The Roots of Brazilian Flavor:  Immigration, Cassava, and Pão de Queijo

Brazilian cuisine is one of the most diverse culinary traditions in the world, shaped by centuries of cultural exchange. Indigenous foodways formed the foundation, while waves of immigration added new ingredients, techniques, and flavors that became part of everyday Brazilian life.

Italian immigrants helped shape the food culture of São Paulo, now often considered one of the largest Italian cities outside of Italy. Japanese immigration beginning in 1908 created the largest Japanese diaspora in the world, making dishes like sushi deeply embedded in Brazilian dining culture. Middle Eastern immigrants, particularly from Lebanon and Syria, introduced foods such as kibbeh, esfihas, and tabbouleh that remain beloved across the country and even inspired one of Brazil’s largest fast food chains, Habib’s.

At the heart of Brazilian cuisine is cassava, a native South American root cultivated by Indigenous peoples long before European arrival. Indigenous communities developed sophisticated methods to safely process cassava and extract its starch, producing foods such as farinha, tapioca, and polvilho. This starch became the foundation for one of Brazil’s most iconic foods: pão de queijo.
This presentation explores how Brazil’s unique blend of Indigenous ingredients, global culinary influences, and agricultural abundance shaped the country’s food culture, and how cassava helped give rise to pão de queijo. It also examines how these traditions continue to evolve today through modern interpretations like Nina’s Noms, bringing this beloved Brazilian staple to new audiences.

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Chicago-based Angelina Froes is the founder of Nina’s Noms, a frozen gluten-free Brazilian cheese bread brand inspired by the traditional pão de queijo of the state of Minas Gerais. As a Brazilian native, Angelina brings her culinary heritage to the American market while leveraging her expertise in food manufacturing. NINA’S NOMS

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Wednesday, March 18, 2026
7 PM Central Time via Zoom
If you have any questions or wish for a link, please e-mail: [Culinary.Historians@gmail.com](mailto:Culinary.Historians@gmail.com)
[http://www.CulinaryHistorians.org](http://www.culinaryhistorians.org/)