1. 'Moqueca Capixaba', from Espírito Santo.
Bless Espírito Santo for this one. This version of Brazilian fish stew is lighter than the version from Bahia (also delicious) because it's not made with palm oil or coconut milk.
2. Fruit ice cream from Pará.
The duo that can't be missed is the "taste of Pará", a mixture of açaí cream and tapioca. Look out for the ones that include chestnuts and taperebá for the most traditional and tasty version of this dish. If you find yourself in Belém, keep an eye out for Cairu ice-cream parlors for the full experience.
3. Cake rolls from Recife.
May Pernambuco be eternally celebrated for this delightful contribution to the culinary world! A triumph of sugar and butter filled with guava paste. It's preparation requires a lot of work and skill, but if you want to give it a go, here's a recipe.
4. 'Goiano' pie from Goiás.
This oven-baked delicacy is filled with chicken, pork and a kind of palm heart called 'guariroba'. It's often seasoned with souari nut, which has a truly traditional flavor. If you can get the ingredients, it's not difficult to make at home. See the recipe here.
5. 'Carne de sol', traditional in the north-east.
'Carne de sol' is a roasted meat dish. But before it ever sees heat, it's salted and cured for anywhere between two days and a week. It can be served as a main dish with side dishes, or used as filling for deep-fried pastries and other delights.
6. 'Sururu' broth from Maceió.
An appetizer that goes great with a beer and your toes buried in warm sand. The sururu is a type of clam, cooked with coconut milk, palm oil and a ton of spices.
7. 'Barreado' from Paraná.
'Barreado' gets its name from the clay pot that it's prepared in. After throwing in a variety of meats, the pot is covered and sealed with a mixture of cassava flour and water, and left to cook for around 12 hours. Afterwards, it's served with cassava flour and banana.
8. 'Soba' from Mato Grosso do Sul.
The dish isn't native to Brazil, but they've made it their own. It was brought over by Japanese immigrants, and was so popular that it quiclky became a regional tradition. It was originally made with just pork and omelet slices and soba noodles, but these days it may contain chicken, beef, or may even be vegetarian.
9. Canastra cheese, originally from Minas Gerais.
It's no exaggeration to say that this cheese is a point of national pride, because it's certified by the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage in Brazil. Until 2013, it wasn't even allowed to be sold outside of the state of Minas Gerais, as it was completely handmade with unpasteurized milk. Ideally, this delicacy is enjoyed there in it's native land, at São Roque, in Minas Gerais.
10. 'Espeto de rojão' from the countryside of São Paulo state.
This skewer is a tradition in the city of Ribeirão Grande in the countryside of São Paulo, where it's sold mainly at fairs and street parties. It's made with minced pork, and the secret is in the wood of the skewer, which must be eucalyptus.
11. 'Leão Veloso' soup from Rio de Janeiro.
This soup was invented in Rio in the 1920s, when Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil, in order to honor the then Brazilian ambassador to France. It is a fish soup with shrimp and mussels, a feast for those who love seafood. Here's a recipe, if you want to try it before you get to Brazil.
12. Guava 'Cuca' from Rio Grande do Sul.
The name "cuca" comes from the word "kuchen", which means "cake" in German. This little kuchen is a tradition of the state, which is a destination for German and Italian tourists. In addition to the standard guava paste filling, it can be filled with other types of jams, or simply be served as is.
13. Chicken 'Ximxim' from Bahia.
A chicken and shrimp stew that, in addition to the traditional palm oil, contains finely ground peanuts and chestnuts. It's delicious, and not as well-known as 'Vatapá' or 'Bobó'.
14. 'Jambu' cachaça from the north.
This magical sour-tasting mixture (Jambu is an herb which is also called the "watercress of the north") that will numb your mouth with the first sip. It's found in Pará, Amazonas and occasionally, if you look hard enough, in liquor stores in other parts of Brazil. It's definitely worth trying at least once.
