Sabores do Toiro Bravo invites you to live the brave side of life: Gazeta Rural

From the 3rd to the 5th of May, at the 20th edition of the Sabores do Toiro Bravo event, Coruche demonstrates bravery that is popular in typical Ribatejo taverns located in the Praça de Toiros de Coruche.

The participation of the restaurants Sabores de Coruche, O Farnel, Ó Manel and Carnes Bravas by deCatering has been confirmed, the event, which receives an average of around 20 thousand visitors per edition and which has a prominent place in the main gastronomic itineraries, also promises an extensive parallel program which includes masterclasses, crafts shows, folklore, free bullfighting entertainment, children’s entertainment and lots of music, not forgetting the Luso-Arabian Breed Horse Morphofunctional Competition and the Crafts and Local Products Fair.

Sabores, a charismatic and authentic event in Ribatejo, marks the beginning of the bullfighting activity and establishes a gastronomic menu of excellence, celebrating in the Bullfighting Square the flavors and knowledge in
around the wild meat.

With a program full of activities for all ages, the great Sabores do Toiro Bravo event promises unforgettable moments and unique experiences with generous touches of bravery.

The official inauguration of the gastronomic event takes place at 6 pm on Friday, May 3, marked by an intercultural moment with the dance group Pampa Compania, an Argentine delegation participating in FIFCA that remains in Coruche throughout Sabores, and with Rancho Folklore from Vila Nova de Erra. In addition to gastronomy and festivities, visitors can also explore the Crafts and Local Products Fair, where they will find traditional and artisanal products from the region.

The theme is set by tasting recipes whose central ingredient is wild bull meat, the protagonist of the Ribatejo gastronomic event, which is a national celebration of people, culture and flavors. Accompanying the culinary experience, diners can enjoy itinerant entertainment at dinner, with the popular music groups of António Figueiredo and Fazendeiros del Pop at the Praça de Toiros de Coruche.

The night also offers moments of relaxation at Parque do Sorraia, at 10 pm, with “Noite Tinto Verano” and the group Quero Si, or, at the Tertúlia of the Grupo de Forcados Amadores de Coruche (GFAC), with “Noites do Toiro Bravo” and DJ Francisco Rouxinol.

On the second day, Saturday, May 4th, the program begins at 10 am with the Pilgrimage on Horseback, organized by the Luso-Arab Breed Horse Association, followed, at 10:30 am, by the exciting recreational activity “My first catch the Coruche Group”, which provides a unique bullfighting experience between parents/guardians and children/tudents, in direct contact with rezes bravas (calves) in the Praça de Toiros arena.

At 11:30 am, the atmosphere becomes lively again with the game “Mesa da Tortura”, organized by the Grupo de Forcados Amadores de Coruche, also in the arena. During lunch, diners are accompanied at the Bullring by the traveling entertainment of the popular music groups Charanga Os Batatas and Trinca
Pimples.

The afternoon reserves moments dedicated to horses, with the equestrian baptism at 2 pm and, at 3 pm, with the II Morphofunctional Competition of the Luso-Arabe Horse 2024, both organized by the Luso-Arabe Breed Horse Association. As night falls, the entertainment continues with more music and entertainment at dinner, performed by the popular music groups Charanga Os Batatas, Carraceiros Cinco and the Argentine dance group Pampa Compania, all in the Praça de Toiros. Later, at 10 pm, Parque do Sorraia hosts the Rafa & Beltran concert, while the GFAC Tertúlia takes place, starting at 11:30 pm, with “Noites do Toiro Bravo” with DJ Miguel Morais.

The program on May 5th, the third and final day, ends in style. The activities start early, at 9:30 am, with the MãeFit initiative, organized by the Sports Service of the Municipality of Coruche, which promises an energizing and healthy morning between mothers and children at Jardim 25 de Abril.

Then, at 11 am, at the Arena da Praça de Toiros, GFAC training begins together with the Grupo de Forcados Amadores da Chamusca, providing moments of dexterity and bravery with a lot of tradition in the mix. Then work up an appetite at lunchtime in the square, animated by the itinerant popular music groups Terra Velhinha, Tropa Fandanga and, once again, the group Pampa Compania. At 4 pm, authentic gastronomy lovers will have the opportunity to participate in the “Sabores do Toiro Bravo” workshop with chef Ricardo Sousa.

The initiative, promoted by the Municipality of Coruche, promises to reveal culinary secrets and preparation techniques involving wild bull meat. Closing the event in a festive and celebratory rhythm, at 5 pm a folklore workshop will take place in Praça d’Água with folk groups from the Municipality, promoting culture, tradition and the best of the region’s community and associative spirit.

The Sabores do Toiro Bravo event is a unique event in the country and in the world, associating flavors with celebration, tradition, music and the traditional values ​​of bullfighting culture for an alchemical combination that brings thousands of people to Coruche every year. The theme is set by tasting multiple recipes that have wild bull meat as their central ingredient.

Wild veal roasted in the pan with roasted potatoes and cornbread crumbs and cabbage, fillets of wild bull loin with shrimp, wild calf kebab on bay leaf, stewed ox tail, stuffed wild bull steak, wild bull neck with grain and mint, posta brava à lagareiro, emptied of toiro brava with migas, fried potatoes and orange, canja de toiro brava or miminhos na tile are just some of the many delicacies with ingredients characteristic of Ribatejo cuisine that delight visitors.

In addition to the multiple ways of tasting wild meat, the Flavors extend to the region’s sweets and wines, which accompany the dishes. In addition to gastronomy and crafts, visitors can explore the village and learn more about the bullfighting history and culture, particularly at the Coruche Bullfighting Center, which will be open from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2:30 pm to 6 pm.

It is also suggested to visit the Rural Center and the Tourist Office, not forgetting the Loja do Montado to purchase local products and handicrafts. There are, in fact, countless reasons for a visit
unforgettable, starting with Jardim 25 de Abril and Parque do Sorraia, next to Praça de Toiros, where visitors can stroll calmly along the riverbank. So close by is the radical park, between the sports pavilion and the river, a refreshing water square and a mural paying homage to Coruchense’s passion.

The historic center of Coruche is also worth visiting, particularly for the design of its stately homes, the magnificent facades of the churches, as well as the urban art interventions. Finally, a trip to Praça da Liberdade, where the Town Hall Building and Pelourinho are located, as well as the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Castelo, offers stunning views over the Sorraia Valley. Coruche invites, once again, to live the brave side of life.