An aged, artisan cheese from Brazil makes its Detroit St. debut
The buzz amongst the Deli’s specialty food staff is big right now! For the first time in our entire 43 years, we have a Brazilian offering on our cheese counter!
Mandala is a firm-textured, washed-rind cheese made from the raw milk of a single herd of Girsey cows (more on them in a minute) that graze at nearly 3000 feet above sea level near the town of Pardinho, about 2 and a half hours west of the capital city of São Paulo. The odds are it will be as new to you as it was to the Deli crew when the samples first arrived last month. Made from the exceptional raw milk of a single farm, Mandala marks a major achievement for artisan cheesemakers in Brazil—for the first time, their cheeses are being compared to the best of European and North American offerings. Vanessa Alcolea, the master cheesemaker and the woman whose skill and dedication make Mandala what it is, says, “It’s a historic moment, we’re very proud!”
The recipe for Mandala was inspired by some of the similarly sized and textured Pyrenees Mountain cheeses, many of which we’ve long loved here in the ZCoB. That said, Mandala is a cheese all its own. The distinctive terroir of Brazil has a big influence, and the milk of Girsey cows is different from the breeds we have here or in Europe. The Girsey is a cross between the English Jersey and Indian Gir cows. The latter is a Zebu breed that originated in the Indian state of Gujarat, specifically the Gir Hills—hence its name. It is far less vulnerable to high heat and tropical diseases. Gir cattle were imported to Brazil early in the 20th century. For the Mandala, Vanessa Alcolea gets her milk from the third-generation family farm of Bento Mineiro. The cheese is matured in stone cellars.
While Brazilian cheese is new to the U.S., the first herds of cattle arrived in Brazil in 1534 with Portuguese invaders, and cheese has almost certainly been made there ever since. Today, cheese is widely consumed in Brazilian culture. It shows up at most every meal—breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Mandala goes great with coffee, wine, beer, or the widely consumed Brazilian rum, cachaça. The cheese is both mellow and full-flavored at the same time. Definitely not strong, mostly savory with just a touch of caramelly sweetness. Put it on cheese boards. It’s wonderful with walnuts, and great with dried apricots!
Obrigado to Vanessa Alcolea and the whole crew who work so hard to make this marvelous new addition! We are honored to welcome their great work to Washtenaw County! Swing by soon and ask for a taste!
