Most everybody has heard of the Festa dos Tabuleiros, which takes place in Tomar roughly every 4 years in July. Actually, there is no set date: a month or two ago the mayor called the populace and asked them if they wanted the festa next year (YEAH!!! roared the crowd) and if anybody was willing to be the mordomo1 (VICTAL!!! Shouted the crowd on behalf of the very popular mordomo of the last festa). So, after the three celebratory firecrackers were thrown in the Praça, it was settled. But there were times when it was every 2 years and some press for a Festa dos Tabuleiros every year. As a matter of fact, this big event in Tomar dates from the 50’s: before that, every parish made its own separate procession in honour of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday, where young girls dressed in white carried baskets of bread interwoven with flowers to be blessed in church.
Nowadays, only one parish keeps the tradition every year, Carregueiros. Here, the flowers of the fields don’t fear the showers of May, unlike the paper flowers of the big production of Tomar, that made the whole thing move to the rain-proof month of July. Here, the Holy Spirit has not been forgotten, just like in the distant-cousin-festas of the Azores. Here, no tourists, virtually no outsiders, only the local youth donning the traditional clothes capped by the most modern haircuts and fancy sunglasses.
First the Band, followed by the Brotherhood carrying the Holy Spirit’s crown and flags and then the couples with their offerings to the Holy Spirit (or perhaps it´s really Ceres) pass under the windows of Carregueiros’ Main Street and the residents lean out over their best bedspreads to throw petals at the crowd.
The procession takes place between the two churches of the village, and small children carry their little baskets with flowers with great gravity and even greater courage.
The walk is long and the lazy are already waiting at the second church watching the long, colourful snake approach through the fields, up and down, and finally up a steep flight of stairs.
For thirsty onlookers, the “water” man has a mixture of beer and soda (a little beer and a lot of soda, to maintain the decorum of the festivities), and for the hungry there are bolos da cabeça to help them wait for lunch.
After mass everybody walks back to the centre of the village and the first church, where the baskets are blessed. The bread is then distributed among the people, who keep it throughout the year in the hope that they will be blessed with abundance.
The great Festa dos Tabuleiros of Tomar, that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, brings together the Tomarense who for a year work tirelessly to transform their city. But the connection with the mystical origins of this celebration is all but lost. Here in Carregueiros, and even more in the Azores and Brazil, the cult of the Holy Spirit still echoes the utopia of a Third Age, which would bring universal and egalitarian love and total freedom which comes from the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
1 the elected administrator and organiser of the event.
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I’m not sure when I first discovered the gastronomy of a well crafted sausage.
Growing up in Sweden, sausages were an important part of the staple diet but they were mainly of the bland variety. I think I gave up on those sausages long before I left Sweden, some years ago now. That’s not to say that the occasional Hot Dog hasn’t slipped through in a momentary lapse of weakness! But this guest blog entry is not about your average sausage or hot dog.
We travelled to visit Mary’s sister in Portugal. It was early January and we left our warm Aussie summer far behind. In Portugal it was winter and the water was freezing in the buckets overnight. The pot belly stove was burning wood faster than we could fill it up. Getting out of bed in the morning became a challenge. Our precautionary action of mailing an electric blanket in advance was serving us well. Without it we would have been stiff and frigid! Coffee and duty free helped us through as the house was not yet equipped for this winter temperature. They say it was the coldest winter in Portugal for 15 years.
Anyway back to the topic at hand, sausages! After almost a week of Emma’s great cooking we made our way to the big smoke. Coimbra is an hour and a bit away from Emma’s place and is one of the oldest cities in Portugal. As a former capital of Portugal (1139 to about 1260) it also has archeological remains back to when it was the Roman town of Aeminium. (Wikipedia link.) The tragic love story of Pedro and Inês also played out in Coimbra. Read about Pedro and Ines and more about Coimbra here.
What seemed to be aimlessly, we walked around the top of the old town looking for a place where we could fit in. After an hour or two it was getting cold so Mary and Emma parked themselves at “Cafe Santa Cruz” right in the center of the “baixa”, the low part of town. Cafe Santa Cruz is a former auxiliary chapel of a 16th century cathedral and must be one of the most grand cafes around. ( check it out here) I went on, exploring for a suitable place to eat. About hour later I was back at the cafe reporting over a couple very good “Super Bock” draft beers. We decided upon a Spanish restaurant called “La Fiesta”.
The exterior of La Fiesta gives little away but once inside we are warmly greeted by Carlos. We are starving as the cold has got us hungry like nothing else. Carlos gives us friendly menu advice and soon there were plenty of plates hitting the table in no particular order; Azeitonas (olives) Pica Pau de Porco (very special ham sandwich) Cebola Panada (crumbed onions) Caracois (little Snails) Camarão com Alho (garlic prawns) Cogumelos com Alho (garlic Mushrooms) Torrada Pao Centeio (Toasted rye bread) and then to the hero dish of the night the Chouriço Assado com Aguardente!
Flambeed at the table the Chouriço is burning strong in Aguardente. Once the firewater has burned off, a charred sausage, almost black in colour, is ready to eat. The content of the sausage is bursting out of its skin, almost falling apart. The flavour is deep, smoky, textured and tender, all at the same time. This sausage works on so many levels that most meat dishes never comes close to. I feel warm, elated, happy and so absolutely thrilled with our choice of restaurant – Wow, I am in sausage heaven with a shot of Aguardente to boot! I had never heard of this Portuguese spirit prior to tonight. Aguardente (firewater) is a Portuguese grape skin- based liquor. It is a bit of Whiskey and Calvados and Vodka all at once! Strong, rich, flavoursome, serving an undeniable punch. What a pleasure to make its acquaintance. How has the world overlooked this clear spirit or is it just me? One of these ain’t going to be enough, bring the bottle back, please!
Later, Carlos joins us at the table for a quick drink before he leaves us for a party. His brother continues to look after us from here on, as our feast continues. More red wine, more food and then coffee and desserts. This night will never be forgotten. The night of the black sausage and firewater at Carlos’ place, La Fiesta.
La Fiesta, Rua do Carmo, 54 loja 4, 3000-064 Coimbra, Tel 2398 21246
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