Image: joao batista Shimoto · CC BY-SA 3.0
Comer Bem
- Year
- 1940
- Era
- 20th century
- Origin
- Brazil · Americas
- Language
- Portuguese
- Category
- Latin America
Comer Bem, compiled under the persona of Dona Benta, stands as one of the most enduring household cookery manuals of twentieth-century Brazil. First issued in 1940, it gathered an encyclopaedic range of Portuguese-language recipes spanning everyday Brazilian fare, European traditions and regional specialities, alongside practical guidance on the domestic kitchen. Successive revised editions secured its place as a foundational reference in Brazilian middle-class homes.
Cooking from this book
Bolo de Fubá
Signature dishA humble cornmeal cake with a tender crumb and gently crisp crust, Bolo de Fubá is one of the most beloved everyday bakes in Brazilian home kitchens. Its presence in Comer Bem speaks to the book's role as a trusted domestic companion across generations, gathering the simple, rural-rooted preparations that define caseira cookery. Served with coffee in the afternoon, it captures the unfussy warmth that made Dona Benta's compendium a fixture in Brazilian households.
An editorial note on a dish associated with this book, written for The Coquinist. It is not a reproduction of the book's recipe.
