Figueira Gold

The company “Sabores da Geninha” devotes itself to the manufacture and processing of the typical products of the region of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo. The company is only four years old but Maria Eugénia Torres has been making sugared almonds, cakes and jams for years. In December 2012, the sugared almonds won the Gold Medal at the “National Competition of Traditional Portuguese Fruit Confectionery”.

It is said that the almond tree was the only tree that managed to deceive the devil. He was feeling hungry as he was crossing the region, saw a tree in blossom in March and, thinking that it would be the first to produce fruit, he lay down to sleep and waited.

The secret of their success, says Maria Eugénia Torres, “is using good quality almonds” and making them “without any type of preservatives or colouring. Everything is natural, in small quantities and with the right concentrations”. The products she uses all come from the region, bought directly from producers. She’s the only full-time worker at the company, and asks her family for help when she needs it. As for the prize, she was very pleased when she got the news and “hopes that such recognition will add value to her products especially now that Easter is coming”. And she recommends a visit to Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo when the almond trees are in blossom and make the countryside so beautiful. These products can be ordered from the website (1), in shops in the region or in Lisbon at the event Figueira Marca-te.

Going back to the devil. By September and as the white-flowered tree declined to produce any fruit, he ate some figs and headed off. It was only when they saw the devil leaving that the almond trees produced any fruit and wrapped it in a hard shell in case he changed his mind.

 

 

(1) http://www.saboresdageninha.net/index.html