Come Christmas and Goan catholic homes have lot of work at hand. For years, Goans have been preparing lip smacking delicious sweets this time of the year which are eagerly looked forward to by one and all.
Norma
lly Goan neighbourhoods used to take turns in preparing sweets each day and it was a traditional custom for Goan womenfolk especially, to help each other in making sweets thus ensuring a perfect harmony between households. While this tradition is slowly dying, the love for preparing the Christmas sweets also known in Goa as the “consuada” has not reduced one bit. However some of the delicacies have been lost over a period of time.
Although readymade sweets are now available in Goa due to the commercialization of t
he tradition, the love for making one’s own sweets is still a strong custom followed till this day. However while the neurios, kulkuls, dodols, bebincas, bolinha, pinagre , gons and many other popular items are still prepared in Goa some other sweets of yesteryears such as bolo bebedo and pasties de natas are somehow not heard of being made in the modern age of Goa.
The bolo bebedo was made out of biscuits, dried fruit, brandy and custard and used to be a much sought after delicacy in Goa. However Goans have either forgotten the bolo bebedo or have taken convenient refuge in more popular delicacies like the bebinca.
It is no denying that most of these Christmas sweets made in Goa are a direct influence of the Portuguese. It has also been documented that it was the nuns at the Convento da Santa Monica who were responsible for introducing Portuguese recipes and for creating a blend of Indo-portuguese recipes, especially sweets such as the dedos da dama, petas de freiras, pasties de natas and pasties de Santa Clara.
Some of these delicacies hold an emotional bond for many of the elders in Goa and they normally hunt for the same at traditional Goan bakeries but have to return disappointed as the same have either been discontinued or not made due to its unpopularity among the new generations of Goans.
The marzipan sweets made out of Goan cashew are a hot favourite among all kinds of Go
ans and are normally sold like hot cakes in various bakeries. Many homes also prepare marzipan sweets in the shapes of various fruits and caricatures. Bakeries in Goa also offer traditional Christmas sweets such as bolo de nozes ( made of coffee, nuts, brandy and bread crumbs), bolo de rei ( made out of semolina, almonds and butter), pasties da Santa clara ( cashew nuts and almonds) Suspiros( lemon rind and almonds) teias de aranhas( made of tender coconut)
The common sweets like mandares, pinagre, cocada, bolinhos, batica, bolo san rival and dodol are still made and remain the most popular. However others like bolo russo, alva, pasties de banana, girgilada( made os sesame seeds) and coscoaroes ( made of flour) have not been seen for a long time.
Norma
lly Goan neighbourhoods used to take turns in preparing sweets each day and it was a traditional custom for Goan womenfolk especially, to help each other in making sweets thus ensuring a perfect harmony between households. While this tradition is slowly dying, the love for preparing the Christmas sweets also known in Goa as the “consuada” has not reduced one bit. However some of the delicacies have been lost over a period of time.Although readymade sweets are now available in Goa due to the commercialization of t
he tradition, the love for making one’s own sweets is still a strong custom followed till this day. However while the neurios, kulkuls, dodols, bebincas, bolinha, pinagre , gons and many other popular items are still prepared in Goa some other sweets of yesteryears such as bolo bebedo and pasties de natas are somehow not heard of being made in the modern age of Goa.The bolo bebedo was made out of biscuits, dried fruit, brandy and custard and used to be a much sought after delicacy in Goa. However Goans have either forgotten the bolo bebedo or have taken convenient refuge in more popular delicacies like the bebinca.
It is no denying that most of these Christmas sweets made in Goa are a direct influence of the Portuguese. It has also been documented that it was the nuns at the Convento da Santa Monica who were responsible for introducing Portuguese recipes and for creating a blend of Indo-portuguese recipes, especially sweets such as the dedos da dama, petas de freiras, pasties de natas and pasties de Santa Clara.
Some of these delicacies hold an emotional bond for many of the elders in Goa and they normally hunt for the same at traditional Goan bakeries but have to return disappointed as the same have either been discontinued or not made due to its unpopularity among the new generations of Goans.
The marzipan sweets made out of Goan cashew are a hot favourite among all kinds of Go
ans and are normally sold like hot cakes in various bakeries. Many homes also prepare marzipan sweets in the shapes of various fruits and caricatures. Bakeries in Goa also offer traditional Christmas sweets such as bolo de nozes ( made of coffee, nuts, brandy and bread crumbs), bolo de rei ( made out of semolina, almonds and butter), pasties da Santa clara ( cashew nuts and almonds) Suspiros( lemon rind and almonds) teias de aranhas( made of tender coconut)The common sweets like mandares, pinagre, cocada, bolinhos, batica, bolo san rival and dodol are still made and remain the most popular. However others like bolo russo, alva, pasties de banana, girgilada( made os sesame seeds) and coscoaroes ( made of flour) have not been seen for a long time.
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