Brazilian cuisine is influenced by both European and African cultures and varies from region to region. Here are a few tasty dishes to try:
* **Pão de queijo**. We bet you won’t be able to have just one of these bite-size, cheesy rolls. Made with tapioca flour, they’re popular for snacking and for breakfast—and they’re downright addictive.
* **Fresh fruit.** Thanks to its tropical climate, Brazil grows some of the most delicious and colorful fruit—including several types you probably haven’t seen before—on earth. A few to look for: açaí, umbu, guava, cerrado pear, mapati, and sweetsop.
* **Barbecued meat.** In Brazil, barbecue is a way of life. At churrascarias, or barbecue restaurants, throughout the country, roving servers drop pieces of perfectly cooked meats straight from skewers onto patrons’ plates.
* **Moqueca.** This beloved fish stew, whose name is pronounced moo-KEK-a*,* is served from a hot clay pot and can include ingredients such as coconut milk, rice, farofa (toasted manioc flour), and other types of seafood.
* **Feijoada.** Widely considered Brazil’s national dish, this slow-cooking bean-and-meat stew is typically served over rice. To enjoy it like a local, order yours along with a Caipirinha, or another cocktail made with cachaça.
* **Caipirinha**. It’s not a dish, we know, but no trip to Brazil would be complete without trying the country’s national cocktail. The refreshing sipper is made with sugar, fresh lime juice, and cachaça—a rum-like Brazilian spirit made from sugar cane juice.