In the early 18th century, Portuguese and Portuguese Brazilian tropeiros (herdsmen) from Paranaguá, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais used to cross the state of Rio Grande do Sul to reach the great Feira de Sorocaba (a huge livestock market) in São Paulo state. They used the vast pastures in the Campos Gerais region (Paraná state), land of the Kaingang people, to rest and fatten their livestock—the town of Palmeira was thus born.
This intermingling of herdsmen from different regions led to the creation of queijo poronguinho (poronguinho cheese), which was made on the early farms and which was similar to cabacinha cheese from Minas Gerais and São Paulo in terms of shape, but totally different in terms of the production method.
Porongo, or calabash (Lagenaria siceraria), is a fruit that belongs to the pumpkin family, Cucurbitaceae. The dried fruit is used to make handicrafts and utensils. Queijo poronguinho is so named because of its resemblance to the porongo.
Poronguinho is a typical cheese from the hinterland of Paraná. It was originally made by immigrants who settled in the region in the age of tropeirismo (droving), and the recipe spread from Palmeira to the surrounding area.
Poronguinho is made from raw milk and pingo (the microorganism-rich whey from a previous batch). It is difficult to find records of the production methods and, for this reason, producers have been abandoning production of this cheese and focusing on other activities. Today, only two producers still sell queijo poronguinho. One producer makes their cheese on a farm just outside the city of Palmeira, where there is a 200-year-old building that preserves the whole history of the tropeiros. The cows reared on the farm are milked by hand every morning. The production technique is similar to that of mozzarella, but the specific features of the region give this cheese a distinctive mild acidity. First, a basic curd is made with a mixture of fresh milk and pingo, which rests for several hours. After the milk has rested, hot water is added and the cheese is mixed with two wooden spoons until it develops the correct consistency. It is then shaped like a small porongo. Once this process is complete and the cheese has taken on the right shape, it is brined in a wooden barrel for one day.
Rearing dairy cattle is one of the main activities in Pilar do Sul (near Sorocaba in São Paulo state) and, as a result of milk surpluses, many producers are starting to make cheese, including queijo poronguinho. Production has increased so much that some families have abandoned livestock farming to dedicate themselves solely to artisanal poronguinho production. The cheese is part of the city’s tradition and of regional festivals and celebrations.
The cheese is very versatile and has a very mild flavor when fresh, with a stretchy consistency, like mozzarella. The cheese does not melt particularly well, but is very soft, so it can be used in sandwiches, grilled, or baked. It can also be eaten as it is, seasoned with olive oil and fresh herbs. There is also a matured version. In Palmeira, the cheese is most often eaten fresh and can be used in dishes such as pasta, pies, and snacks. It has the characteristic elastic texture of cheeses made in hot water.
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