Brazil is well known around the world for its culture, music, sports and food; but let's
take a deeper look into one of these, namely, the food and compare it to a completely different type. For this we can use Italy’s cuisine since the two differ in dozens of ways. The reason for this is because Italian food is also incredibly well-known world-wide, especially in Brazil where many Italian and other restaurants are located, most of these in São Paulo.
Ingredients
The ingredients in both countries vary a little even though both the cuisines are based on carbohydrates; this is due to the climate and the geographical positioning of the countries. It is also important to note that Brazil is huge and has several different climate zones whereas Italy is smaller and has relatively the same climate all throughout (Italy, however, has more defined seasons).
The climate is important to understand what kinds of things can be grown, where they’re grown and where they could be shipped to. For example, Italian cuisine uses a lot of fresh and local ingredients in their meals, such as tomato, fruits, flour, cheese, olive, grapes (wines), olive oil, seafood etc. Even in its most elaborate dishes, the ingredients are simple and light. In contrast, Brazil’s cuisine is more commonly seen with vegetables, some fruits and a large variety of meats.
History
When it comes to history, these two countries are very different. Both of their histories heavily impacted their cuisine and culture as a whole. Firstly, Italy is in Europe and thus had more time to refine its food due to the long and extensive european and mediterranean history and its culinary knowledge is passed from generation to generation.
On the other hand, Brazil is in the Americas, inhabited by indigenous people with
different culinary experiences than the Europeans. However, with the arrival of the Portuguese, Brazilian food and culture was influenced by the African slaves brought by Europeans as well as the Portuguese themselves; it all mixed together and evolved over time to what we know today.
Structure and Portions
This might not seem important but to the Italians it is and its part of their cuisine, we can still compare it to Brazilian. The Italians have a specific structure to their meals:
L’antipasto (the appetizer)
Il primo piatto (first course)
Il secondo piatto (second course)
Contorno (side dish)
Il dolce (dessert)
Caffé (coffee, usually espresso)
Digestivo (liquor to help digest the food)
They have one plate for each, and specific foods for each as well. However, like all of Latin-America, Brazilians eat everything on one plate, and then a separate dessert if they want. To the Italians this seems extremely weird, but it's just part of Brazilian culture.
The amount of food served in Italy is smaller, and it is lighter even though almost all of the meals have pasta in them. Brazilian food is generally larger in portions and heavier because of the ingredients. Here, pasta is less common. Brazilian food is more focused on not only carbs but proteins as well, like meats. Say an Italian went to Brazil, they would find it hard to finish the food because it's heavier and if a Brazilian went to Italy for the first time and ate they would most likely feel unsatisfied, in the sense that they would still be hungry. In either case it's safe to say that both cuisines can take time getting used to by foreigners.
People
Finally, we take a look at the people’s relationship with cuisine. Recipes are well known by all the Italian population; anyone can find a recipe and cook it. It's normal for them to all cook, the moms, the dads, the children, the grandparents. In Brazil, however, recipes and culinary knowledge are held mostly by the moms and grandmas.
Both countries have different cultures and, respectively, different culinary customs, knowledge and preferences. Food is something everyone likes and it's interesting to see how completely different countries with different cultures, perspectives and traditions treat it.
“Brazil.” Food in Every Country, www.foodbycountry.com/Algeria-to-France/Brazil.html.
“Brazilian Cuisine, Rich in Colonial and Indigenous Influences.” Brazil Selection, www.travel-brazil-selection.com/informations/brazilian-culture/cuisine/.
“Cappelleti Alla Romanesca - A Fake-Italian Brazilian Specialty.” Flavors of Brazil, flavorsofbrazil.blogspot.com/2011/03/cappelleti-alla-romanesca-fake-italian.html.
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