Street vending, a historic practice
It is one of the most common alternatives to restaurant food and even to the high costs that such eating places might have. The food business was also essential for the poor and, in the past, for slaves and freed individuals. Street food sales were a type of commerce that strengthened food supply in cities, especially in the second half of the 19th century, when the first places to eat outside the home, such as restaurants, cafes, and pastry shops, began to emerge, all influenced by Europe. Then, a kind of organization among street vendors formed, filling the streets with fruits, vegetables, quick meals, and snacks, some prepared in advance or with part of the preparation process already done; others, simpler, cooked right there in front of the customer.
French artist Jean-Baptiste Debret (1768-1848) immortalized some of these street food vendors in Rio de Janeiro in the first half of the 19th century. In the famous scene "Black cooks, background noise of vendors," which depicts a setup for easily and quickly offering cornmeal or tapioca flour along the street. Next to the cooks are their cauldrons and a line of people waiting for their turn at the food.
Business opportunities and family needs
The first street food sales in large cities of the country, driven by the exploitation of slave labor, known as "para ganhar" (to earn), are recorded in testimonies like: "These slaves, besides their chores at home such as cooking, washing, ironing, cleaning, and caring for their masters, are also becoming productive, engaging in work that benefits everyone, generating income from activities like selling food or embroidery in the streets." This was confirmed by Professor Almir el-Kareh, historian and author of "The Victory of Feijoada" (UFF Publishing).
Until the second half of the 19th century, the city only had major wholesale depots, with no space for customer service, such as restaurants and pastry shops—which later would become part of the risk factors for tray-based commerce. Since then, slaves offering food in the streets or door-to-door, including beverages, began to be seen. "The street—with all its problems and dangers—was viewed as a space of freedom, with opportunities for contact and earnings. The slave had to deliver a specific amount to their owner and could sometimes earn a personal profit," explains João Luiz da Silva Máximo, historian and author of the doctoral thesis "Street Food in São Paulo (1828-1900)".The initiative of West African slaves
In this context, slaves from West Africa, especially those from the Gold Coast, stood out for their entrepreneurial spirit. Their skills led to the spread of street food vending all the way to Salvador, Bahia. "Starting around 1830, amid a depression in sugar trade and the need to promote the trade of people, there was significant movement of Bahian slaves sold to other populated centers such as Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais."
This migration strongly influenced street food activities in other cities," comments Max. Domestic traders favored women, as they were believed to dominate the production and sale of food. The arrangement was that white women coordinated food preparation while black slaves handled street sales.
Today, street vending is not only part of Brazil's culture and a constant presence on every beach and in every city, but it is also a practice full of history rooted in the need to boost commerce and create opportunities. Much magic and quality can be seen in each of the delicious dishes offered simply and practically along Brazil's roadsides.
