Serra da Canastra Cheese

Since 2008, the artisanal way of making cheese in Minas Gerais is considered a Cultural Heritage of Brazil by Iphan (Brazilian Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute). According to this institution, the cheese-making technique used in some areas of the state, more specifically “the use of raw milk and the addition of “pingo” to the curd, a natural lactic yeast collected from the whey that drains from cheese while it is being made which transfers specific characteristics to the cheese, conditioned by the type of soil, climate and vegetation of each region”. Among the cheeses of Minas Gerais, perhaps the most famous is the one produced at Serra da Canastra region. In order to be sold outside that state, it must undergo a maturation period of at least 20 days, which makes its flavor most intense and spicy.