Cooking the Brazilian Way Brazilian cuisine has been influenced by many different cultures In the 16th century Portuguese explorers landed in the area that would become Brazil They found native peoples who had special ways of preparing local plants and animals The colonists embraced much of this culture They mixed the Amazonian cooking styles and ingredients with some of their own recipes from Portugal Later African slaves brought their own flavors to Brazilian kitchens As Brazil welcomed more immigrants other cultures added special touches to the local dishes
Most Brazilian chefs use ingredients native to their region of the country In the rain forest this often means fresh fish from the Amazon River and a variety of tropical fruits In the southern grasslands meat from livestock is more common Throughout the country cassava forms the basis of many dishes Rice and beans also accompany most meals Cassava
