Confeitaria Peixinho

Aveiro has one sweet above all others, the ovos moles, and Confeitaria Peixinho is the shop most visitors think of when they want to taste it. The pastry shop has been in business since 1856, which makes it one of the oldest in the town, and it sits on Rua de Coimbra, in the centre, a short walk from the canals. Inside, the display cases hold rows of the little sweets, along with other conventual specialities, and there is a steady stream of locals and visitors coming in for a box to take away.

Ovos moles, which means soft eggs, is a filling of egg yolk and sugar cooked into a thick, golden cream. The mixture is spooned into thin wafer casings, which are moulded into shapes that recall the sea and the lagoon: scallop shells, little fish, barrels and other nautical forms. The wafer is crisp and nearly flavourless, and the filling is very sweet, silky and slightly eggy, so a few pieces are plenty for most people. The sweet has been protected as a product with a geographical indication, which recognises the link between the recipe and the town.

The origin of ovos moles lies in the convents. Across Portugal, nuns used large quantities of egg whites to starch their habits and clarify wine, and the leftover yolks were turned into sweets, the doces conventuais that are now a national tradition. Aveiro had its own convent, the Convento de Jesus, where a Portuguese princess, Joana, spent her last years, and it is said that the recipe was developed there. When religious orders were suppressed in the 19th century, sweet-making passed into the hands of local pastry shops, which kept the tradition alive. Peixinho, the name of the shop, means little fish, and it fits the seafaring motifs.

Besides the ovos moles, the shop sells other local sweets, among them the tripas, thin rolled wafers filled with the same egg cream, as well as pão de ló and various cakes and biscuits. Packaging is part of the pleasure: the sweets come in painted wooden barrels and decorative boxes that make good gifts. Prices are modest, and you can buy a few pieces to try at once.

A visit works well as a pause during a walk through the old town. Aveiro is compact, and from the shop you can reach the central canal, the fish market square and the Art Nouveau houses within minutes. The town's museum, housed in the former convent where the sweets began, is also nearby. Try the sweets with a strong coffee, as the sugar level is high. Early afternoon is a good time, as the shop is well stocked, and weekends can be crowded. The shop suits anyone curious about Portuguese pastry traditions, and it is an easy way to taste something that belongs to this one town.