The city’s only authentic Iberian wine café on Castle Street, BoBo is celebrating Portugal’s most important national holiday on Monday, April 25th by handing out free treats.
Freedom Day (Dia da Liberdade) commemorates the “Carnation Revolution”, a popular demonstration in 1974 marking the overthrow of the ‘Estado Novo’ dictatorship which was one of the longest-surviving authoritarian regimes in Europe in the 20th century.
Bobo, which celebrates Portuguese wine and food, is offering 100 free Pastel de Nata – the country’s famous egg custard tart pastry – for anyone passing, coming into BoBo or who just fancies one, until they are all gone!
Brad Mullen-Thompson, BoBo’s manager, said:
“Pastel de Nata is one of Portugal’s most popular national dishes and that’s not surprising because they are delicious. It has actually been described as one of the 50 best things to eat in the world and the Portuguese voted the pastry as one of their ‘Seven Wonders of Gastronomy’.
“For us, it’s a simple way to commemorate this important national day coup that remembers the transition back to democracy 48 years ago in this beautiful country which has helped inspire our offer at BoBo, as well as to announce our new Monday opening, meaning we are now open seven days a week.”
The Carnation Revolution received its name from restaurant worker Celeste Caeiro’s actions. Celeste, who is now 88-years-old, was working in a self-service restaurant in Lisbon called ‘Sir’.
The restaurant was opened on 25 April 1973 and for its first anniversary the owners planned to give out flowers to all its customers, but this had to be cancelled because of the coup. She was sent home and told that she could take the wasted red and white flowers.
She offered the flowers to the tanks involved with the coup and they placed the flowers in the muzzle of their guns. The idea was copied and flower sellers donated more flowers to decorate the mutinous soldiers and their weapons.
