Caíde Sweet Sarrabulho

Also known as: Caíde Sweet Sarrabulho · Sweet Blood-and-Bread Porridge

A pig-slaughter spoon sweet of Padronelo bread, cooked blood, honey, cinnamon and Port.

Origin: Caíde de Rei · Lousada · exact origin and chronology unknown
Place: Caíde de Rei · Lousada
Region: The North
Category: Puddings & Spoon Sweets
Season: Winter; traditionally tied to the pig slaughter and January festivities
Evidence: Well documented

Sweetness

Richness

Difficulty

Sarrabulho Doce de Caíde de Rei is a thick, dark, grainy porridge, entirely different from savoury papas de sarrabulho. Padronelo bread at least two days old is broken into small pieces and combined with cooked, crumbled pork blood. A syrup of water, sugar, honey, cinnamon and Port turns the ingredients into a moist, glossy spoon dessert.

There is no single fixed ratio: for generations its consistency was judged ‘by eye’. The blood should be finely crumbled and the bread should retain some texture, without the mixture becoming liquid or smooth. It is served warm or cold in an earthenware dish, especially in winter and around the traditional pig slaughter.

Ingredients

stale Padronelo bread
cooked pork blood
sugar
honey
cinnamon
Port wine
water

Taste & texture

Sweet and spiced with honey and Port, softened-bread texture and a restrained mineral depth from the blood.

Variations

The Parish Council describes Padronelo bread and quantities judged “by eye”. A household formula attributed to Adriana R. uses six bread rolls and publishes quantities for twelve people. Other versions add caul fat, walnuts, raisins, almonds, cloves or breadcrumbs; none should be presented as the confraternity's single formula.

Where to try it

In Caíde de Rei during the Sarrabulho Doce Festival in late January, and at events organised by its confraria and community.

Pairs well with

Tawny Port or strong black tea.

History

Its exact origin and chronology are unknown, but the recipe travelled through generations of northern families connected to the pig slaughter. It was called a ‘poor people's sweet’ because it used stale bread and blood and circulated without written measures. The Confraria Gastronómica do Sarrabulho Doce de Caíde de Rei, founded on 2 May 2017, promotes, studies and protects the specialty and organises an annual festival and competition on the last weekend of January. In 2019, Sarrabulho Doce was one of Porto district's seven finalists in the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Sweets, placing third in the district round.

Documentary basis

Well documented

7 sources

Identity supported by institutional, specialist or corroborating sources.

How we assess sources and uncertainty →

Well documented

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