Rennet in Brazil!!!!!

Yes, Jim, this one is for you ;)
I am launching here a campaign among our readers and Expats bloggers, putting you all on a mission to help Jim find rennet, ("COALHO" or Renina in Portuguese) in Brazil.
Edited post publishing: "Renina" is another word for "Coalho" in Portuguese. Thanks to the link posted by "Plugadao". Thanks Plugadao. 
I am placing pictures of the most common brand of rennet found in Brazil below, if you find it in your grocery isle, please do share the news.
Fiona, if you find rennet in Germany let us know and post a picture, just for fun, let's go global, why not? :)
Danielle, rennet on the Sao Paulo coast? Please let us know!
Rachel, Lindsey, how about your side of the Guanabara bay, you guys have bigger grocery stores and lots of feiras, Laranjeiras, Flamengo, Downtown?!!
Nina, "The Reader", Paulinia, Campinas region? rennet, "coalho"?
Jana, "BornAgainBrazilian", Chris, "OJeitoBrasileiro"? Have you guys seen rennet in Sao Paulo? Any of these brands below? If any of you guys go to the "Mercado" for that Mortadela sandwich would you please ask around and let us know? :)
Shelley, any luck downtown Belo Horizonte?
Stephanie, how about Ipatinga! You live in the Brazil's equivalent to Wisconsin, Cheese central, any rennet?
Leo, could you or Vivi ask around, have you heard of "coalho" at the Mercado Modelo in Salvador?
Please let us know!
Ginger, have you found rennet in Nova Friburgo? I thought maybe with all the Swiss immigration in the moutain region of Rio you would be able to find rennet on your local grocery store!
Sara? ( Private Blog ) "Coalho" in Macae? Could you please ask Claudia? perhaps she knows!
Did I miss anyone?
We would love to hear from all of you! :)

Dry rennet "Coalhopar" brand!

Niteroi doesn't really strike me as a place where people make cheese at home or "coalhada" which is a Lebanese/Arab type of yogurt many folks make it at home in Sao Paulo, which has millions of Lebanese and it's descendants along with Greek and other folks who make cheese and other dairy products at home that requires the use of rennet.



Traditional Coalhada Schaffer found in Sao Paulo grocery stores

I first thought Jim would be able to find it at his local grocery store, my mother said she buys her rennet from her local supermarket in Sao Paulo, she usually finds it at the yogurt isle, near the butter, cream cheese and all of those refrigerated goods, maybe you can find it in your local grocery store, if you do, please share with us.



Rennet, Coalho, "Astra" brand.

Jim couldn't find it in his local grocery stores, yes, the same grocery stores with the Saints and images from the pictures on his blog :)
I asked my mother, my aunts, and a couple friends from Rio, I found a few tips to help Jim find rennet, so he can make cheese at home.

Liquid rennet, "Danilac" brand.

Jim, I will be looking forward to the cheese recipe when you find it.
All right, without any further delay, HERE you can buy rennet on line, COALHO in Portuguese, they have it both in LIQUID or DRY rennet.
This web site also has all kinds of things you will need to make cheese or any other dairy products at home, THIS is their main page where you can find recipe books, cheese molds and everything else you may need for your homemade dairy making wishes :)
If you still want to find rennet, "coalho" at your local supermarket, my mother buys "coalhos combate", "combate" is the brand of the rennet she can find at her local grocery store. I didn't find a picture of her brand of rennet but I placed a few other rennet brands found in Brazilian grocery stores.


"HA-LA" brand liquid rennet



"Estrela" brand rennet. Coalho estrela 

Liquid rennet for Tofu making! Sorry, can't translate that one :(

Believe it or not, I even heard that in small towns, folks buy rennet at their local pharmacy, most pharmacies in small town don't stock on the product, but if you order in the morning they can have it delivered by the end of the afternoon. I know, it sounds odd, but these folks assured me they can buy liquid or dry rennet in their local small town pharmacies.
Medium sized Brazilian towns usually have a local farmers market that you can find rennet where you buy your cold cuts and or dairy products. Some local "feiras", street farmers market will also have rennet, if not in stock, you can order it and they will bring it for you on the following week.
My mother believes coalho is common in Sao Paulo grocery stores because of the Lebanese population in the city, Lebanese folks love to make their "coalhada" at home, coalhada is a sort of thicker yogurt.

"Coalhada Seca", "Dry Coalhada"light found in Brazil

Popular "Coalhada" brand in Brazil

My mother also has a recipe for coalhada dip that she makes it at home and it's a hit at parties.

Coalhada Dip, similar to the one my mother makes for parties, always a hit!

She also makes homemade Mussarella and Ricota using the same rennet she uses for "coalhada".
One tip she shared is that for homemade cheese making, the liquid rennet is better in her opinion, it looks like the liquid rennet is more popular in Brazil anyway.
Jim, we will be looking forward to your update for when you find "COALHO"  ;)

Forte abraco

Ray