Olga Cavaleiro, P. Calisto - Elogio aos Doces na Romaria do Senhor de Matosinhos

The Pilgrimage of Senhor de Matosinhos is synonymous with faith, devotion, and veneration for the community of Matosinhos, and not only because of the ancient, almost thousand-year-old, and miraculous image of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos. This centuries-old pilgrimage, which even in the Middle Ages crossed the borders of the Kingdom of Portugal, has always been marked by immense religiosity, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Bouças. Progressively, the sacred aspect of this popular pilgrimage began to give way to secular manifestations, mainly introduced and led by the more popular classes, namely music, dance, festive decorations, rockets and fireworks, carousels, food and drink, and the sale and trade of everyday goods.

In the year 2026, the book about the Festivities of Senhor de Matosinhos is dedicated to the unprecedented theme of the pilgrimage sweets, some of which have been sold in Matosinhos for well over a century and are already part of the popular imagination and collective memory of generations of Matosinhos residents. This publication is the culmination of extensive and meticulous research by sociologist Olga Cavaleiro, an expert in the history and culture of Portuguese gastronomy.

The author sought to discover the origins and best-kept secrets of the recipes for famous traditional sweets from the North of the country, such as Doce da Teixeira, Doce de Paranhos, Pão de Ló, Bolinhos de Amor, Caladinhos, or the acclaimed farturas, which continue to "sweeten the palate" of pilgrims and visitors who flock to Matosinhos annually. Photographer Paulo Calisto's lens also captures the various moments of preparation and production of the different sweets, namely the almost magical moments of clarification, syrup making, and the sugar stages, a crucial ingredient in the making of pilgrimage sweets. In short, this publication is therefore a rare opportunity for the people of Matosinhos and for the Portuguese in general to discover the secrets of the noble art of pilgrimage sweets, an intangible heritage that the Municipality of Matosinhos intends to preserve and promote.