The sweet potato which is a festival returns to Aljezur at the end of November

«The Sweet Potato Festival has been assuming, over the years, an increasing importance, not only for the sale of local products, namely what gives it its name, but also for the affirmation of the territory as one of excellence in gastronomy» . This is how José Gonçalves, mayor of that Costa Vicentina municipality, refers to the event that, after a year of intermission due to the pandemic, is now returning, from 26 to 28 November.

According to the mayor, the 2021 edition “will still have some restrictions and adaptations, even so that the space can be wider, but it will already be very close to the normality».

One of the restrictions will be visible in the smaller amount of catering spaces on the festival grounds. "The restaurant will not be so present in the space itself, but visitors will be able to enjoy the cuisine, based on sweet potatoes and all other excellent local products, in the existing restaurants in the municipality", stressed José Gonçalves, speaking to Sul Informação.

At the Festival, the variety of gastronomic offer will be reserved for snacks and will pass through taverns, with a Petisqueira Zone inside, which will address Aljezur's sweet potato «in a more “uncompromised” and lighter way”, to which the people freely associate. restaurants in the county, in their own spaces.

Despite the restrictions and the need to make the space wider, there will be several dozen exhibitors, namely handicrafts, sweets and other local products, which will be accompanied by traveling entertainment throughout the venue.

«The temptation of sweets maintains a strong presence and, in every corner of the festival, it will be easy to be tempted by various products, where the sweet potato from Aljezur, in its multiple uses, makes the difference, whether through a variety of pastries, in a chocolate , in a liqueur, in a compote, in a brandy, in an ice cream or even in some refreshing and tasty beers».

There will also be the direct sale of Aljezur's sweet potato, the only one with Protected Geographical Identification (IGP), properly packaged and guaranteed by the Producers Association, which will also sell the baked potato in a wood oven and the fried sweet potato.

Last year, due to the pandemic, it was not possible to organize the festival, with the sale of Aljezur's sweet potato being promoted only through an online store. «It turned out to be an interesting way to sell the product», admitted the president José Gonçalves.

The Municipality of Aljezur has guaranteed, over the years, continued support to the Sweet Potato Producers Association and, in this way, to its producers. Last year, without being able to promote the festival, the municipality tried to buy sweet potatoes to offer, for example, to CHUA's health professionals. "It was a way for the Chamber to help producers to sell their production in an atypical year", explained the mayor.

José Gonçalves added that the Aljezur Sweet Potato Festival is "one of the most visible aspects" of the partnership between the Municipality and the Association. The objective is «the enhancement of agricultural production of this secular product with unique flavor and characteristics, largely due to the edaphoclimatic conditions that the demarcated area presents for its production».

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