Country: Portugal
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The Vim do Monte company was started by a family who returned to Portugal and which saw in the potential of the Videmonte hamlet an opportunity for the production of local products, namely rye bread and the growing of aromatic herbs. Manuel Proença and his wife, Céu Proença, began by producing rye bread in their own oven. To fuel the fire, they use broom wood, cut during the winter and dried throughout the spring and summer. This wood is non-resinous and has high heating capacity, while also helping to clear the land surrounding Videmonte. Later, they restored one of the region’s many water mills, a more traditional and economical choice. The resulting flour is finer and imparts a distinct flavor to the bread. Rye bread Rye bread is a well-known local product in Guarda, especially in the village of Videmonte. Rye is a cereal which is produced in abundance in this territory, due to it being highly adapted to high altitude territories, making it an integral part of the culture of this populations for years. The threshing, harvesting and milling of this cereal are procedures that take place every year in this small hamlet, and is now the focus of an annual event whose purpose is to promote this product.
Products
The rye bread that Manuel and Ceu produced is cooked at 250 degrees Celsius, after more than an hour of pre-heat, has only 3 ingredients: water, flour, and salt. The sourdough starter, the natural yeast, makes the bread rise. The wood-fired oven gives it its characteristic flavor and crispness.
Herbal Infusions and Aromatic Herbs The company pick and dry different kinds of herbs and flowers, coming from the field or cultivated without the use of pesticides. Herbs such as elderberry flowers, mastic thyme or carqueja have beneficial effects on the health and are an example how traditionally the ancients used natural elements for cooking and treating illnesses.
Liquors The company produces different kinds of homemade liquors from wild fruits of the territory, such as cherry or blackberry.
