South American cuisine

South American cuisinehas many influences, due to the ethnic fusion of South America. The most characteristic are Native American, African, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, andIndian-South Asian. However, there is a mix ofEuropean,North American, and indigenous cuisines.The customs and food products greatly varyaccording to the physically distinct regions.
TheAmazon basinofSouth Americaprovides a plethora of fresh fish andtropical fruits.ThePacific Oceanprovides a large amount ofseafood, such asking crab(typically caught at the southern end of the continent),lobster(found in great quantities from theJuan Fernández Islands), andAntarctic krill, which was recently discovered.Tunaand tropical fish are caught all around the continent but are notably found in abundance nearEaster Island.
The many plains on this continent make it rich for growing foods likecereals,potatoesandquinoa. In thePatagoniaregion in the south ofArgentina, many people raisesheepandcattle. InBrazil, a traditional dish isfeijoada, astewconsisting ofbeanswithbeefandpork.Rice and beansis also very common in Brazil.
Peruvian cuisineis largely influenced by traditionalIncanculture (seeIncan cuisine). The consumption ofcarne asadais widespread throughout much of the continent.It is popular to grill in the open air as inasadoorchurrasco.
Shredded beefis common throughout South America and Latin America and is served with a variety of foods.
The food of the Andes is highly influenced by theindigenous peoples. The principal foods continue to be corn, potatoesand othertubers. The meats most characteristic of this zone are thellama(Peru) and theguinea pig(Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and the Argentine northwest). In areas where there is fresh water, trout is consumed.
Chupe andinorefers to variousstewsandsoupsthat are prepared in the Andes mountains region. One of the most important drinks ischicha.Important dishes includehumitas,locro,chanfaina,arepas,quimbolitos(dessert tamales), and peppers. A famous dish from the Peruvian Andes ispachamanca.From the mixture of German, native cuisine, and theChiloé Archipelagoin the southern Andes comesvaldivianoandcuranto.
The wetter areas of Peru produce sugar cane, lemon, bananas, and oranges.Chancacais popular as well ascarbonara,sancocho,huevos quimbos, potato pie, andch'arki.
Thepampashave the most Italian and Spanish influences. In Argentina, they are the center of the three typical Argentine dishesdulce de leche,asado(churrascoin Brazil), andmilanesa.
Argentine pizzais different from Italian pizza, being closer tocalzones. Pasta and polenta are common in Argentina and on the Pampas generally.Empanadasandchoripánare very popular fast food in Argentina and Uruguay.Churros,ensaïmada,alfajor, Spanish tortillas with potato, meatballs,sopa de mondongo, andpucheroare Spanish-derived Pampas cuisine.Mateis popular on the Pampas.
The tropical region of the continent is divided into two distinct areas, the coastal areas of the Atlantic and the Pacific and the Amazon area, each with its distinct cuisines. Much of the fruits that are considered to be exotic are common in the tropical forests and fields, such as guava, pineapple, papaya, mango, banana, and elderberry.
The climate and geography also favour a great variety of crops: potatoes, sweet potatoes,cassava, complemented with meat and fish; grains, principally rice, corn, and wheat and beans.
In the coastal areaceviche,tostonesorpatacón,arepa,chipa,sancocho,pabellón criollo,bandeja paisa,guatita, andsopa paraguayaare common dishes.
In Brazil, foods such asfeijoada,arroz carreteiro(cart riders rice),coxinha,andfarofaare common throughout the country. TheBrazilian stateofBahiahas its own cuisine which has heavy African influences.
The Amazon area is known for its utilization of native meats such as thecapybara, turtles,peccary,  andpaca. Common dishes arejuane,tacacho,tacacá. There are a wide variety of fruits native to the Amazon with which a great variety of drinks are prepared.
As early as the 1950s, Latin American cuisine have been transported to the Southeast coast, whereSydneyis.Now there is a slight selection of Latin American restaurants that has spread across the country.
Early South American restaurants in the United States included Caso do Brazil inReseda, California, which opened in 1955,and the Machu Picchu nightclub inMiami, Florida, which opened in 1963, serving Peruvian dishes such ascevicheandanticuchos.South American foods are increasingly imported into the United States, especially Brazilian foods such asguarana,guava paste, andcachaça(an ingredient in thecaipirinhacocktail).