Cozinha

"Munida de um fogão a lenha, de medidas gigantescas, onde as mais gostosas iguarias eram elaboradas e faziam as delícias de meia cidade.

Para nós crianças, apenas desejávamos não sermos detetados perto da mesa central, onde a taça das azeitonas era depositada e à mão de semear. As bolachas de Josefa eram mais difíceis de chegar porque estavam dentro do armário. Colocávamos o nosso destino nas mãos da sorte e aí, numa tentativa de nos tornarmos invisíveis aos olhos do pessoal, atacávamos rapidamente, porque o desejo era tanto. Aí também aprendi a deixar sempre, nem que fosse uma cenourinha para o dia seguinte – ensinamento dado pela Margarida, a cozinheira, figura imprescindível em todo este processo.

Outro dos alvos, de acesso difícil, eram as bolachas Josefa, que se desfaziam na boca."

Kitchen

"Armed with a gigantic wood-burning stove, it was where the most delicious delicacies were elaborated and they made the delights of half of the town.

For us children, we just wished we were not detected near the central table, where the bowl of olives was set and ready to be picked. Josefa's cookies were harder to reach because they were inside the cupboard. We put our destiny in the hands of chance, and then, in an attempt to make ourselves invisible to the eyes of the people, we attacked quickly, because the desire was so intense. Then I also learned to always leave something, even if it was a carrot, for the next day - wisdom given by Margarida, the cook, an indispensable figure in this whole process.

Another difficult target to reach was Josefa’s crackers, which crumbled in the mouth."

Maria Manuela