The product has been added to the national list of products with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), paving the way for future European certification and safeguarding its traditional production method.

The distinction is the result of a process conducted by regional and national entities, aimed at protecting the authenticity of the sweet, strengthening its connection to the Algarve, and preserving the convent recipe, which is still produced in different parts of the region today.

According to SIC Notícias, the PGI awarded to Dom Rodrigo is currently valid nationally. The process now moves to Brussels, where Portugal also intends to secure the European seal, similar to those already obtained by Algarve oranges and Rogil sweet potatoes.

Inclusion on the national list protects the traditional method of preparation and consolidates the sweets’ identity among consumers, the same source emphasises.

The history of Dom Rodrigo dates back to a Carmelite convent in Lagos, where the recipe was first created and kept secret for several years. Over time, knowledge of how to make it was passed on, ensuring the sweet’s continuity. Today, it is local confectioners who preserve and pass on the original recipe, maintaining the ingredients and traditional steps that characterise the product.

Dom Rodrigo is made with egg threads, soft eggs, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon. The ‘burning’ phase, carried out before wrapping the sweet in vegetable paper and coloured foil, is crucial to give it its distinctive golden appearance and unique flavour.

The national decision in favour of registration was handed down on 17 November by the Secretary of State for Agriculture and subsequently published in the Diário da República, formalising the award of Protected Geographical Indication status. The seal certifies that each unit is produced in the 67 parishes of the 16 municipalities of the Algarve, subject to a rigorous system of control and certification.

According to SIC Notícias, the Algarve Regional Sweets Association played a central role in this process, collaborating in the certification of the product and in the definition of uniform quality criteria for all producers. Created three years ago, the association has helped meet growing demand, especially during the summer and Christmas seasons, ensuring that Dom Rodrigo maintains its traditional characteristics.

The award of Protected Geographical Indication status represents a milestone for the economic, cultural and tourist promotion of the Algarve, protecting the sweet from imitations and misuse of the designation. The next step is to secure the European seal, consolidating the international recognition of a product that is part of the region’s gastronomic heritage and whose history is preserved through traditional craftsmanship.