Born in the capital of Bahia, but raised in Simão Dias, in the interior of Sergipe, Dona Elza came to Bahia with a friend at the age of 19, hiding from her mother: “Life was tough, it wasn’t easy in the countryside. I came and told a neighbor that he could tell my mother when I boarded the bus. There were tears!” The year was 1975, and she initially worked as a housekeeper until she was recommended to be a pantry worker at a large company. She worked in various other companies, always in this position, until she was fired from a construction company after being a victim of a work accident. At that time, she got a job as a food attendant at a supermarket and saw an opportunity to increase the family income by changing her working hours. Along with a friend who used to make coffee, they decided to go to Praça da Piedade, in downtown Salvador, to sell porridge. On the first day, however, her friend didn’t show up, but she decided to continue: “I learned to work on the street out of necessity.” Months passed until one day her manager passed by, greeted her, and went on. The next day, when she arrived at the supermarket, she was told to return to her previous schedule, and she had to stop selling porridge. Some time later, unemployed again and with two children to raise, she decided to go to the city hall to request a permit to sell porridge at Largo 2 de Julho, where a well-organized street fair was starting. And she succeeded! At first, she bought all the products at the Feira de São Joaquim, but nowadays, due to convenience, she gets everything from a small grocery store at Largo 2 de Julho itself. However, she insists on saying that her process remains entirely handmade and very hygienic. Working from Sunday to Sunday, she wakes up at 4 a.m. every day to prepare the cakes, porridge, and other foods she sells: tapioca and cassava couscous, “lelê” (a traditional Bahian dessert), canjica (hominy porridge), white corn porridge (Munguzá), and cakes. Today, at 58 years old, Dona Elza is already thinking about returning to Sergipe: “Longing, opportunity, and rest” are the words that determine her return.