Sobao Pasiego

Appearance & taste

Sobao Pasiego has a deep yellow crumb and a golden brown top. Its texture is fine and light, it tastes sweet and has a pronounced buttery aroma. It is sold in a square case of baking paper whose folds form the typical “wings”. There are three sizes by weight: large sobaos of 130 to 180 g, medium ones of 40 to 80 g and small ones of 20 to 40 g.

The label shows the name “Sobao Pasiego” and the words “Indicación Geográfica Protegida” or “IGP”, together with the emblem of the geographical indication and a control number.

Production

The batter consists of butter (26 % ± 3), sugar (26 % ± 4), fresh egg (19 % ± 6) and wheat flour (26 % ± 4), with small amounts of dextrose, glucose and salt. Grated lemon zest, aniseed or rum may optionally be added. Raising agents, at most 1.5 g of potassium sorbate per kilo of batter, butter flavouring and wetting agents are also permitted.

The batter is mixed, portioned, baked and cooled. The sobaos are made and packed only in registered businesses that are inspected regularly. They must not be stored frozen.

Origin & history

The area covers 42 municipalities in Cantabria, including Vega de Pas, Selaya, Villacarriedo, Torrelavega and Santander. The district of Pas (Comarca Pasiega) has always been known for cheese, ice cream and butter because of its climate, which is favourable for milk production. According to the specification, the butter distinguishes the sobao from similar cakes made with margarine or other fats.

According to the writers García Lomas and Vega Ruiz, the sobao was originally a simple cake made from leftover bread dough, sugar and butter, later refined with eggs, lemon zest and aniseed or rum. In “Los Pasiegos” (1986), García Lomas attributes the modern sobao, made with high-quality wheat flour instead of bread dough, to the cook Eusebia Hernández Martín, who invented it in 1896 after a letter from her son. In 1946 J. Calderón Escalada recorded the word “Sobau” in the high valleys of the province of Santander as a cake of flour, eggs, sugar and butter in a specially folded case, which brides gave to their friends on their wedding day.

For decades, sobaos were baked in families for weddings, festivals and markets. In the middle of the 20th century the bakers moved their businesses from the surroundings of Vega de Pas to better roads, closer to the towns, and production grew. According to the specification, the district accounts for over 90 % of the region’s sobao production.