Juan David Latorre
The Embassy of Brazil yesterday presented the book The cuisine of the Pantanal, by Brazilian chef Paulo Machado, with a subsequent tasting of the exquisite gastronomy of the area, an event that was attended by Ambassador Orlando Leite Ribeiro. Mônica Guimarães, co-founder and coordinator of the Documenta Pantanal, editor of the book, also attended the presentation.
The Pantanal is a alluvial plain or wetland, located in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, in Brazil, although some parts correspond to Mato Grosso, Santa Cruz, Bolivia and Paraguay. It is 340,500 km2 and is considered the most biodiverse ecosystem in the world.
The Brazilian ambassador introduced the chef Paulo Machado, who thanked him for his presence at the event and the quality of his art in service to the gastronomy of his country.
For his part, the author of the book La cocina del Pantanal claimed the term “art” to refer to gastronomy. Referring specifically to the culture of “pantanera” cuisine, Paulo Machado indicated that “it is on the border with Paraguay and Bolivia , but at the same time it is a kitchen without borders, because it receives influences from Lebanon, Syria or Japan”.
“Pantanal needs to be looked at in all ways, the chef concluded, not only because of its fragility, but also because of its very feminine cuisine.”
