The Pantaneiros and Cuisine

Voltar

Pantaneiros are all the people born in the Pantanal area, including the "Campeiros", as the cowboys are locally known, and their families. They descend of the first Portuguese explorers, indigenous people and Paraguayans. Since cattle raising is the most important economical activity of this region for over 200 years, the local culture of these people is influenced by the cattle work.

A typical Campeiro day starts with an earlymorning, eating "Quebra-torto", a high energy breakfast, consisting on rice cooked with dried beef and coffee. Working the cattle is a challenging and unpredictable task, and most of the time the Pantaneiro leaves his home not knowing when he is going to return. Before settling the horses for the upcoming journey they drink "Terere", a type of ice tea made with the leaves of Yerba Mate, a conspicuous tree, common in the western Brazil, border with Bolivia, Paraguai and Argentina. This is almost a ritual, where all the cowboys get together, and while enjoying this beverage the work of the day is discussed.

The Pantaneiros are simple people, who valorize every beauty of the land they live and work. Among things that make them satisfied and happy are a plentiful and tasteful barbecue, with the sound of an accordion and guitar, and a pretty lady to dance. What to say about the Lasso competition, the main motivation for their practice and hability with the cattle work. And a nice and cold Terere at the end of the day. These details make the Pantaneiro cohexist in perfect harmony with the region, based on dedication to the labor and respect to the nature.

 

Cuisine

In the main cuisine menus of the Pantanal, the typical barbecue outstands. It consists of big pieces of beef, in several and different cuts, served in long wooden sticks (skewers) by the campeiros, who use their machetes to slice the meet in your plate.

Fresh water fish are also a great dish, specially for the communities who live around rivers and big lakes. The flavors are always strong and spicy. Some fish that are part of the Pantanal's cuisine culture are the pintado, (spotted catfish), cachara [striped catfish], pacu, a fruit-eating fish and piraputanga, whether they are roasted, cooked or fried.

 

But there are also other typical dishes such as the arroz carreteiro, for example, which is made of rice and sun dried beef, accompanied by farofa (yucca or manioc flour toasted in butter or oil with banana), besides, of course, the famous chicken-stew prepared in an iron pan.

 

 

Click here for read a little "PANTANEIRO" vocabulary.

Do the download the Adobe Reader for read a little vocabulary. Download now.