Alpine and Brazilian Swiss food patterns after a century of isolation

Food patterns of ethnic Swiss living in two ecologically distinct localities, Canton Obwalden, Switzerland, and Colonia Helvetia, Brazil, are compared. Both populations share a common bond of ancestry but express different food histories after Obwalden Swiss immigrated to Brazil in the 1850's. Obwalden Swiss food patterns characteristic of the mid‐19th century were identified using archive and library resources; contemporary food patterns at both localities were identified by interview, observation and photography. At the time of survey Brazilian‐Swiss foods had not been adopted by Obwalden Swiss. Brazilian‐Portuguese foods and terminology had replaced many Swiss‐German items and names at Colonia Helvetia. Terminology for “Swiss ethnic foods” at both localities was highly variable. Some specialty foods had been maintained at both localities (German name kept: identical ingredients). Other foods exhibited three levels of cultural change (German name maintained: ingredients substituted; Portuguese name adopted: ingredients maintained; or Portuguese name adopted: ingredients substituted). Some foods, ethnic markers of 19th century Swiss culinary practices, had disappeared.

Key words:

• Brazil
• culture change
• ethnic food
• food habits change
• food history
• nutritional anthropology
• nutritional geography
• Switzerland