Brazilian Food: Race, Class and Identity in Regional Cuisines by Jane Fajans 60’s. An anthropology professor, Jane Fajans draws on food as an avenue of entry to the regional and social diversities of Brazil. The distinctive attitudes toward food in this sprawling country reveal the alternately competing and blending forces of the three main groups – indigenous, colonial and African. The same cannot be said for our own country where the original peoples have been swept aside and where even the cooking that came from Africa is seen, as she says, as ethnic, outside the mainstream. Perhaps the differences between the Portuguese and the English could play a part. In any case, Brazilians pride themselves on their meals and have in mind the goal that diners will come away well satisfied.
Jane describes the colorful food markets, fiestas, and street venders of delicious wares. We learn of Pará’s use of manioc and the amazing and perhaps health-giving açai from the Amazon. Interspersed with description of home cooking and world-class restaurant haute cuisine are recipes. If I knew where to get manioc starch, I might try to make tacacá. I wonder if it would taste as good if you ate it out of something other than a gourd.
The meal which can boast of being the national dish is feijoada, which begins with dried meat and then grows with sausages, beef tongue, and of course black beans over the course of several days. It turns out, as Jane shows, that this country-wide feast is truly one that separates the classes. It is prepared by the hired help who have scant chance of enjoying it. If you would like to try it, though, the recipe is included.
I love the idea of learning about culture through food. Jane has certainly found a mouth-watering way to attract students to the field of anthropology.
I ran this comment by my writing group, who all wanted to help me find manioc flour. Here is a message I got later from a member of the group, Lori R.:
As I thought I remembered it called by something else. Cassava flour or Tapioca Flour. I have both in my pantry. Try Walmart’s gluten free section or Whole Foods in Ft Myers as I am not sure where I got them. Every time I see something exotic, I pick it up as I am sure my next keto recipe will call for it. Lol
Found this recipe for Brazilian Farofa
8 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon palm oil
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2 cups manioc flour {This needs to be coarse not fine}
Salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped black olives
Optional: 1/2 cup diced hard-boiled egg
Gather the ingredients.
Melt the butter and palm oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.
Add the onions and cook until very soft and golden, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the manioc flour and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 more minutes until well mixed and evenly toasted and lightly browned.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in optional black olives and/or hard-boiled eggs if desired.
Serve and enjoy!
