- Pamonha
Pamonha (pron IPA2|paˈmoɲɐ) is a traditional Brazilian food. It is a paste made from corn and milk, boiled wrapped in corn husk. Variations may include other ingredients, such as coconut milk. Pamonhas can be salty or sweet, the latter being the norm in northeastern Brazil.
Roadside restaurants specializing in pamonha and other corn dishes are common in southeastern Brazil.
The name pamonha comes from
Tupi language "pa'muña" meaning "sticky".In Popular Culture
It is associated with
Festa Junina winter celebrations.The use of sewed corn husks as a contained is said to have started in the 1960s, in the city of
Piracicaba in the state of São Paulo. Starting from a small cottage business, Ms.Vasti Rodigues opened the first pamonha factory in Piracicaba. She was followed by her sister Noemi, who by the 1970s was producing over 5000 pamonhas per day, besides other maize products such ascurau and corn cakes. Their success was due in good part toDirceu Bigelli , an entrepeneur who set up a fleet ofvan s to peddle the Piracicaba pamonhas all over the state. The vans would driving slowly through city streets, playing the same taped recording, over and over:"Pamonhas, pamonhas"
"Pamonhas de Piracicaba"
"Venha provar, é uma delícia!"
"É o puro creme do milho verde!"
"Pamonhas, pamonhas, pamonhas!"Pamonhas, pamonhas
Pamonhas from Piracicaba
Come taste it, it's delicious!
Pure green corn cream!
Pamonhas, pamonhas, pamonhas!Later a longer version of the recording was also used:
"Pamonhas, pamonhas, pamonhas"
"São as deliciosas pamonhas de Piracicaba"
"Pamonhas fresquinhas, pamonhas caseiras"
"Feitas com o puro creme do milho verde!"
"Temos curau, pamonhas e bolo de milho"
"Venha provar minha senhora, é uma delícia!"
"Pamonhas, pamonhas, pamonhas!"Pamonhas, pamonhas, pamonhas
It's the delicious pamonha of Piracicaba
Really fresh home-made pamonhas
Made with pure sweetcorn cream!
We have curau, pamonhas and corn cake
Come and try them, ma'am, they're delicious.
Pamonhas, pamonhas, pamonhas!Noemi's factory closed during the 1980s, due to familiar problems and a general economic recession. Vasti Rodrigues, and (after her death) her sons and grandsons have continued producing pamonhas in a smaller scale, into the 2000s. The pamonha peddlers have now largely disappeared from the city of São Paulo, and are growing scarce elsewhere; but the "Pamonhas from Piracicaba" chant has become part of the local culture.
Other Meanings
A cowardly person may also be called a pamonha.
See also
*
List of Brazilian dishes
*Tamales
* Bollos (Panama)References
* Definition of Pamonha in the Portuguese Wiktionary
*Festa_Junina
* Pamonha in the Portuguese Wikipedia
* [http://www.revelacaoonline.uniube.br/cultura03/pamonha.html O sabor junino]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
