Maize and rye are extracted from the earth and turned into flour by the mills, which is used to make the Broa de Avintes. Oval in shape, sprinkled with flour by the agile hands of the bakers, the Broa de Avintes has taken on an extraordinary importance in the gastronomy of Gaia.

“Made from a well-dosed mixture of maize and rye flour, which is still ground hydraulically so as not to lose its natural qualities, plus a little touch of yeast and a secret kept under lock and key from generation to generation, it sinks into a deep sleep under a cloth target. Her brown body is then laid out on a fresh cabbage leaf, reminiscent of the softness of a linen sheet on a summer’s night. He then dives into the darkness of the wood-fired oven and stays there for almost five hours, indifferent to the heat that stiffens his body and purifies his palate. Finally, it returns to the open air, exuding an odour so rich and penetrating that it makes your mouth water. Picked up by women’s hands who, like mothers, do it as affectionately as if it were a child, it is placed in the typical barrels to begin its commercialisation journey.”

Text: Mr Costa Gomes – Chancellor of the Avintes Broa Brotherhood