Serro, Estrada Real

Serro is a small town tucked away in the mountains and surrounded by rivers and dozens of waterfalls. The Jequitinhonha River, located about 7.5mi (12km) west of the city, begins its flow in the nearby Pedra Redonda mountain range and flows northeast for 625mi (1000km), emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. The river played an important role in the 16th century, when Brazil was briefly divided into two governments, with the river serving as the dividing line between them. The river was also the location where the first diamonds were mined, producing much of Brazil’s earlier wealth.

Neat little single and double-storey houses line the narrow streets, some with six-foot-tall, whitewashed walls. As I meandered through the streets, I stopped at a white house with blue trims and mellow yellow window shutters. The chandelier-like planter hanging from the veranda’s ceiling carried small pots of string of pearls, a small succulent, creeping vine with leaves that looked like peas. I could imagine whiling away a few hours with a cuppa, enjoying the peacefulness of the street.

The city of Serro is known for its cheese. Producing semi-cured cheeses such as ricotta, mozzarella, and others, it is most famous for Queijo do Serro, an artisanal semi-hard cheese. The recipe was originally brought from Portugal in the 18th century and later adapted locally to create a cheese with “greater acidity, light colour and soft consistency”. The cheese is so special in Serro that it was granted Geographical Indication status, which grants protected status and naming rights to locally created food products. The downside of such a designation in Brazil is that the product cannot be sold outside the state of Minas Gerais.

Pardon me, but I'm off to get some crackers and Queijo do Serro. I'm mighty hungry and salivating at the thought of cheese. What are the chances I can enjoy a hot cuppa on the verandah with the cheese?