In order to recognize, value and preserve cultural practices and initiatives that mirror the collective identity of the Algarve communities, the Algarve Coordination and Regional Development Commission (CCDR Algarve) has been producing and promoting a series of videos dedicated to the promotion of culture of the region, having presented, in this context, the video on the pale cake, a tradition from Monchique.
According to CCDR Algarve, the pan cake is “a living expression of the region’s intangible cultural heritage” and represents an ancestral knowledge transmitted orally over at least two centuries.
The institution points out that “this traditional delicacy is made with endogenous ingredients, such as cornmeal, honey, olive oil, cadronhole and pig bath, elements that root the practice in local routines and resources”.
The tradition of the pan cake is historically associated with May, in particular on the 1st, considered “a moment of celebration of the field, spring and communities,” says CCDR Algarve. In this sense, the preparation and sharing of this cake reflects “an ancestral organization of the rural world and reinforces the social and identity ties of the populations”.
The official recognition of this practice took place in May 2025, when the pan cake was registered in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The candidacy was submitted by the Monchique Parish Council, with the support of the Municipality of Monchique and the CCDR Algarve Culture Unit, IP
According to the Commission, this registration represents “the recognition of the symbolic and collective value of a practice that lasts in time, being witness to the memory and cultural identity of Monchique people.”
The initiative is part of the continued effort to preserve and streamline the cultural heritage of the region, giving visibility to the traditions that shape its social and cultural fabric.
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