Torres Vedras, a charming town near Lisbon nestled among hills planted with vineyards, is steeped in Portuguese history. Its castle helped defend the kingdom during medieval times, and the town served as the headquarters for the troops that fought against the Napoleonic invasions.
However, for us, Torres Vedras is synonymous with a Portuguese cornbread called broa. Some years ago, a friend brought us bread made with corn and rye flour from a pastry shop called São Pedro. Since then, we have made regular pilgrimages to satisfy our devotion to this delicious treat.
Despite our persistent attempts, the secrets behind São Pedro’s cornbread remain elusive. Over the years, our inquiries have been met with vague responses such as “It’s a traditional recipe from the north of Portugal.” The resulting mystery only adds to the cornbread’s allure, compelling us to keep returning to Torres Vedras.
Pastelaria São Pedro is located at Rua Dona Teresa Jesus Pereira 34-A, Torres Vedras, tel. 261 321 133.
Salt of Portugal 
Interesting, thanks, been seeking out authentic, older breads ever since I read my favourite ‘guide’ book on Portugal, “The Last Old Place”, by Datus Proper, a U.S. diplomat and keen fly fisherman, posted in Lisbon in the mid-1980’s, who, after retirement returns, invited by his Portuguese friend and fellow fly fisherman the Lisbon lawyer, Adriano, to see the rest of the country, when over several days they drive from the Algarve all the way up to Trás Os Montes, where they, famished, come across an old lady baking bread in her old, wood-fired oven who they entreat to share it with them, when she assents and also shares her recipie and advice on what not to do and why. The description is so evocative of the place bread, the staff of life, once held.
Reading up what I could find, I came across a gem of a book on the subject, “O Pão Em Portugal” by the French anthropologist Mouette Barboff and her specialist collaborators Paulo Chagas, Nicolas Lemonnier and Vasco Emídio and decided to seek out a source of broas de Avintes, loaves of dark rye flour mixed with a lesser proportion of corn flour, when the foodie writer, Miguel Esteves Cardoso, proclaimed it the best bread he had eaten in his ‘Puss in Boots’ column in Público’s weekend supplement, Fugas, some years ago and explained how to get it home-delivered and though delivery is twice the price of the bread, it’s a luxury worth the indulgence, I think.
Bom apetito!
Tony Russell
Sent from my iPad
Thank you for your interesting comments. Our favorite bread is made at home with barbela wheat, https://saltofportugal.com/2022/11/14/the-leader-of-the-barbela-tribe/