Velhote
Encyclopedia
Velhote is a typical dessert of the parish of Valadares, Vila Nova de Gaia
.
Velhotes were baked for the first time in the 1880s by Maria Francisca da Silva - "A Braguesa" (a lady, who came from Braga
) and soon became popular. Only a few of velhotes' history is known, but the legend says that when king Carlos I
and Queen Amélie of Orleans came to Porto, they ate velhotes.
Velhotes are a kind of sweet bread with sugar and cinnamon and are typically served on Saturdays and by the time of Sr. dos Aflitos, Valadares' most important religious feast.
, but the way of baking this sweet bread has changed a lot since the 19th century.
Vila Nova de Gaia
Vila Nova de Gaia, or simply Gaia is a city in Vila Nova de Gaia Municipality, Portugal. It is located in the Porto District, south of the city of Porto on the other side of the Douro River. The city proper has a population of 178,255 and the municipality contains 24 parishes with a total...
.
Velhotes were baked for the first time in the 1880s by Maria Francisca da Silva - "A Braguesa" (a lady, who came from Braga
Braga
Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World...
) and soon became popular. Only a few of velhotes' history is known, but the legend says that when king Carlos I
Carlos I of Portugal
-Assassination:On 1 February 1908 the royal family returned from the palace of Vila Viçosa to Lisbon. They travelled by train to Barreiro and, from there, they took a steamer to cross the Tagus River and disembarked at Cais do Sodré in central Lisbon. On their way to the royal palace, the open...
and Queen Amélie of Orleans came to Porto, they ate velhotes.
Velhotes are a kind of sweet bread with sugar and cinnamon and are typically served on Saturdays and by the time of Sr. dos Aflitos, Valadares' most important religious feast.
The original recipe
The original recipe included flour, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, lemon juice, yeast and saffronSaffron
Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Each saffron crocus grows to and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are each the distal end of a carpel...
, but the way of baking this sweet bread has changed a lot since the 19th century.