BATEMAN, MICHAEL — Street Cafe Brazil

UK, Conran Octopus. 1999. Hardcover with dust jacket, 22.5cm. Book, Bateman is an English newspaperman, not a brasileiro, but he has conducted a good survey of the kinds of food most often sold on the streets of Brazil. Brazilian food is the product of the fusion of many influences: indigenous Tupí-Guaraní and Tapuia Indian foods, the foods of African slaves (especially Bantu and Yoruban), the foods of Portuguese colonizers as well as the foods of Brazil's Spanish-speaking neighbours. In a country which occupies roughly 45% of the land mass of South America, there are many significant regional differences in cuisine. Brazilians enjoy a dramatically varied cuisine. An introduction to Brazilian cooking is followed by a comprehensive section on typical ingredients with practical advice on special equipment and cooking techniques. The recipes are straightforward and easy to follow. Excellent/Excellent.