Comida Mineira: A 'Cultural Patrimony' of Brazil

摘要

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 ofits 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 presentarticle 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" ofcomida minera, and the state government's effort to promote it.