The sweet-making tradition of Sardoura and Entre-os-Rios
Maria José Martelo, daughter of Gaspar Martelo, is married to Germano. Together, in the early hours of the morning, they fire up the oven to bake Melindres, continuing a six-generation legacy of pastry-making.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Ti Chica would sell her sweets at fairs and festivals in Torrão and Entre-os-Rios. The recipes were passed down to Maria José, who, after her mother’s passing, left her careers as a florist and beautician to embrace her family’s baking heritage.
Once out of the oven, the Melindres (or Melindros) are glazed with a sugar syrup, each one brushed by the hands of Maria José’s aunts and cousins. Every woman leaves her personal touch on each sweet.
From Octant Douro, you can savour Melindres and experience the rich sweet-making tradition of Sardoura and Entre-os-Rios.
