Written by: Merilee Kern, MBA • December 13, 2019• Eat + Drink

Forno de Minas ‘Brazilian Cheese Bread’ Offers Tasty Twists on Holiday Classics

Looking to add a little pizazz to your palate this holiday? Look no further than Forno de Minas the international brand behind the authentic Pão de Queijo “Brazilian bites for cheese lovers.” Created in Brazil’s heartland, these tasty morsels are not only incredibly versatile, but also hugely convenient since they cook up in the oven in just five minutes flat.

Forno recently expanded its presence in the U.S. market and I expect their delectable Pão de Queijo to become a staple item in all kinds of homes—those with families, foodies, finicky eaters, fine chefs and all who appreciate good eats in between.

Forno’s Pão de Queijo—or cheese roll in Portuguese—is an easily prepared, adaptable offering that serves as a snack, a breakfast item, a party plate, a side dish and even a dessert pairing. In addition, Forno’s Pão de Queijo is a favorite of health-conscious consumers, as the cheese rolls are all-natural, gluten-free, allergen-friendly and yeast-free.They’re fully baked, frozen and conveniently only take just a few minutes to bake up crispy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside.

The creation of Brazilian matriarch “Dona” Dalva, this homemade cheese roll features a signature fluffy texture made with locally sourced eggs, milk, Brazilian specialty cheese and cassava (tapioca or “manioc”). The company uses only natural ingredients sourced from local producers, respecting the preparation process used by the farmers for centuries.

While delicious on its own, the Brazilian cheese roll can be enjoyed with different recipe options like their unique spin on French Toast (recipe below). Even simple preparations can be a-maz-ing, even with just two ingredients. Take country ham biscuits, for example, which are quite popular during the holidays. A savory thin cut section of warm or room temperature country ham on a Pão de Queijo bun packs a powerful flavor punch, offering a tasty twist on this classic. Or, you can be a traditionalist and enjoy Pão de Queijo as a snack along with coffee, which is the customary way it is served in Brazil.

So next time you’re in your supermarket’s frozen food isle, finding Forno’s Pão de Queijo should be easy since they’re now available in major retailers across the country. I’ll toast to that…literally!

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Pão de Queijo French Toast

Ingredients:
8 frozen Pão de Queijo balls
3 eggs
3 tbsp of Brown sugar
1 tbsp of cinnamon powder
½ cup of condensed milk
½ cup of whole milk
Strawberries for garnish

Directions:
1. Leave Pão de Queijo to defrost for 10 minutes.
2. Cut the Pão de Queijo in half.
3. In a bowl, mix the milk and condensed milk together and dip the rolls in the mixture.
4. Dip in beaten eggs
5. Fry with butter in a nonstick frying pan.
6. While the bread is still warm, dip both sides in cinnamon sugar
Serve and garnish with strawberries.

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As the Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List,” Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist. As prolific consumer trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, Merilee keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme. The best-of-the-best across all product, service and travel categories—as well as noteworthy marketplace change makers, movers and shakers—are spotlighted in her prolific cross-media platform work that reaches multi-millions each month via broadcast TV (her own major market/network TV show “Savvy Living” and copious other shows on which she appears) as well as print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReviews / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListEditor / Facebook www.Facebook.com/TheLuxeList / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided or arranged at no cost to accommodate this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***