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| Meat department of a supermarket. |
At the Supermarket
General Info
Large Brazilian cities have great supermarkets. Porto Alegre has some of the best I've seen anywhere in the world. Supermarkets in Leblon, Ipanema and other Rio neighborhoods tend to be very crowded, due to lack of space. Once you go to the suburbs, they increase in size dramatically.
Cashiers do not weigh produce, you'll have to do that when you bag them (there's usually someone there to do it for you). For that and other reasons (shopping seems to be a family pasttime in Brazil, so you may have a mother with four kids in front of you at the check-out line) it'll take more time to shop in Brazil than it does in the US. In spite of that, one of the things I enjoy the most when going to Brazil is food shopping. Going to the supermarket and checking out the different departments for Brazilian fruit drinks and pastes, soft and creamy cheeses like Queijo de Minas, Requeijπo and Catupiry, and marvelous Brazilian sausages and salt meats. Don't be afraid to try them.
Don't forget that Brazilians use the metric system. When buying sliced ham, for instance, one hundred grams is about a quarter of a pound.
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| Meat department of a supermarket. |
Meats
Although you may recognize meat cuts like pork chops and such, beef cuts are very different and.prepackaged meats are not as prevalent. You'll notice that most meats are considerable leaner than in the US. Normally, good supermarkets will have a butcher who will cut and weigh the meats for you. Filet mignon is available, of course, if you can't think of anything else...
Also, as if you weren't confused enough, names of cuts will vary from Rio and Sπo Paulo to the south of Brazil. In Rio and Sπo Paulo, ask for "contra-filΘ" for steaks, "maminha" for roasts, "picanha" for barbecues and "alcatra" for hamburguer. Buy your cut of meat and then ask for it to be minced (the expression is "passar na mßquina"; ask them to do it twice). "Bisteca" is also a nice steak. Get a Brazilian cookbook in English that explains the different cuts.
Brazlian supermarkets also sell a variety of salt meats used in feijoada and other traditional dishes and imported salt cod, which is used in dishes of Portuguese origin, like the fabulous "bolinhos de bacalhau."
Salt cod in all sizes... Sausages are also completely different from what we eat in the US. Honestly, much better. You can try grilling them or use them in a feijoada (be daring and try the recipe).
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| Cured meats and fresh sausages for feijoada. |
Chickens in Brazil taste delicious; it has to do with the way they are fed and the fact that they are not so fat. Try a "galeto" or very young chicken which you can buy already roasted. A lot of places called "'padarias" (bakeries) also sell spit-roast chickens. Both are very tasty and juicy, and - especially in the summer - you don't have to sweat in the kitchen to have a good meal. Just whip up a salad!
Milk and Other Dairy Products
Brazilians have a type of milk called Longa Vida (Long Life), which is sold in boxes and doesn't require refrigeration until it's opened. The best one I tasted actually came from the milk cooperative of Uruguay. In case you don't know, a few of the South American countries are members of Mercosul, a common goods market. See more under International Products.
The other strange way to sell milk is in liter-size plastic bags...I bet you never thought of that!
Cheese department...yummy! All kinds of salamis, etc.to buy whole or sliced There are some marvelous yogurt and yogurt and fruit drinks in bottles in Brazil. My favorite is yogurt with orange juice, honey and carrots.
I love the Brazilian cheeses I mentioned in the intro. They're nothing like what we're used to here. My American husband still pines for requeijπo...fortunately we found a Brazilian store in Miami which carries that. .
Try combining a slice of Minas cheese with a slice of guava (goiabada) or quince (marmelada) paste for a no-sweat, instant dessert Brazilians call "Romeu e Julieta." Salamis and other cold cuts are sold with the cheeses and the variety is amazing (thanks to all those Italian and German immigrants!)..
Fruits and Vegetables
Thoroughly talked about in "At the Feira" and Sherbets and Fruit Juices (with great photos to boot). If you're in Rio or Sπo Paulo I would strongly recommend shopping at their superb street markets. Sπo Paulo and Porto Alegre also have fabulous produce markets under one giant roof (Campinas also have a "Mercado Municipal," which is located downtown and is open on Sunday mornings.)
Fruit Juices
Fruit juices at the supermarket are sold either in glass bottles or in boxes that do not require refrigeration until opened. You'll need to dilute juices like cashew or passion fruit and add sugar to them because they're extremely tart.
Don't pass up the opportunity to try the Brazilian soft drink called Guaranß made from Amazonian berries. It's loaded with caffeine and superior in taste to Coke or anything else in the US. In fact, Coca-Cola bottles their own and call it Taφ. I suspect the reason they don't do it here is because they're afraid of the competition...if people found out it tastes better than Coke...
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| Fruit juices in a supermarket..wow! | Pitanga and cashew juices. Pretty boxes! |
Breads and Pasta
Your supermarket will have a good selection of breads and pastas, which Brazilians eat a lot of. The best breads will probably come from your corner bakery ("padaria" in Portuguese), which also sells soft drinks, cheeses, cold cuts and a small selection of foodstuff.
Cleaning Products
There are a lot of detergents and dish liquids in Brazil, but they're not as good as the American brands (even though they ARE American brands (don't ask why). Brazlians still use a lot of laundry soap bars, because they're cheaper and do an excellent job (not everyone has a washing-machine, ladies). I'm very partial to "sabπo de coco" (coconut soap) which is simply the best to wash your delicate stuff.
Pet Foods
If you're taking your pooch or kitty to Brazil, tell them to say good-bye to the dozens of varieties of foods and treats and to learn to love leftovers and home-cooking. Pet foods are few and extremely expensive in Brazil. Most people buy bones and cheap cuts of meat and cook meals for their pets at home. Hard to believe? It's not only people that are spoiled rotten in the US, guys!
International Products
All the best supermarkets now have a considerable amount of goods from the US, Argentina, Uruguay and other countries. So, yes, you will be able to buy American potato chips and cereals and so on. For a hefty price, of course.
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| Loading the trunk with goodies. |
