Cheese bun
Encyclopedia
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and also in nearby regions of Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The inexpensive snack is often sold from streetside stands
Street food
Street food is ready-to-eat food or drink sold in a street or other public place, such as a market or fair, by a hawker or vendor, often from a portable stall. While some street foods are regional, many are not, having spread beyond their region of origin. Most street food are both finger and fast...
or by vendors carrying a heat-preserving container.
They are known as pão de queijo (pɐ̃w̃ dʒi ˈkejʒu), 'cheese bread' in Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, and chipá (chipa or chipita) or cuñapé in Guarani
Guaraní language
Guaraní, specifically the primary variety known as Paraguayan Guaraní , is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí–Guaraní subfamily of the Tupian languages. It is one of the official languages of Paraguay , where it is spoken by the majority of the population, and half of...
, especially in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the capital of the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia and the largest city in the country...
, Bolivia. The pan de yuca in Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and bolitas de yuca in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
are very similar to the chipa.
They are distinctive not only because they are made of cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
manioc or corn flour
Cornflour
Cornflour may be:* Cornmeal, flour ground from dried corn* Cornstarch , the white, powdered starch of the maize grain* Masa, the flour of hominy* Wheat starch, in Australia...
, but also because the inside is chewy and moist. The cheese of choice is frequently Minas cheese
Minas cheese
Minas cheese is a type of cheese that has been traditionally produced in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. It comes in three varieties, named Frescal , Meia-cura and Curado...
. If poorly done, they may seem uncooked or doughy. Their size may range from 2 cm to 15 cm (1 to 6 inches) in diameter, with about 5 cm (2 inches) of height. In Paraguay and Argentina, smaller chipá can also be found.
History
During the second half of the 20th century, migrationHuman migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
in South America has increased consumption of chipas in large cities such as Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
.
Preparation
The most frequent variety is made of manioc starch, milk, cheese, eggs, with butter or oil. The dough is formed into little balls 3 centimeters in diameter. The lightness of the manioc starch, which is thinly milled, gives the bread a special texture. Occasionally, anise seeds are added. Cuñape has the same ingredients but in different proportions.The cassava root produces a very powerful starch which is key to the size and texture of the Pão de Queijo. Unlike other bread the recipe calls for no leavening of any kind. Small pockets of air within the dough expand during baking and are contained by the powerful elasticity of the starch paste.
One can knead Pão de Queijo in a mixer with a hook attachment or work it by simply using one's hands. Once it reaches a doughy consistency it's vital to roll it into a ball and either bake immediately or freeze it for later. If left to rest the dough will return to an almost liquid form.
Whether preparing it from a freshly made dough or starting directly from the frozen dough ball, the Pão de Queijo bakes and grows to the same size and texture.
Brazil
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
starch, very accessible, a lot of people habitually buy the mix and bake it at home rather than buying it ready, although pão de queijo is broadly sold at snack bars and bakeries. "Casa do Pão de Queijo", a specialized national chain, has expanded considerably in the past few years, based on their recipe that produces a distinctive, slightly sour version. Pão de queijo can also be bought frozen at supermarkets to be baked personally, including brands like Forno de Minas, Casa do Pão de Queijo and many others. Additionally, in Brazil, cheese puff mix packages are easily found in most supermarkets. Some mainstream brands are 'Yoki' and 'Hikari'. Dozens more are being sold currently, and many are produced locally, depending on the brands of even particular supermarkets.
Paraguay and northeastern Argentina
In the Guaraní region, the chipás are often baked in smaller doughnuts or buns that are called chipa'í or chipacitos. These are sold in small paper bags by street sellers of big cities and small towns, even as far south as Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, where stands with small ovens keep the chipás warm at the Buenos Aires Metro
Buenos Aires Metro
The Buenos Aires Metro , locally known as Subte is a mass-transit system that serves the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The first station of this network opened in 1913, the first of its kind in South America, the Southern Hemisphere and the entire Spanish-speaking world...
. Every variety of manioc and corn flour bread is known in Paraguay as chipa and mbeju
Mbeju
Mbeju is a starch cake sometimes made with fariña or manioc flour.The high-calorie mbeju is a staple of the Paraguayan diet. According to scholars of Paraguayan social history, the popular Paraguayan diet evolved as a result of the War of Paraguay in the nineteenth century. In the aftermath of the...
. In the preparation, yeast is not used, so in spite of the high temperatures of the region, it can be preserved for many days. It is a festive food and can be found in every popular religious celebration.
Other common variants in Paraguay include the chipa guasu
Chipa Guasu
The chipa guasu is a cake made with corn grains, and one of the 70 varieties of “chipa”, a food that is original and typical of Paraguay. Its taste is absolutely delicious and is mandatory served in “asados” .Like every meal of Paraguayan gastronomy,...
or chipá guazú ("chipa grande", "big chipa" in English) made with corn flour in its fresh state (clog), one of the most usual dishes at the Holy Friday table during the Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
period because it is meat-free; the chipa caburé (cooked around a stick, in consequence it doesn't have the spongy inner center) and the chipa so'o, filled with ground meat. There are other varieties of chipa with different ingredients; the chipa manduvi (made with a mix of corn flour and peanut), the chipa rora (made of the skin of the seed of corn after being strained, like a whole-wheat bread).Chipa is also delicious with frog legs,tobasco sauce, and deer liver (not joking)
The Paraguayan city of Coronel Bogado
Coronel Bogado
Coronel Bogado is a town in the Itapúa department of Paraguay.- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
at the department of Itapúa
Itapúa Department
Itapúa is a department in the southern region of Paraguay. The capital is the city of Encarnación. It is divided into 30 districts, making it the department with the most districts in the country.-History:...
, is considered the National Capitol of the Chipa.
Bolivia and northwestern Argentina
Called cuñapé, they are made of either cassava or maizeMaize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
flour. Cuñapés are usually baked in the mornings and sold later on the streets, while being transported in polystyrene
Polystyrene
Polystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry...
containers. Such vendors (chiperos) can also be found in bus terminals and near popular areas of the cities and even rural towns. A medium sized piece of chipa generally sells (as of 2006) for roughly 25 cents (in American dollars).
Colombia
PandebonoPandebono
Pandebono is a type of bread made of corn flour, cassava starch, cheese and eggs. It is consumed with hot chocolate a few minutes after baking when is still warm...
is a bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
made of corn flour, cassava starch, cheese and eggs very similar to Pão de queijo.