Regional Corn: Basis of Healthy Traditional Food in Gândara
We can say that Maize was the basis of the Gandaresa Food. Both directly – Broa and Popes of corn flour – papioca, or indirectly, feeding the animals – chickens, pigs…
The corn comes from Central and South America and appears in Europe at the time of the Discoveries, post-Columbus, in the middle of the 15th century. With an almost unknown plant, it has become one of the most cultivated and consumed worldwide!
It produces a male flower in its highest part, where pollen grains appear, and a female flower, which is the ear, which is located at half the height of the plant.
In Portugal, maize was adapting essentially to the North-Center regions of the country and the Algarve, and was responsible for the agricultural revolution of the 17th and 18th centuries, having shaped the landscape and culture. Orographic and climatic differences, in addition to the human component, were responsible for making biodiversity present for more than five centuries.
At Gandara – Mira and Tocha in particular, corn was traditionally grown simultaneously with Pumpkin and Beans – a perfect blend.
Soon it was discovered that – Consociation – was advantageous for the three cultures:
– The squash, covered covered the ground avoiding the appearance of pests and fixing the humidity in the soil
– The bean (which enriched the soil with the precious nitrogen), was to climb using corn as a tutor (later also used the low bean, thus limiting the pumpkin to the edges).
– Corn, as the main crop, benefited from all the others and occupied the upper extract, receiving greater solar radiation, to fill the ear.
From the diversity of habitats, and seed clearance, generation after generation, the regional varieties of Portuguese corn emerged, with an extraordinary richness in biodiversity and genetic variability, today almost extinct, dethroned by modern varieties “improved” to be more productive and with higher levels of “Corn Gluten” … being a excellent solution for animal feed, the same is not true for direct human food.
“In Gândara, cereals (and other things) were sold at fairs or to small traders who went from door to door to buy theme and a lot of times, direct changed between neighbors .
The corn that was left for family consumption, took the miller to grind, this brought back the bags of flour that were rationed to last until the next production, so that there was no shortage of bread on the table and the cereal for the animals, which, however, sometimes happened.
The Maize flour, was used also to make a delicacy much appreciated in the Gandara, corn porridge or pumpkin porridge, which were widely consumed by the people. The porridge was made in various ways, from an olive oil base with bacon to which the corn flour was added and allowed to cook, or by adding the flour to a soup or stew broth. But the way popes were most appreciated was to make them with pumpkin (and corn flour), because the pumpkin left a sweet taste, these porridge was still enjoyed with pork cracklings or with a salted and fried sardine. “Miranda, Elisabete in “Terras da Gândara. O quotidiano das gentes e a cozinha Gandaresa. As memórias dos saberes e dos sabores” “Lands of Gândara. The daily lives of the people and the Gandaresa cuisine. The memories of knowledge and flavors ” Just in Portuguese,yet.
The traditional diet of Gândara, with the roots on the Mediterranean diet, but based on Regional corn flour, beans and cabbages and pork, from the annual slaughter, was a Healthy diet, adapted to the rural lifestyle and the great energy needs.
The richness of genetic diversity and the unique characteristics of traditional maize varieties are an unmissable asset, notably to help control a global health problem – gluten intolerance, according to some authors, in a general way, even those that are not considered celiac.
“One of the particularities of much of the our tradicional germplasm (reserve of genetic heritage of botanical species) of maize is its technological capacity for bread making.
The traditional Portuguese corn bread, broa, has great potential to combat current food and environmental concerns. With the possibility of being a gluten-free product, if it is 100% corn, the bread is indicated for celiacs (Brites et al., 2010).
It also plays an important role in the rural economy of the Central and Northern regions of Portugal (Vaz Patto et al., 2007) and an increase in its market value, due to the health benefits, may be the way to preserve the biodiversity of currently threatened agricultural ecosystems, where its raw material, the traditional varieties of corn, is still produced. ” In http://www.agronegocios.eu/noticias/milho-passado-presente-ou-futuro/
At Greenside of Sea Hostel you can, upon prior request, enjoy corn bread from Gandara, made with regional corn ground in a traditional water mill.
Our mission is to contribute to boost the local rural economy, in order to compensate the losses of subsistence agriculture, due to changes in the market logic, where small producers have no place and, who knows, to inspire young people for a New Agriculture for self-consumption in response to growing concerns about food / health and socio-ecological sustainability.
