It is described as “one of Lagoa’s best kept secrets” and will be the star of the show at this year’s 17th Mostra do Doce Conventual sweets fair, which started in Lagoa’s Convento de São José today (Wednesday) and runs until Sunday (July 17-21).
The ‘Florados de Lagoa’ are an almond- and egg-based sweet which has been a staple of local confectionery for years, but which has remained somewhat unknown to the general population.
In fact, the original recipe for the sweet has been kept at the local convent for centuries and is only now being revealed, organisers say.
The whole story behind the sweet and other cloister delicacies made by nuns will be revealed during an innovative street theatre performance, which will be held each night during the course of the event at 11pm. The performance will feature video mapping, a way of projecting imagery onto a surface, making virtually any object into a screen.
But this will be only one of the many attractions of the event, which gives visitors an opportunity to taste a variety of traditional sweets inspired by nuns’ century-old recipes.
Most of the mouthwatering sweets are made from local Algarve ingredients such as carobs, almonds and figs. There will also be jams, honey, liqueurs and Monchique’s famous Medronho.
Say organisers, the century-old atmosphere of the convent is also “faithfully recreated”.
The programme also includes live music as well as an exhibition entitled ‘Arte Doce’ by Lagoa cake designer Ana Remígio.
Doors open at 7pm each day and admission is free.
