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BRIGADEIROS

ABOUT

AT THE BEGINNING...

It was all about condensed milk!

Invented by Gail Borden in the early 1850s, canned condensed milk proved invaluable as a military ration in the 1860s. While fresh milk had spoiled due to long supply chains, canned milk was nutritious, portable, long-lasting and, crucially, safe. Little surprise then, that sales exploded in US towns and cities after the war.

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Hoping for similar success in Europe, Charles Page founded the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company in Cham, Switzerland, in 1866. High standards of quality and safety, a modern factory, efficient distribution and savvy marketing ensured the product was a success. The brand that began Nestlé’s history is still sold today as Nestlé Milkmaid.

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Nicknamed in many countries “Brazilian truffle,” the original Brigadeiro was made from sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter around 1945 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The presidential candidate and air force brigadier, Eduardo Gomes, stood for the first Brazilian national election in which all women had the right to vote.

 

His supporters started handing out sweets to raise funds for the “The Brigadier” campaign. The candy was later popularized under the name of "brigadier", or "Brigadeiro".

 

Taste Brazilian happiness: eat a Brigadeiro!

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BEHIND THE GOODIES

E a saudade de casa

After finishing my studies at the École Hoteliere de Lausanne in 2018, I started making Brigadeiros occasionally to have friends taste a little bit of Brazil. At the end of 2019, I participated in the Riponne food market to introduce more people to these delicacies, and despite the logistical difficulties, many people were interested to discover "Brazilian Truffles".

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Realizing the potential of this new venture, and wanting to really make it professional, I took a course in 2020 at the beginning of quarantine - this course, delivered by famous Cilaine Rodrigues from Docis, is what allowed me to really professionalize my production and sell in a larger scale, with correct techniques and a better understanding for the ingredients I was using.

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While many products are still difficult to find in Switzerland, I do my best to bring different flavours to the Brigadeiros. Try our Parmesan flavour - it's a recreation from a common Brazilian desert called Romeo and Juliet.

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Being able to introduce Brigadeiros to the Swiss is what makes me feel close to home. The "Saudade" (an untranslatable word in Portuguese for a feeling of longing, melancholy, or nostalgia) is lessened by this connection I keep with my home country.

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