Comida Mineira: A “Cultural Patrimony” of Brazil

Abstract

In 2016, the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil passed a law declaring gastronomia mineira – the state’s cuisine – a “cultural patrimony” worthy of promotion and protection. The state’s goals of promoting tourism and development by touting the heritage of its cuisine is common in an age of culinary tourism. More unusual, was the attempt to safeguard a regional cultural identity not only from foreign influences and the whims of food industry marketing but also from Brazilian national identity. This present article examines the historical development of the promotion of comida mineira. It considers food in the context of Brazilian regionalism and nationalism, the way contemporary chefs and culinary historians have sought to define a “historical essence” of comida minera, and the state government’s effort to promote it.