Cantinho da Dona Rosa

Stall: 23

Rosa is from Avintes. Her great-grandmother was one of the first people to make the very typical, renowned corn, rye and malt bread from Avintes, known as "Broa de Avintes." Since a very young age, Rosa had been coming with her mother, Claudina Moreira Moura, to Porto to sell this typical bread. At that time, the "Broa de Avintes" was cooked in a wood-fired oven, in Rosa's family home. After the bread was baked, there was a long journey to the city: sometimes on foot, sometimes by boat, and only much later, by bus or by truck. When she was just 4 years old, Rosa would already take care of the wicker baskets, while her mother would take the tram and walked the streets doing her work of selling bread. Rosa remembers seeing her mother with the wicker basket on her head handing bread to Mr. Bernardino, who had a baker's stall in Mercado do Bolhão. The story of Rosa's family in the market begins like this, when that same gentleman, due to his advanced age, handed over the stall to Claudina.

In the early days, Claudina only had a baker's stall, but shortly after, she bought another stall, which would be managed by her husband. Finally, a third stall was acquired, which was also managed by the family.

Rosa was 13 when she stopped studying and went to take the place of her father, who had fallen ill. Thirty five years later, Rosa, who recognizes that she is an "adventurous" person, expanded the family business and took over a fish stall. She stayed there for 7 years, until she handed the stall over to Sara, who is still currently a fishmonger, while she went back to the baker's stall. Later on, when she was 36 years old (so, 28 years ago), Rosa united all three stalls owned by the family: the first continued to sell bread, "broa de Avintes," and cakes; the second sold cookies and biscuits; and the third then started selling wine and other alcoholic beverages. Rosa recalls that this last stall opened its doors with 56 bottles available.

Presently, it is Rosa's daughter who helps her parents in the three stalls, and who will continue the business, which is now in the 3rd generation of the family.