The great marshland of the Pantanal is home to a vast array of flora and fauna that has attracted visitors from around the world. It is also a land of cattle ranches and the population that has grown up around them. Over the centuries, people from many countries in South America, Africa, and Europe have migrated to the Pantanal for work. All these elements have combined to create a rich local cuisine. From South Wild’s kitchens in its Pantanal lodges, intriguing regional dishes are served almost every day, alongside a wide choice of other foods. Just as your South Wild tour will add countless birds and animals to your life list, it is sure to expand your palette.
Pantanal’s Amazing Cuisine
Since the Pantanal is the world’s greatest wetland, let’s start with some fish dishes. There are many species of freshwater fish in the rivers and lakes near our lodges. During the dry season when you will visit, the fish gather ever more densely in the receding waters. Fishing gets easier for the birds, the animals, and the men on the banks. As their abundant catch arrives in the kitchens at the Pantanal lodges, there are some delicious specialties you can look forward to sampling.
You may have had childhood nightmares of being eaten by a piranha. Now, as a South Wild guest, you can do the eating! In fact, you can eat a lot of these small fish, whose deadly reputation is a myth. They are the main ingredient in a delicious spicy piranha soup. They also make a fine broth. Dani Sousa, our talented cook at the Pantanal Lodge, also makes a local favorite, Moqueca de Peixe, a stew of white fish, tomatoes, lime, garlic, and coconut milk. When the fishermen bring pacu, she serves their meaty ribs deep-fried. Breaded catfish filets are another delicious entrée.
Don’t forget that, while it is home to fabulous wildlife, the Pantanal is also a land of cattle ranches. Dani and Estella, our cook at the Jaguar Suites and Flotel, serve beef in many dishes. The classic is Picanha, barbequed rump cap of beef. They also make traditional beef stews with local vegetables, rice or beans. Pork also features in some Pantanal dishes. You’re likely to find Feijoada on the menu – a delicious black bean stew made with pork and sausage.
A variety of regional side dishes appear on the dinner table. We always offer rice and beans, local staples that we provide at lunch and dinner for our vegan and vegetarian guests. We find that our omnivorous guests enjoy them, too! Cassava, or manioc, a starchy root vegetable native to South America, is prepared in many ways. It can be pureed with broth and served as a porridge-like side dish called Pirão. It also makes delicious fries that our guests love. Toasted in oil with spices, cassava flour becomes a crumbly garnish to sprinkle on any dish for extra crunch and flavor. Cassava balls filled with cheese and deep-fried, can be served with any meal, including breakfast.
Our South Wild cooks are wonderful bakers who prepare many traditional cakes. They also make flan, the Spanish version of crême caramel. The delicious fruits abundant in the Pantanal – guava, mango, coconut, papaya, and passionfruit – are the stars of many desserts. An unusual fruit that is native to Brazil is jaboticaba, which grows directly from the trunk of the Brazilian grapefruit tree. Not a grape at all, though it looks like one, it’s a tasty powerhouse of antioxidants. Papaya, cloves, and cinnamon are the ingredients for a local dish called fourrundo. Pavê is another popular dessert, a sort of Brazilian tiramisu of sweet biscuits layered with condensed milk. Finally, a creamy dish made with eggs, sugar, and cinnamon is known by the Portuguese name Espera Marida or “waiting for the husband.”
On every table in our Pantanal dining rooms, guests find pitchers of juice from different local fruits as well as pitchers of ice-cold water. For something stronger, guests can try the popular Brazilian beers, Brahma and Skol. If the excitement of seeing an ocelot or a jaguar calls for a celebratory cocktail, the perfect choice is the Caipirinha, made with lemon juice, sugar, and cachaca, the favorite Brazilian liquor distilled from fermented sugarcane juice, served over ice.
Visit The Pantanal
The great Pantanal is a feast for the traveler in every way. A banquet of nature awaits the birdwatcher, the animal lover, the photographer. And, thanks to the skill of South Wild’s cooks, it is a wonderful experience for the adventurous diner. Come and taste everything the Pantanal has to offer! You will make unforgettable memories. South Wild has the recipe for the perfect nature tour. Please join us. Bon voyage and bon appetit!
