Porta da Loja Apple (approx. 1kg)

Vendor: Porta da Loja

Rarity scale

SCARCE

Regular price 5,30 €

We were about to take a bite and couldn't help thinking: what we are about to taste has almost become extinct. We were this close to having nothing but wind in our hands.

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Production Time

Approximately > 2 weeks

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Porta da Loja Apple (approx. 1kg)

5,30 €

History Dimensions Conservation

From nearly extinct to your front door.

The first bite, well, let us tell you about that first bite.

We held it. The apple. Ugly, irregular, dull. Far from the sexy apples you find at any mainstream supermarket.

We were about to bite it and couldn’t help but think: what we are about to taste nearly went extinct. We were this close to have nothing but wind on our hands.

The bite caused the apple juices to flood our souls. We surrendered to the secular fruit flavours of Tibães (Minho, Portugal).

People from the region of Minho may know of Porta da Loja Apple, where it was cultivated and eaten by local farmers due to its resilience. The apple name comes from the place where it was stored: a special room that every house (“store”) had right behind the front door, that served as shed for farming needs.

Its fame never went further down than the Douro and, in the meantime, rural exodus and easy access to imported apples fated it to scarcity. For many years, if you searched well enough, maybe you could find it in regional fairs.

Now, here it is. At your front door.

Height > 27 cm
Width > 27 cm
Height > 20 cm

Storage
Store in a cool, dark, and slightly humid environment, such as a refrigerator drawer.
Ideal temperature: 1º to 4º C.

Meet the Producer

AN APPLE RESCUED BY FAMILY DEDICATION

The Casais family, from Tibães, committed to rescuing this apple from obscurity, inheriting the legacy of monks and farmers who preserved it over centuries.

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Origins and Family Legacy

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

Historical Background

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).

Rescue and Preservation

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.

Revival and Products

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.

ABOUT THE APPLE OF PORTA DA LOJA

The Porta da Loja apple is known for its resistance and unique flavour. Its name comes from the place where it was stored: the ‘loja’, a traditional pantry in Minho houses.

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Porta da Loja Apple (approx. 1kg)

Payment secure

Porta da Loja Apple (approx. 1kg)

From nearly extinct to your front door.

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AN APPLE RESCUED BY FAMILY DEDICATION

Origins and Family Legacy

Historical Background

Rescue and Preservation

Revival and Products

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