Isabela brings together flavors of the Gaucho tradition for Gaucho Day

September is a special month for the people of Rio Grande do Sul. With the arrival of Semana Farroupilha (Farroupilha Week), the state enters a festive mood, with traditional gatherings, chimarrão (mate tea) circles, music, and events that celebrate the culture and customs of the state.

The most anticipated moment happens on September 20th, when Gaucho Day is celebrated, a holiday throughout the state. It was on this date, in 1835, that the popular revolt began, giving rise to the longest revolution in Brazilian history, lasting 10 years.

On Gaucho Day, parades on horseback are traditionally held in honor of revolutionary leaders such as Bento Gonçalves, Antônio de Sousa Neto, and Giuseppe Garibaldi, reinforcing the pride and spirit of resistance of the Gaucho people.

For Isabela, a traditional pasta, toast, and biscuit brand from the South of the country, talking about the region is also talking about the stories, customs, and flavors that are part of the lives of those born and raised there. This connection to roots is present in the brand's new positioning, "Where I come from, the flavor is like this," which values ​​precisely what is passed down from generation to generation and continues to be present in everyday life.

For the occasion, the brand, which has been present in Southern Brazil for 72 years, suggests two recipes to prepare at home. Linguini with Barreado Ragu is the option for the main course, while German Cuca completes the menu with a traditional sweet from the region.

• 1.5 kg of lean beef round, cleaned and cut into large cubes;
• Salt to taste;
• ¼ cup of oil;
• 2 onions, sliced ​​into half-moons;
• 6 cloves of crushed garlic;
• 6 tomatoes, cut into large cubes;
• 3 tablespoons of brown sugar;
• 3 tablespoons of white vinegar;
• 2 tablespoons of ground cumin;
• 4 chopped bouquets of salsa;
• 4 chopped green onion stalks;
• 200g of chopped bacon;
• 1 bay leaf;
• 1 tablespoon of wheat flour;
• 2 tablespoons of butter.
• 1 tablespoon of salt;
• 1 package of Isabela Linguini (500 g);
• 4 chopped bouquets of salsa;
• 2 chopped green onion stalks.
• Place the meat in a bowl and season it with salt.
• Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, add the meat and brown it well, stirring so that it is evenly browned. Add the onion and garlic to sauté – if necessary, drizzle with a little more oil.
• Add the tomatoes and stir until they break down and begin to dry out.
• Combine the sugar, vinegar, cumin, parsley, chives, bacon, and bay leaf, then cover with hot water.
• Cover the pot and cook for about 40 minutes after it comes to pressure, so that the meat becomes very tender.
• Turn off the heat, wait until all the pressure has been released, and open the pot.
• Return the pan to low heat to reduce the broth and form the sauce.
• Dissolve the flour in a little of the broth along with the butter and add it to the pan.
• Mix well to thicken the sauce slightly, turn off the heat and set aside.
• In a large pot, bring 5 liters of water to a boil with the salt.
• Cook the pasta for the time indicated on the package or until it is "al dente," that is, tender but firm to the bite.
• Drain immediately, add to the sauce and mix gently so that all the pasta is coated.
• Sprinkle with parsley and chives, then serve immediately.
• 2 eggs
• 125ml of milk
• 2 tablespoons of orange juice
• 35g of fresh yeast
• 100g of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of Puro Sabor Margarine
• 1 tablespoon of cream
• ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 650g of wheat flour
• 1 package of Isabela Butter Cookies (400g)
• 100g of Pure Flavor Margarine
• 6 peeled apples, cut into thin half-moon shapes.
• Ground cinnamon to taste
• ½ cup (tea) of coarsely chopped walnuts
• In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, 125ml of water, and orange juice.
• Beat lightly, add the yeast and dissolve it.
• Add the sugar, butter, cream, nutmeg, and salt, and mix until smooth. Gradually add the flour and mix well to incorporate.
• Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer and, using the dough hook, beat on medium speed for about 15 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and homogeneous.
• Place the dough in a rectangular baking pan (30cm x 40cm x 5cm high), cover with a clean cloth and let it rest away from the cold until it doubles in volume.
• Process the shortbread cookies and, using your hands, mix in the butter until you obtain a crumbly mixture; set aside.
• Arrange the apples in layers over the risen dough, sprinkle with cinnamon, and cover with the crumble topping.
• Finish with the walnuts and bake in a preheated medium oven (180°C – 200°C) for about 30 minutes or until the dough is completely baked.

A leader in biscuit sales in the Southern Region of Brazil, according to Nielsen (YTD'25)*, the Isabela brand, which belongs to the M. Dias Branco portfolio, has been in the market for 72 years. The brand has been Top of Mind in the pasta and biscuit categories for 36 consecutive years, according to Revista Amanhã (RS)**, and was recognized as the preferred and most remembered brand in the Biscuit category at the 2024 Marcas de Quem Decide Award.

With the new slogan 'Where I come from, Isabela is like this', the brand has more than 90 products in its portfolio, including sweet, savory and filled biscuits, pasta, toasts and flours, serving both consumers and processors. In 2024, Isabela presented a launch that shook up the instant food category, with the arrival of the Zero Frying version to complement its portfolio.

*Source: Nielsen Retail | Total INA + C&C (Southern Region) | Category: Biscuits | Period: YTD 2025.

**Source: Amanhã Magazine. Top of Mind RS 2026 – 36 Years.

Founded in 1953, M. Dias Branco is a Brazilian multinational food company, a signatory of the UN Global Compact, and with shares traded on the Novo Mercado segment of the B3 stock exchange. Its history began in the 1940s with the Padaria Imperial bakery, an initiative of Manuel Dias Branco in Fortaleza (Ceará state). Today, its operations generate more than 17,000 direct jobs in different regions, reflecting its commitment to the economic and social development of the country. The company owns 22 industries, including 14 factories for pasta, biscuits, and other food products; 7 wheat mills; and 2 factories for vegetable creams and fats, in addition to 25 commercial branches, which facilitate the distribution of its products throughout Brazil and to more than 40 countries.

Based in Eusébio (CE), M. Dias Branco is a leading Brazilian company in biscuits, pasta, and granola. In November 2021, it acquired the FIT FOOD brand, the Company's first venture into the healthy food market, with products such as rice crackers, peanut butter, chocolates, and chips. With the acquisition of Jasmine Alimentos, completed in August 2022, the Company expanded its participation in the healthy food market, with organic, functional, whole-grain, gluten-free, lactose-free, and sugar-free products. In October of the same year, it announced its first international acquisition, Las Acacias, from Uruguay, focused on the pasta segment, but which also has cake mixes and sauces in its portfolio.

The Company owns leading brands such as Vitarella, Piraquê, Adria, Fortaleza, Richester, and Isabela in Brazil, and Las Acacias in Uruguay, producing biscuits, pasta, flours, margarines, snacks, and toasts. Also noteworthy are the Frontera brand of snacks and the Smart brand of spices and seasonings.