Mané pelado (Portuguese: [mɐˈnɛ peˈladu] ; lit.'Naked Mané') or bolo mané pelado is a Brazilian cake traditional to Goiás and the Center-West.[1] It consists of shredded yuca and coconut, and a salted cheese such as canastra cheese or minas cheese.[2] It can be found at regional Festa Juninas in Brazil.[2]

Mané pelado
Homemade mané pelado
TypeCake
Place of originBrazil
Region or stateGoiás
Main ingredientsYuca, cheese, shredded coconut

History edit

The exact origin of the cake is unknown, but there are several urban legends as to how it was created. Some stories tell of a farmer named Manoel or Mané who would sell this cake either shirtless or with an unbuttoned shirt,[3][4] whereas others claim that the dessert is named after a farmer named Mané who would harvest yuca while naked.[1][2][5][6] Another story tells that the cake is named in honor of a nearby farmer named Mané who provided the yuca used when the recipe was created.[7]

Researchers with Comer História (History of Eating), a project run by the College of Philosophy and Sciences [pt] at São Paulo State University, made the claim in 2023 that Mané pelado is a derivation of Manauê [pt], a Brazilian cake from the colonial period that was adapted from a traditional indigenous Brazilian meal. It was created by the Portuguese after adding eggs, milk, sugar, and fat to an indigenous meal consisting of yuca dough baked in a banana leaf and baking it in a tray instead of in leafs. Mané pelado would have then been developed when coconut and cheese were added to Manauê. It would get its name from a gradual shift from Manauê to Manué to Mané, with pelado (naked) being added to the end as a reference to how the dessert would be baked in a pan rather than a banana leaf.[4]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Ledur, Júlia (9 December 2016). "De cueca virada a mané pelado: 13 comidas com nomes curiosos" [From cueca virada (inside-out underwear) to mané pelado (naked mané): 13 foods with curious names]. Gazeta do Povo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  2. ^ a b c Rossi, Mariane (24 June 2022). "'Mané pelado' é o típico bolo de mandioca ralada, que fica cremoso e perfeito para a festa junina; aprenda" ['Mané pelado' is a typical grated cassava cake that is creamy and perfect for Festa Junina; learn how]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-09-09.
  3. ^ Maciulevicius, Paula (21 December 2016). "Apelidado de mané pelado, bolo de mandioca é sensação em chácara de Piraputanga" [Nicknamed "mané pelado", cassava cake is a sensation at a farm in Piraputanga]. Campo Grande News (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  4. ^ a b do Amaral Jorge, Marcos (28 June 2023). "Olhar histórico revela origens dos elementos tradicionais das festas juninas" [A historical look reveals the origins of the traditional elements of the Festa Juninas.]. Jornal da Unesp (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  5. ^ Oliveira Santos, Thiara Augusta (13 February 2023). "Projeto Lendas: Mané Pelado" [Legends Project: Mané Pelado]. Territórios Gastronômicos (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  6. ^ Saloméa, Raíra (22 July 2023). "Segredos do Mané Pelado" [Secrets of Mané Pelado]. Manzuá. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  7. ^ Histórias & Receitas [Stories & Recipes] (PDF) (in Brazilian Portuguese). Fundación MAPFRE. 2012. pp. 95–96.