The Lagoa de Santo André Eel Festival takes place annually in the parish of Santo André, between January and February, for about twenty days and aims to promote this typical regional delicacy as well as stimulate the local economy.
Organized by the Municipality of Santiago do Cacém, with the support of the Parish Council of Santo André, and seeks to promote restoration through the promotion of gastronomy and a product of recognized quality that is assumed as local heritage captured in an area of Nature Reserve.
Since the beginning of January, the fishing community has been dedicated almost daily to eel fishing to provide local catering, this so famous and appreciated delicacy.
The Festival values the concept of gastronomic experience, facilitated by the excellence of local products, by the know-how to cook, but also by the genuineness of the Alentejo cuisine, bringing to the tables of restaurants exceptional dishes such as fried eels with Alentejo bread soup, with green migas or with potatoes -sweet, in a stew or stew, cataplana, pickled and grilled “à bulhão Pato” with coriander rice.
The initiative is not competitive in nature, nor does it imply any classification among the participants, who are exclusively focused on making known what is considered the pride of local gastronomy.
During the Festival, local musical groups, together with restaurants, usually enhance the event with their performances. Other activities are also carried out, such as colloquia on the Sea and the enhancement of natural resources in the Natural Reserve of Lagoas de Santo André and Sancha, as well as guided visits to the Coast of Santo André.
There are more than a dozen restaurants that join the municipality with the aim of surprising those who visit us, but above all to make our natural, historical and cultural heritage known, and for our flavors and local knowledge.
Come and meet the Lagoa eel and have a unique gastronomic experience.
Source: https://www.cm-santiagocacem.pt/evento/8-o-festival-da-enguia-da-lagoa-de-santo-andre/