How Brazilian Idol’s Textured Cheese Bread Came to Japan

Taking a break from writing, I decided to give Lawson a quick stop. As I browsed the shelves of bread, between Gua Pan and Yakisoba Pan,,,, suddenly caught my eye – i saw cheese bread Immediately I felt transported home.

Pão De Queijo (pronounced “Pon-Deh-kay-jo”) is a staple of Brazilian cuisine. If you have ever eaten at a Brazilian Steakhouse (steakhouse), you may be served these little round bread balls steaming hot shortly after sitting down.

Pão De Queijo is known as Brazilian cheese bread Cassavaor cassava root. The starch from the cassava root turns into tapioca, which is then combined with eggs, milk, oil and lots of cheese to create a lovely, crunchy snack with a crunchy exterior and a satisfyingly warm gooey interior. Plus, they’re naturally gluten-free.

as a brazilian Nikkeijin – a man of Japanese descent whose family was among the hundreds of others who immigrated to Brazil to fill the labor shortage on the coffee plantations of the early 20th century – I spent a lot of time at the intersection between the two Japanese and Brazilian culture.

The Kasato Maru ship brought hundreds of Japanese people to Brazil in the 20th century and is now a symbol of Japanese immigration.

The Kasato Maru ship brought hundreds of Japanese people to Brazil in the 20th century and is now a symbol of Japanese immigration.

Now that I live in Tokyo, I’m impressed by how much Brazilian culture has penetrated the Japanese mainstream. I see almost any nearby Brazilian restaurant, my university has a student group dedicated to the appreciation and performance of Brazilian music, and I recently discovered that Japan adapts Pão de Queijo to its own unique recipe.

How to Get to Japanese Cheese Bread

Brazil’s presence in Japan is not surprising. With a population of over 2.7 million, it is the largest Japanese community outside Japan. Japan is also home to the fifth largest Brazilian community abroad.

Many of these Japanese Brazilians are called Dekasegi – Arriving in Japan as migrant workers due to labor shortage. Pão De Queijo is what they bring, it’s a bit reminiscent of home. Cheesy bread snacks are becoming a food trend, showing up in local bakeries and convenience stores. In Japan, Pão De Queijo became pon of kejo.

“I think Pão De Queijo appeals a lot to Japanese palates because they are small, round and cute, and have a unique gooey gooey gooey texture inside. This texture is called mochi mochiback Moqinvery gooey rice cake. ” Makiko Itoh said just hungry Food blog.

One of Brazil’s most popular Pão de Queijo baking mixes is made by the Yoki brand (formerly Kitano), which was founded in 1960 by Japanese immigrant Yoshizo Kitano. In 2012, Yoki was acquired by the American multinational manufacturer General Mills.

Mr Donut’s Pon de Ring

If your name sounds vaguely familiar to you, maybe it’s because of Mr. Donut’s signature Pon de Ring.

Masaaki Nakamura, who went from working on the store floor to head Donut’s overseas development, came up with Pon de Ring Donut in 2003 with a Japanese flour company. Parent company Duskin wants to introduce donuts made specifically for the Japanese market.

“Mr. Donut has been selling original American items for nearly 40 years. There weren’t any signature items from Japan, so we wanted a Japanese mid-stream station,” Nakamura told CNA Lifestyle.

Consumer data shows Japanese customers want a chewy donut. The chamomile balls are then arranged into a lovely wreath shape, and the matching Pon de Lion Mascot appears in the TV commercial. Hopping onto the trend in Pão De Queijo, Brazil, the donut is aptly named after the Brazilian staple to convey its satisfying texture. Pon de Ring was born and immediately proved to be a success.

“On the first day of sales, it flew off the shelves. We ran out of ingredients,” Nakamura said.

Mr. Donut’s Pon de Ring Donut is now one of the chain’s most popular items. As a result, mochi donuts were brought abroad, including to Hawaii, where a large Asian population turned the chewy donut into a viral sensation.

Where to find cheese bread today

Queijo’s presence in trend cycles has declined since the glory of Pão de Queijo, but cheese bread remains a very popular product in the Japanese bakery repertoire.

You can find Pão De Queijo in various locations. I’ve spotted them at Kinokuniya, Natural Lawson, and Vie de France at 7-11. You will be at some tables side pão de queijo steak like BBQ BBQ,,,, rio grande grill and Charcoal hot grill. While you’re there, be sure to try some of my favorite Brazilian appetizers, such as Fried polenta (fried polenta), drumstick (chicken and potato fritters) and soft (similar to meatloaf-like pastries with various fillings).

Brazilian towns in Japan, such as Oizumi in Gunma Prefecture and Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture, have sprouted from immigrant communities and offer visitors a taste of Brazil within Japan. Oizumi’s Super Mercado Takara A wide range of imported products is available, as well as an in-house butcher and bakery with a variety of classics including Pão De Queijo.

Nowadays you can find it in a typical Japanese grocery store or even at Amazon. Nippon Ham is found in the frozen aisles of grocery stores nationwide, in a Queijo-inspired Pão De Queijo-inspired variation. I’m not sure how authentic it tastes, but it’s fun to see a staple of my childhood get a new life in Japan.

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