of people from all over the country.

And I was utterly obsessed with everything having to do with Brazil. Maybe it was my parents nostalgia for home, or knowing that since we were undocumented, I couldnt travel to Brazil. In any case, it was as if I had made it a life mission to absorb anything having to do with my Brazilian heritage.

As a child, I learned to read in Portuguese with the Turma da Mnica comic books my grandparents would send me. Although our school assignments were to read the local paper, I preferred to read our local Brazilian communitys newspapers. Ive always loved to dance, so my parents put me in Brazilian dance classes, where I learned to dance to samba, forr, carimb, and frevo. For a sixth grade talent show, instead of joining some of the other girls in a Spice Girls performance (this is where I give my age away), I opted for a samba solo. In high school, my closest friends were also Brazilian, and we would chant pop songs in Portuguese at the beginning of our soccer and volleyball matches. After our games, we would go to a local Brazilian sandwich shop and indulge in enormous burgers with an array of toppings that included anything from fried eggs to corn kernels, called X-Tudo . One year, our teams end of the season celebration was held at my house, only because everyone loved my moms cooking.