Catupiry is brand Brazilian registered of cream cheese.
The origin of the word Catupiry is not very clear, but some authors claim that in Tupi-Guarani (Brazilian indigenous language), this word means "excellent".
Catupiry is a case of a brand that has achieved such popularity that the brand name starts to describe the product itself. Thus, the word catupiry is often used to describe a type of cream cheese, even if it is not a Catupiry brand.
The production of Catupiry cream cheese began in 1911 in Minas Gerais, under the command of Italian immigrant Mário Silvestrini. Later, in 1949, the product began to be made in São Paulo, where the company is currently headquartered.
This word is inevitably related to the world of cooking, and there are hundreds of recipes that have the Catupiry as one of their ingredients. Some of them are chicken pie or pie with catupiry, shrimp with catupiry. There are also pizzas and pastries made with catupiry. Also, in some restaurants, “ao catupiry” is a common expression.