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Origins and History
The Brazilian national dish, feijoada, has
its humble origins in the colonial slave kitchens of sugar
plantations in Bahia. It contains black beans and a variety
of off-cuts of meat, particularly pork ears, tails and feet
that the masters deemed inedible. Nowadays it's a delicacy
and has been adopted by Caricoas (as the inhabitants of Rio
de Janeiro are known) with gusto.
Preparation
Caricoas typically tucks into ferijoada on Saturday; like
the rest of the country, they see food as much more than mere
sustenance, it's a celebration. Most of the day is devoted
to preparing, consuming and recovering from the dish. Cooking
starts around midday, with several people contributing to
the preparation. The meats and beans are simmered together
for the fullest flavour and then separated when served. The
tongue is placed in the middle of the dish, with the meats
(like sausages, salted and sun-dried beef, spare ribs and
pork off-cuts) placed round it. The meal is accompanied by
molho de pimenta e limao (a hot lemon and
pepper sauce), sliced oranges, rice and manioc meal browned
in butter.
Serving Suggestion
To begin the meal with a bang, diners often choose to start
with some cachaca, the popular Brazilian
brandy, mixed with a fruit juice to form a batida.
Hours later, after it's all been polished off, diners retire
for much-needed rest; ask anyone and they'll tell you that
if you exert yourself too much after eating this dish you're
sure to end up in hospital!
Don't be put off however. This menu-sized dish is as much
a part of the Brazilian experience as ascending Sugar
Loaf Mountain or visiting Christ the Redeemer
- a tourist must-do.
Where to eat Ferijoada
The Restaurante Cristovao (inside the famous
Confeitaria Colombo) is a great place for feijoada. The restaurant
provides a luxurious setting for an authentic Saturday feijoada
meal. Nine giant cast-iron pots are filled with every cut
of meat imaginable and there's a huge array of accompaniments.
The puddings here are also first class.
The Casa da Feijoada is another Rio institution
where you can gorge yourself on Feijoada any day of the week.
A relaxed atmosphere and a great spot in the trendy district
of Ipanema make this a very attractive place
to come and try Brazil's national dish.
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