Porto gave away its meat, kept the tripe, and got a nickname.

The story

According to legend, in 1415 Porto's shipyards were secretly building a fleet for Ceuta. Prince Henry, born in the city, turned up unannounced and told the foreman, Master Vaz, the real target. Vaz promised the ships all the city's meat; the people would keep the tripe. Henry called the nickname 'tripe-eaters' an honour. Porto has worn it ever since.

Context

We found no chronicle of the time that tells this story, and versions differ: in one, the nickname is already thirty years old, from a war with Castile. The dish, however, is real: tripas à moda do Porto, tripe stewed with beans, sausages and cuts of pork, chicken and veal. In 1960 a bronze monument by Lagoa Henriques was placed beside the old yards, thanking the people of Porto who equipped the fleet. Its inscription says À Grei, 'to the people'.

Bridge to today

Monument by Lagoa Henriques (1960) near the old Ouro shipyards

Monumento de Lagoa Henriques (1960) junto aos antigos estaleiros do Ouro

In Porto, by the old Ouro shipyards, stands a 1960 monument by Lagoa Henriques.

Ribeira, Porto