Old-Fashioned Market brings traditional crafts and flavours to life

An old camellia tree from a house garden had to be felled out of necessity. Its fate seemed inevitable: to become firewood or simply vanish without a trace. Yet, in the skilled hands of José Rocha, the timber was given a new purpose. It became the fine raw material for one-off pieces: delicately shaped birds, distinctive lines and colours that now stand out among the dozens of stalls at the 27th edition of the Old-Fashioned Market, which opened on Saturday morning and continues until Sunday.

Amid the buzz of visitors, traditional music and the aromas of food from bygone days, José Rocha presented his work. The craftsperson is among those who accepted the local authority’s invitation to take part in what has become one of the municipality’s most emblematic events.

José Rocha’s wooden birds at the Old-Fashioned Market

Like many of the items on display, these creations have a story behind them. José Rocha became a craftsperson at his daughter’s insistence, after she asked him to carve a wooden bird for his grandson. He combined that encouragement with the knowledge he had gained over the years through restoration work, the antiques trade and close contact with other craftspeople.

Having worked in restoration for several years and trained at the Ricardo Espírito Santo Silva Foundation in Lisbon, he says this new passion emerged almost by chance. “This came about because of my daughter. Now I just hope I am not going to be making little birds for the rest of my life,” he said with a smile.

While he speaks enthusiastically about his pieces, he has also been closely following the event’s development. “This year it is better organised, there are open spaces, and the organisation is very interesting this year,” he said.

“The quality of the stalls is different, better, and the quality of the market has been improving,” he added. Even so, he has a suggestion for future editions: “There could be more people, more craftspeople, working in the street.”

Local gastronomy

Although the craftspeople draw attention and spark curiosity, local associations and their traditional products remain an essential stop for visitors.

At the Grupo Cultural e Recreativo de Ossela stall, maize bread, cinnamon cake, honey bread and cheese are the standout gastronomic specialities, winning over visitors.

“It is a way of promoting the products of our parish and helping our futsal group,” they explain. The group has been attending for many years and has built a loyal following: “We have been here for many years, and there are already people who come here especially for us,” says director Pedro Silva.

Among those returning each year is Florinda Freira, from the parish of Ul, accompanied by José Costa and Carla Guerreiro. “This little cake from Ossela is really very good,” Florinda says.

Traditional flavours and living history

Not far away, Adelaide Costa and António Costa are kept genuinely busy, watching over the pots in which the eye-catching and well-known rojões pork pieces are sizzling.

Invited to work with the Parents’ Association of Cruzeiro Nursery School in Santiago de Riba-Ul, the couple are sharing a tradition with deep roots.

As for the secrets behind the dish, the recipe appears straightforward but requires knowledge and experience. “They are cooked only with lard. They do not have water or anything else, apart from salt, fleur de sel.”

Throughout the streets, costumed participants, associations, craftspeople and community groups take on the task of recreating, in detail, the lifestyles and customs of earlier times.

With more than a hundred associations and craftspeople involved, the Old-Fashioned Market once again turns the venue into an authentic living portrait of the past. Across the site, there are stalls selling farm produce, handicrafts, workshop items, antiques and traditional food, accompanied by popular music, concertinas, folk groups, singing, dancing and continuous street entertainment.