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A
Abacate Avocado
Abacaxí Pineapple
Abóbora Pumpkin
Açaí Jungle berry, typically served "na tigela" ("in the bowl") as a breakfast smoothie topped with granola and fruit
Acarajé Black bean fritters, sliced open and filled with seafood and chilli garnishes
Acebolado/a With onions
Acerola Jungle cherry
Açucar Sugar
Água (com/sem gás) (Sparkling/still) water
Aipim Manioc, cassava
Alcaparras Capers
Alface Lettuce
Alho Garlic
Alho e óleo Typical preparation of garlic and oil, for pasta or prawns
Aliche Anchovy
Almôndegas Meatballs
Ameixa Plum
Arroz Rice
Arroz à grega Rice with vegetables
Assado/a Roasted, barbecued
Atum Tuna
Azeite Oil
Azeitonas Olives
B
Bacalhau Cod, saltcod
Badejo White fish
Batata Potato
Batata frita Chips (fries)
Batata natural Boiled potatoes
Baurú Sandwich of cheese, ham, lettuce and tomato
Beijinho Bite-sized sweet coconut ball
Beirut Pitta bread sandwich
Beringela Aubergine
Bife Steak
Bobó Seafood dish with a tomato and coconut sauce thickened with cassava (manioc)
Bolinho de bacalhau Saltcod fish cakes
Bolo Cake
(Na) brasa (cooked on the) grill
Brigadeiro Bite-sized condensed milk and chocolate ball
Brochete Skewer, kebab
C
Cabro / cabrito Goat / kid
Cachaça Strong cane spirit
Café Coffee
Café com leite Coffee with milk
Cafezinho Small, sweet black coffee
Café da manha Breakfast
Caipifruta Cocktail of cane spirit, fruit juice of your choice and sugar
Caipirinha Cocktail of cane spirit, lime juice and sugar
Caipiríssima Cocktail of rum, lime juice and sugar
Caipiroska Cocktail of vodka, lime juice and sugar
Cajú Cashew (often refers to the fruit rather than the nut)
Camarão Prawn
Canja de galinha Chicken stew
Caranguejo Crab
Carneiro Lamb
(Com/sem) cáscara (With/without) shell (eg prawns)
Castanha do Pará Brazil nut
Catupiry Brazilian creamy cheese
A cavalo With a fried egg on top
Cebola Onion
Cenoura Carrot
Cereja Cherry
Cerveja Beer
Chá Tea
Champignon Mushroom
Chantilly Cream
Chopp Draught beer
Churrasco Charcoal-grilled meat
Coco (gelado) (Chilled green) coconut
Coelho Rabbit
Cogumelo Mushroom
Comida a/por kilo "Weigh and pay" – buffet-style restaurant system in which you choose your food, have it weighed and pay according to its weight
Contrafilé Sirloin
Coração Heart
Costela Rib
Costeleta Cutlet, chop
Couve Cabbage
Coxinha Fried snack of shredded chicken and seasoning formed into a rounded cone (also: chicken drumstick)
Cupuaçu Sweet jungle fruit
D
Dendê Palm oil
Dobrada Tripe
Doce Sweet (as adjective or to mean pudding)
Doce de leite Caramelised condensed milk
E
Empada / empadinha Pasty-like snack
Empadão Savoury pie
Espinafre Spinach
Espeto / espetinho Kebab, skewer
F
Farofa Manioc flour – a traditional accompaniment used to thicken the consistency of sauces and stews
Feijão Black beans (usually not vegetarian)
Feijoada Stew of black beans and meat – the traditional family meal, eaten on Saturdays
Fígado Liver
Filé Fillet of beef
Frango Chicken
Frio Cold
G
Galinha Chicken
Geleia Jam
Goiaba Guava
Goiabada Guava jam
Grelhado/a Grilled
Guaraná Sweet fizzy drink made from jungle berries
Guarnições Side dishes, garnishes
H
(Chá de) hortelã Mint (tea)
I
Isca Strip
L
Lagosta Lobster
Laranja Orange
Lasanha / lazanha Lasagne
Legumes Vegetables
(Molho de) lentejana Sauce of wine, bacon, onion, mushrooms and potatoes
Leite Milk
Limão Lime
Lingua Tongue
Linguado Sole
Linguiza Sausage
Lombo Pork loin
Lula Squid
M
Maçã Apple
Macarrão Pasta
Macaxeira Cassava, manioc – north-eastern Brazil
Mamão Papaya
Mandioca Manioc (usually refers to manioc flour)
Manteiga Butter
Maracujá Passionfruit
Massa Pasta, noodles
Maté Herb infusion, similar to a tea
Medalhão Steak medallions, typically filet mignon
Melao Melon
À milanesa Deep-fried in batter or breadcrumbs
Milho Maize
Mocotó Beef and bean stew
Molho Sauce
Moqueca Seafood dish in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, pepper and coconut milk
Morango Strawberry
Mixto quente Toasted sandwich (usually ham and cheese)
N
Na telha Served on a ceramic dish or tile
Nozes Walnuts
O
Óleo Oil
Ovo Egg
Ovo estrelado Fried egg
Ovo mexido Scrambled egg
Ostra Oyster
P
Pão Bread
Pão de queijo Balls of cheese bread
Palmito Palm hearts
Passas Raisins
Pastel Pasty, snack
Peixe Fish
Perú Turkey
Pêssego Peach
Picadinho Mince, small beef pieces
Picanha Steak
Picolé Ice lolly
Pimenta Pepper (seasoning)
Pimentão Pepper (capsicum)
Pirão Paste of flour and fish stock
Polvo Octopus
Porco Pork
Presunto Ham
Pudim Milk pudding
Purée Mashed potato
Q
Queijo Cheese
Queijo coalho Grilled cheese skewers (similar to halloumi)
Quente Hot
Quiabo Okra
Quibe Middle-Eastern-style croquette
Quindim Egg and coconut custard dessert
R
Refrigerante Soft drink
Requeijão Cream cheese
Rodizio Served all-you-can-eat buffet in which waiters bring food (usually cuts of meat) to your table
Rodovalho Turbot
Romeu e Julieta Cheese and guava jam filling
S
Salada Salad
Sal Salt
Salgado / salgadinho Bar snack, finger food
Salpicão Pickled pork sausage
Salsa Parsley
Salsicha Sausage
Sardinha Sardine
Siri Crab
Sobremesa Dessert
Sorvete Ice cream
Suco Juice – you can usually choose whether to have milk ("com leite") or water ("com água") added
Suco natural Pure fruit juice – no added water or milk
T
Talharim Linguini
Tapioca Filled pancake made of manioc flour
Torrado/a Toasted, roasted
V
Vatapá Paste of coconut, palm oil, peanut and shrimp, a filling for acarajé – north-eastern Brazil
Vinho (branco / tinto) (White / red) wine
Vitamina Fruit juice drink
Vitela Veal
X
X-burger Cheeseburger ('X' in Portuguese is pronounced 'shees' and often used as an abbreviation of 'cheese')
Xuxu Marrow

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    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

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    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

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    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

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    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

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    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

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