Porta da Loja

It starts with a tree. A family tree. The Casais family tree, from Tibães, the ones who vowed to bring the unique Porta da Loja Apple back from near extinction. 

Centuries before that, the Benedictine monks of Mosteiro de Tibães had preserved its cultivation with near-religious care, and, later, local farmers stored them in the cool shed behind their front door (called “store”, or “loja” in Portuguese).

Inheriting such a delicate fruit from monks and farmers required the Casais family the gift of resilience. Or, shall we say, the ritual of resilience.

They began by searching for the last living trees, scattered across forgotten lands. Then, they worked with agricultural researchers to catalogue and preserve viable specimens, planting new orchards that respected the tree’s genetic integrity. Today, the apple is alive and well and can be savoured in different products ranging from cider to jam. You can also take a bite and taste it whole and chunky - the memory will be forever ripe.