Amazon river house, Santarém, Brazil

Our small aluminum fishing boat tenders five passengers down an Amazon River tributary. 

A shack comes into view. “My friend lives there. I will call him.”

Tour guide Gil arranges a visit with the farmer. “They just made cheese.”

The dingy slides on shore. We balance on boards laid in the mud across the pasture.

We climb up stairs into the open air home on stilts.

Homemade cheese is sliced and shared tasting much like mozzarella. Gil translates my questions to our Brazilian hosts.

“What milk is used for your recipe?” 

Hmmm! 

“How do you milk a water buffalo?”