the one hand, the lower classes changed their foodhabits as a means of social ascent. The exclusiveness of white bread at thattime, for example, has faded away as it is today a common breakfast item onevery Brazilian table. On the other hand, the manioc meal, a food item whichhas often been associated with slavery and therefore rather despised by theupper class, has gained value and experiences a revival in the most notoriousrestaurants of Brazil.In sum, an interesting sociological conclusion may be drawnfrom these findings, which is the fact that food items go through cycles ofconsumption and desire. The poor desire a food item that is normally consumedby the rich, and acquire the means to consume that food. The rich, in turn,lose interest in that food item since it is no longer exclusive. On the otherend of the cycle, the rich desire a popular food item which has historicallybeen consumed by the poor, but they make it seem luxurious by stratifying it. What I am calling the cycle of food consumption and desirewas not developed in Brazil for it has been exemplified in other places, suchas Europe, and in other times, such as the Middle and Modern Ages. Take theexample of pepper in the Middle Ages, which stopped being used by the rich asit became accessible to the poor (Laurioux, 2002), or the example of whitebread, formerly the food of the French elite, but today an extremely popularitem in France. Finally, the cycle of food consumption and desire may provideinteresting sociological explanation of the reasons why people change theireating habits, as it may equally foresee which foods will be fashionable in thefuture.Paulo SeidlTours, April, 2016Disclaimer: This is the fruit of intellectual production. When quoting, please provide appropriate academic reference.5. 5. ReferencesDebret, J.B. 2014 (1834, 1839). Voyage Historique et Picturesque au Bresil, (Introduction byLeenhardt, J.). Arles, ImpremeriesNacionalesDerby, O. 2008. Farinha de milho e mandioca em Sao Paulo eMinas Gerais. In Cascudo, L. C. Antologia da Alimentacao no Brasil (p 208).Sao Paulo, Global Editora.Desoer, F.J. (ed), 1767. Petite Encyclopedie ou les elemmens de connaissances humaines. Liege.In https://books.google.com.br/books?id=J_hWAAAAcAAJ&pg=PP9&lpg=PP9&dq=Desoer+F+J+petite+encyclopedie&source=bl&ots=TtY4Cairsf&sig=jot8JVcOfvU0MUXTh36wi9x7MtU&hl=pt-BR&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiXy5_nruPLAhXM1hoKHZ46CgoQ6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=Desoer%20F%20J%20petite%20encyclopedie&f=falseFreyre, G. 1974 (1952). Maitres et esclaves. Paris,Gallimard.Gomes, L. 2007. 1808. Sao Paulo, Ed. Planeta.Koster, H., 2008. Refeicoes no Nordeste. In Cascudo, L. C.Antologia da Alimentacao no Brasil (pp 199 to 202). Sao Paulo, Global Editora.Laurioux, B. 2002. Manger au Moyen Age.Pratiques et discours alimentaires en Europe aux XIVe et XVe siecles. Paris, Hachette.Luccock, J., 2008. As refeicoes no Rio de Janeiro no principiodo seculo XIX. In Cascudo, L. C. Antologia da Alimentacao no Brasil (pp 194to 198). Sao Paulo, Global Editora.Marcgrave, J. 2008. Cardapio do indigena nordestino. InCascudo, L. C. Antologia da Alimentacao no Brasil (pp 284 to 287). Sao Paulo,Global Editora.Rodrigues, D. 1808. A arte da cozinha. Rio de Janeiro, Typ.J. J. Barroso.Saint-Hilaire, A., 2008. O passadio em Minas Gerais. In Cascudo,L. C. Antologia da Alimentacao no Brasil (pp 203 to 205). Sao Paulo, Global Editora.Von Martius, C. F. F., 2008. Dieta carioca em 1817. In Cascudo, L. C. Antologia da Alimentacao no Brasil(pp 288 to 289) . Sao Paulo, Global Editora.http://museuscastromaya.com.br/colecoes/brasiliana/last visited April 01, 2016[1] The