Grogue (English)

 

Just like cachupa cuisine and moma music, Grogue is an elemental part of every Cape Verdean’s cultural identity. Grogue also represents a vital link between the people and the land, sometimes arid, sometimes blessed with luxuriant growth, depending on the rainfall.

 

Despite the day-to-day hardships faced by many Cape Verdeans, they tend to be a cheerful nation, not gloomy or melancholy. As a regional product, Grogue is a key part of any special occasion or celebration. From the arrival of a new baby to a departure for a better life across the ocean, Grogue features at every festivity and social event with family and friends. For us visitors, it is inextricably linked to the local morabeza (hospitality) so cherished by the Cape Verdean people. There are even plenty of everyday events which deserve to be celebrated with a glass of aguardente, the deliciously fragrant spirit carefully distilled from local sugar cane with a good measure of joie de vivre.