and wood. The recipes are specifically designed for each Orixa. Its preparation is a ritual, and the offering to the Orixás is accompanied by prayers and songs (44,45). Throughout the ritual, food is distributed to all those present at the ceremony. Iyabassê is the name given to the person responsible for making the delicacies, and this person is required to know exactly how to prepare each of these foods, in order for them to be accepted by their Orixá. Each Orixá has its own restrictions or preferences of foods, such as palm oil, honey, salt, shrimp, etc. Today, these foods are considered a cultural tourist attraction. They are popularly acknowledged as being a food offering or a sacred food but can also be found in restaurants throughout Brazil. Acarajé (acará plus ajeum), for example, which in the Yoruba African language means “to eat fire,” was first used in the early colonial period but today is considered both a sacred food and a typical food (17,44,46). In the eyes of those who practice animism, it is a sacred food that should only be prepared by them according to the original recipe (44).


Another aspect of these religions is the partial and temporary fasting and restrictions of some foods


such as meats, grains, and alcohol, depending on each Orixá (37). Likewise, some Christians adhere to the restrictions of certain foods at specific times such as Easter, Christmas, and other significant religious dates (44). As the country is predominantly Catholic, on Good Friday (Easter Friday), people do not eat red meat (a comida e o sagrado) but instead eat fish, especially cod, cooked with coconut milk or palm oil. This traditional habit of eating fish on Good Friday has been absorbed by the population in such a way that every Friday is now seen as the day dedicated to seafood. This occurs in households, fairs, markets, and even restaurants, which offer fish and seafood specials on Fridays (17).


Christmas dinner in Brazil has been influenced by Portuguese traditions, and it is common to consume


turkey, chicken, or pork roasts, and sometimes cod. Other foods related to Christmas are nuts, panettone (sweet bread), dried or cooked fruits, and rabanadas, otherwise known as golden slices, a dish similar to French toast (17,47). Another popular Catholic celebration, held on September 27, is the Caruru de Cosme, which honors the twin saints Saint Cosme and Saint Damiao, who are very popular in Brazil. These two saints are considered the protectors of pregnant women and children. On this day, the main dish is the caruru, a dish made of okra, dried shrimp, and palm oil that is served first to children and then to adults (48). Pepper may enhance the dish or be served on the side as a spicy sauce known as molho nagô. Molho nagô is composed of several types of peppers, palm oil, onion, salt, and other spices (17). Candy is also handed out to children on the streets (49).


São João, a harvest style festival, is typically held between June 12 (the night before Santo Antônio)


and June 29 (São Pedro’s day), with its highlight being the night of the 23rd (the night before São João Batista). These holidays were brought by the Jesuits to Brazil during Portuguese colonization. Roasts, cocadas (coconut sweet), and paçocas de amendoim (peanut-cassava dessert) are served, but canjica is the characteristic dish for this specific holiday. It is believed that canjica arrived in Brazil with the slaves. Canjica is made of milk, sugar, and corn. The typical beverage is the quentão, a drink made from alcohol, sugar, water, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The distilled spirit of sugar cane is used to make a quentao in the North, while in the South it is made with wine. Also very popular at these celebrations is the pamonha, an indigenous food made from grated corn, milk, sugar, and salt (the recipe varies regionally) (17,23).


The US Census Bureau estimates 6% of immigrants hail from South America (50). Statistics on Brazilians living in the United States vary; one study estimated that there are approximately 500,000 to 600,000


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