Salgadinhos: Salty Snacks Of Braz

Brazil is known for its vibrant people, lively parties, rhythmic music and range of exotic beverages. It makes sense that there must be food to compliment the experience. Salgadinhos, or little salty snacks as my mother explained, are the perfect companion to beverages such as caipirinhas and they make a great addition to the social atmosphere. These little fried bites often come in some form of pastry dough, such as meat or cheese empanadas, while others are lightly breaded to achieve a crisp outer layer. When in Rio, I tried such snacks as bacalao- little fried codfish and potato balls, drizzled with olive oil and topped with a drop or two of hot sauce. Then there was pao de queijo, light little balls of cheesy bread that melt in your mouth when you take a bite. I later tried a snack called Kibe, a crumbly mixture of ground beef and grains that didn’t do much for me. Above all Salgadinhos, one little snack caught my eye and won my heart over every single other food in Brazil, the coxinha!

Colchinhas are a wondrous, delicious little tear drop shaped piece of heaven. Essentially, it is pulled chicken surrounded by a layer of creamy mashed potatoes, rolled in bread crumbs and fried to achieve a salty, crunchy outer crust. Even though I wanted to sample other dishes while on my travels, I could not help but to stop and buy a colchinha every time I saw one. Sometimes they would come freshly made, steaming and piping hot, while other times they were room temperature from a little street stand, but nonetheless still delicious.

My favorite part about traveling is the opportunity to learn about new flavors, spices and cooking techniques from different cultures. This snack, and the concept of serving small sharable appetizers with drinks, will most certainly make it into my repitoire of experiences to re create for friends once I have returned to America.