Doçaria Conventual

Doçaria Conventual (German: monastic sweets) is the Portuguese-speaking generic term for a range of sweets in Portugal . Around 200 desserts are assigned to the Doçaria Conventual. The Pastel de Nata can be regarded as the best-known international representative .

Well-known representatives

Three Pasteis de Nata in a café in Macau : the Pastel de Nata (also Pastel de Belém ) is the internationally best-known Doçaria Conventual

Ovos moles de Aveiro , one of the 200 or so representatives of the Doçaria Conventual

In the range of Doçaria Conventuals, there are mostly regional and, in some cases, correspondingly protected variants. The best known include u. a. (sorted alphabetically):

• Arrufadas de Coimbra (from Coimbra )
• Barrigas-de-Freira (originally from the Minho )
• Bolos de mel da Madeira (from Madeira Island )
• Cavacas de Santa Clara (different origins, north and center)
• Dom Rodrigo (marzipan-like, from the Algarve )
• Fatias de Tomar (from the Convento de Cristo in Tomar)
• Fios de ovos (historically widely spread internationally)
• Morgado de amêndoa (from the Algarve)
• Ovos Moles (from Aveiro )
• Palha de Abrantes (from Abrantes )
• Pão de ló (various local variants)
• Pão de rala (from the Alentejo)
• Pastel de Nata (from the Belém district of Lisbon )
• Pastel de Tentúgal (from Tentúgal )
• Presunto Doce (from the Alentejo )
• Sericaia (from the Alentejo)
• Suspiros de Braga (from Braga )
• Torta de amêndoa (from the Algarve)
• Toucinho do Céu (originally from northern Portugal)
• Viúvas (from the Convento dos Remédios in Braga)

history

Display in a Pastelaria in Lisbon: the sweet baked goods from Doçaria Conventual are part of everyday life in cafes and bakeries all over Portugal

Most of the monasteries founded in Portugal during the Medieval Reconquista received taxes from their lands, mostly in the form of natural produce. The largely poor population often gave these in the form of eggs. The nunneries in particular used the protein to strengthen their clothing, especially the bonnets and collars.

For the egg yolks that were left over in large quantities , they were used in desserts, especially after large quantities of sugar came into the country with the emergence of the Portuguese Empire in the 15th century. The associated emergence of new ingredients made from previously unknown fruits and spices shaped the development of Doçaria Conventual, with almonds and cinnamon in particular.

After the Liberal Revolution in Portugal from 1821 and the subsequent expropriations of the monasteries, they were forced to find new sources of income to secure their livelihood. Located on major highways, catering to travelers and especially the sale of their desserts became a major source of income. As a result, the Doçaria Conventual also became known in the population. With the advent of the railroad in Portugal from 1856 (opening of the Linha do Norte ), the name increased nationwide.

literature

• Misc .: 1000 Sabores da Doçaria Conventual. Ed. Girassol, 2008, ISBN 978-972-756-879-3 .
• António, Chefe Silva: Doçaria Conventual Portuguesa / Portuguese Conventual Confectionery. Texto Editores, 2005, ISBN 972-47-2901-X . (bilingual)
• Alfredo Saramago: Doçaria Conventual do Alentejo. Colares Editora, 2000, ISBN 972-782-026-3 .
• Alfredo Saramago: Doçaria Conventual do Norte. Colares Editora, 1996, ISBN 972-8099-71-1 .
• Dina Fernanda Ferreira de Sousa: A Doçaria Conventual de Coimbra. Colares Editora, 2011, ISBN 978-972-782-138-9 .
• Manuel Gonçalves da Silva, Hugo Campos: Doçaria Conventual para Mentes Pecaminosas. Ed. Ramiro Leão, 2009, ISBN 978-89-88308-03-5 .

Web links

Commons : Portuguese Sweets  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Alexandra Klobouk, Rita Cortes Valente de Oliveira: The Portuguese cuisine. Book Guild Gutenberg , 2014, ISBN 978-3-7632-6768-2 , p. 201 ff.
2. ^ Lydia Hohenberger, Jürgen Strohmaier: Portugal. DuMont Reiseverlag, Ostfildern 2009, p. 67f.