Masa Sovada

 Holy week, the time when my Vovo would make masa sovada, commonly known as Portuguese sweet bread, was a time filled with the anticipation of tasting the warm, sweet, freshly baked bread with the hope that it would be just as good as last years batch. After all the mixing was complete, Vovo would swaddle the dough pans with special blankets and cover them with warm moist towels. The covered dough rested on a chair in her kitchen, where the temperature had to be warm enough for the dough to rise, if the room was too cold, it would not rise.

The best part of the baking process was the aroma of the sweet bread baking because then we knew it would not be long before we could enjoy the best masa!  Several batches of the mouth-watering bread were always finished well before Easter Sunday, but Vovo would not permit any sampling, after all, it was Holy week and we should be fasting.  

Dough prepared and ready for rising!

Mike mixing in the butter and eggs

The finished product!

When Easter Sunday arrived, the family would all gather at my Vovo’s house for a wonderful breakfast of  colored eggs, cheeses, and of course her delicious masa.

My family has carried down the tradition of making masa sovada, which we will enjoy this Easter Sunday morning after Mass.