tradition
Zoncho
By Carlos Automatico
The traditional packed meal that Trás-os-Montes shepherds carried for long days of grazing in the mountains.
The zoncho is the Trás-os-Montes tradition of wrapping the shepherd's meal in a linen cloth for days spent with the flock in the mountains. It typically contained rye bread, chouriço, cured cheese, and a flask of wine.
More than a simple meal, the zoncho represented autonomy and endurance — the ability to survive days of isolation with foods that kept without refrigeration. Rural tourism projects have revived the concept with traditional shepherd's meals on hiking routes.