Original Name
Although it is known in many countries as "Paraguayan Cheese," the truth is that its real name—and the name used in the country—is none other than "kesú paraguái." This is due to its origin from the Guaraní version of both words.
The first refers to the result of the fermentation of curdled milk, and the second to the country where it was born. By adapting the final letter and the accent from the previous, it is interesting to note that in Guaraní, the phoneme "y" is pronounced differently than in our language.
History
As we already know, cheese was one of the positive aspects that emerged from the colonial era, as it was brought to the American soil by the Spaniards and their livestock.
However, what marked a turning point and sealed the destiny of Paraguayan cheese’s creation did not happen until many years later, during a period when farmers were accustomed to preparing it.
At that time, an unnamed farmer, whose nationality is unquestionable, came up with a technique to solve a problem he had noticed in the cheese-making process in the country and worldwide: cheese didn’t last as long as it potentially could.
He first opened and thoroughly washed the curd, placing it in a container with large amounts of lemon. A few hours later, after drying it, he managed to mix it with raw milk. After verifying it carefully, he broke the curd—as it is known up to this point—and let it rest for several hours.
Later, he decided to squeeze it to extract all its liquid and filled the containers used for making cheese. And that’s how, by the next morning, his invention was complete, allowing cheese to be stored for a longer time.
