Edgar Oliveira follows the daily routine of sales, having previously worked with peanuts and popsicles. A native of Salvador, he is known as “Original” since his early years and is a highly creative entrepreneur that the Imbuí neighborhood has known for quite some time. When asked why he became “Original,” he replied, “I used that word a lot with my friends and coworkers long before working with abará, and the nickname stuck.” In 2001, Edgar worked as a Parliamentary Assistant but couldn’t afford to enjoy Carnival or travel with his wife. So, he decided to use his sales experience and his ability to interact with the public to sell a product that could fund their trip. Having learned the traditional recipe for abará from two Bahian friends, he prepared the delicacy and set out with a cooler on his head. “In an hour, I had already sold 100 units at Campo Grande. That was 13 years ago, and my abará was only the traditional one with shrimp.” Edgar continued his work as an assistant while selling to shops at Barra Shopping and Rio Vermelho, a bohemian district in the capital. When he realized that he could make a living solely from sales, he abandoned his political career and focused on commercializing and specializing even further in the Bahian delicacy. Initially, he stuck to traditional recipes, but he decided to innovate due to many customers being allergic to shrimp and unable to enjoy the highly praised dish. He created a variation for those with allergies, removing the shrimp from the dough and adding a filling of codfish and basil. “In the beginning, it was challenging. People didn’t know what my product was, and I only convinced them by offering many tastings.” Over time, he developed other fillings, and now he offers 28 variations, of which he only sells 7 or 8 per night. Some of the flavors on his menu are Shrimp, Codfish, Olive, Sardine, Hake, Greek Garlic, Tuna, Spicy Herb, and Hearts of Palm with Olives. He also created a side dish called “Vata-pimenta,” a version of vatapá, using abará dough, pepper, and a secret ingredient that, according to him, makes the abará much more flavorful. Edgar resides in the Saramandaia neighborhood and prepares everything in a workshop beneath his house. He grows some herbs in his neighbor’s backyard and visits the São Joaquim market twice a month to buy the ingredients he needs. After preparing the abarás, he carries them in his own car and travels to Imbuí, a popular area on weekends, where he established his business 15 years ago. He also brings along his cart, which has undergone numerous transformations, from a cooler carried on his head to a cart with two wheels, a walking tray, and a tricycle, also known as the Abará Móvel (Mobile Abará). Today, he uses a shopping cart, which he affectionately calls “The Original’s Ship.” Edgar is always dressed in African fabric clothes, made by seamstresses who are his friends.