One of the things I enjoy most about travelling is the introduction to the food and wine culture of other countries. With the Olympic Games starting in Rio de Janeiro today, I am sure that Brazilian food and drink will be very much in the limelight – not only for the visitors to this exciting country but also to sports fans, watching the games from their living rooms worldwide.
And yes, there is more to it than the very popular Caipirinha!
“Brazil, the largest country in Latin America and the fifth-largest wine producer in the Southern Hemisphere, has been producing wines since the beginning of its colonization. However, it was the arrival of Italian immigrants, a process initiated in 1875, which brought importance to the activity.”
Brazil has about 10,000 thousand hectares under wine grapes. The approximate 150 wineries producing fine wines are divided into 6 main regions, while another 1,100 other family wineries produce table wine. Read more about Brazilian wine.
Decanter shares a list of medal-winning Brazilian wines to enjoy and BBC Good Food lists the top ten food to try in Brazil.
And if you are not lucky enough to visit Rio and are watching the action from the couch? Perhaps try this recipe for beef pastel – the Brazilian interpretation of the empanada – or in other words, a delicious little meat pie that goes deliciously well with a glass of red wine (even if it is not Brazilian Merlot…) and anything from gymnastics to weight-lifting!