Pasta Traditions

• Brasilians enjoy their pasta cooked softer than the “al dente” method preferred by Italians, who originally introduced pasta to the country. Brasil is the third largest producer of pasta in the world, with 1,300,000 tonnes produced annually.
• Lasagna, gnocchi, yakisoba, and other pasta dishes are also very popular.
• As a variation to rice and beans, Brasilians often eat pasta (including yakisoba, lamen, and bifum) and pasta salad. Brazilians eat about 6.2 kg of pasta annually.
• For most Brasilians, dinner is a light affair, and pasta is often included in this meal.

Food Facts

• Brasilian cuisine varies from region to region—not surprising since the country is so big. The basics of the traditional diet in Brasil are rice and beans, plus whatever meat and vegetables may be available.
• In the Amazon region, manioc, a starchy root vegetable, is usually eaten with fish. Bread and pasta have become more important in the last few decades, especially in urban areas.
• Traditional dishes in Brasil include feijoada, (a stew of fresh and cured pork, black beans, sausage, and often collard greens, oranges, chiles, garlic, onion, and celery); quibebe, (winter squash soup); and pamonhas, (a paste made from corn and milk or coconut milk, boiled, and wrapped in corn husk, served salty or sweet).

Fun Facts

• Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America.
• The National Anthem of Uruguay is around five minutes in length, making it the longest national anthem of any other country.
• Uruguay is most notable for its meat.
• Most houses in Uruguay have names.