Brazilian cooking history and cultural background explains the main styles and aliments found in today’s Brazilian cuisine. One of the first aliments that were consumed in this country is the corn or the corn porridge, which was developed by the Native Indians, who also brought the cassava meals, sweet potatoes dishes and fish cooking styles. In older times, all meat dishes were smoked and dried before eating. When Portuguese colonized Brazil in the 16th century, coffee, pastries and dried fruit began to be a part of the Brazilian diet.