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Some neighbourhoods become so closely bound to the places within them that you start wondering which came first: the neighbourhood or the shop. A Merenda, which first opened its doors in 1987, is not merely part of Parede’s streetscape — the aroma of freshly baked dough wafting from its kitchen is woven into the daily lives and sensory memories of local residents. Over the decades, however, this family-run bakery, now steered by father-and-daughter duo Miguel and Rita Florentino, has stretched its reputation far beyond the local area, establishing itself as a national benchmark. This year was no exception, as it picked up four accolades at the 15th Concurso Nacional de Bolo Rei Tradicional Português.
At the competition organised by QUALIFICA/oriGIn Portugal in partnership with CNEMA, held on 28 October, A Merenda claimed Silver medals for its Bolo-Rei and Bolo-Rainha, alongside a Bronze for its Bolo-Rei Escangalhado. In the Innovation category, its exclusive Bolo-Rainha filled with doce de gila (angel’s hair jam) also earned Bronze honours.
The story of the bakery began with an uncompromising commitment to artisanal craft. "The reason A Merenda opened in the first place comes down to the need to deliver real quality and serve the customer well," explains Miguel Florentino, whose own father worked in the bakery trade. It is a philosophy wholeheartedly shared by his daughter: "We have our own bakehouse and a shop that we take pride in; we don't run vans out on the road, nor do we supply third parties. We care deeply about the quality of the raw ingredients, how they are handled, and the service given to the end customer," says Rita.
Their foray into competitions began in Cascais, where A Merenda repeatedly swept top honours for both its bolo-rei and Easter folar. Their unbroken winning streak was such that Miguel eventually decided to pull the bakery out of the municipal contest: "We won everything there was to win in Cascais two years running. I said: we're not competing anymore; it's going to get repetitive. It doesn't look good for us, and it doesn't look good for them".
Her father’s reluctance provided the spark Rita needed to aim higher: "I decided to take our bolo to Portugal’s premier national competition in Porto. I went, we cleared the semi-finals, and straight away brought home national medals," the baker recalls proudly.
For the pair, the secret behind these accolades lies in an uncompromising selection of fresh, premium produce. "An oven isn't a hospital. If you put in low-grade fruit raw, it's not going to come out rehabilitated. The raw ingredients must be top-tier, resting times properly respected, yeast kept low, and the difference is obvious on the palate," says Miguel, highlighting their preference for Portuguese produce, particularly pine nuts. "We still allow ourselves the luxury of using real pine nuts in our bolo-rei, which is getting increasingly difficult," adds Rita.
It’s not just about the dough
The dough of the classic bolo-rei, dense yet pillowy, strikes a delicate balance between premium candied peel and carefully selected nuts. The bolo-rainha follows the same principle, boasting a golden hue and a generous crunch of dried fruit and nuts. Meanwhile, the bolo-rei escangalhado combines a light dough infused with orange zest, lemon, cinnamon, and a splash of liqueur with a luscious layer of gila jam, finished with glaze and sugar crystals. The award-winning Innovation version infuses this same succulent richness into the bolo-rainha, marrying citrus notes, crunchy nuts, and sweet squash preserve.
"The secret to our success is consistency," notes Rita. "The cake we enter into the competition is identical to the one a customer buys over the counter". That customer devotion has even upended the holiday calendar: "We've started adding Easter folar to our Christmas menu because people ask for it, and at Easter we have bolo-rei on the counter because there's always someone who wants to take one home. If the customers ask, we make it".
Rua Sampaio Bruno, 127, Shops 7 & 8 (Parede). Mon-Sun 07.15-20.00