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Portuguese cooking comes hand in hand with the history of its people. It is related to the sea, spices and exotic fruit brought over from the East, as well as to the secrets of its convents. And, needless to say, it is always served with the famous Portuguese wines. If you have never had the opportunity of dining in a Palace or in a Castle then go to one of the historic Pousadas of Portugal. Try the ancient recipes, artfully seasoned, or the desserts cleverly devised and improved upon in convents throughout the past centuries. If you prefer a restaurant or would rather sit outside enjoying an ocean or mountain view, you will come to the conclusion that your only difficulty lies in a vast choice. In the autumn don't miss the Santarém Gastronomic Fair (Planícies) where you will find the delicacies brought from all over the country. |
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| In Costa Verde, start with a "caldo verde" (green cabbage and spicy sausage soup), followed by fresh fish and Oporto's tripe dish. Rice pudding and "pão de ló" (sponge cake) with Port, one of the nations finest wines, are some of the available desserts. To go with your meal have some fresh, sparkling "vinho verde". In Costa de Prata, taste a fish stew or a steamed lobster, but should you prefer meat, our suggestion is "leitão da Bairrada" (roasted suckling-pig) or "frango na púcara" (chicken cooked in a clay pot). The best known wines are those from Buçaco or Bairrada. "Doces de ovos" (egg sweets) from Aveiro, or "cavacas" (hard and sweet biscuits) from Caldas da Rainha are some of the specialties that the Portuguese took with them during their voyages to the East, where they are still served today.
On the Montanhas, taste the "Alheiras de Mirandela" (chicken sausages), the "presunto" (cured ham) from Chaves and the famous "Serra" cheese. In addition to Port, the grapes of which come from the Douro, taste the full-bodied Dão wines. The ideal choice in Costa de Lisboa is probably fish and seafood, but if you'd rather have meat, then go for the "cozido à portuguesa" (meat stew), whilst sipping the delicious wines of Colares, Bucelas, Carcavelos and the muscatel from Setúbal as an aperitif. In the Planícies, choose pork with clams in order to fully grasp the exoticism of its cooking. Different types of sausages, pork loin and game are some of the region's delicacies as well as the famous monastic cakes made from eggs, especially around Beja. Serpa cheese and its delicious bread, washed down with the red wines from Cartaxo and Almeirim, Redondo, Reguengos or Vidigueira are an excellent match for a meal. In the Algarve, one of the specialties is the famous "cataplana de mariscos" (seafood cooked in a special pan). Popular sweets, made from eggs, almonds and figs, compete with the magnificent wines of Lagos, Lagoa and Tavira. In Madeira, you can try a dinner of meat on a laurel spit or a tuna fish steak with fried corn, not forgetting the honey or cacao cake, with a glass of the famous Madeira wine. In the Azores, have a "cozido das furnas" (stew cooked under the steaming soil) or "alcatra à moda da Terceira" (meat dish). The tasty Ilha and Pico cheese, accompanied with a "verdelho" wine, is a must. Upon your return you can take home some extra weight. We are of course referring to Portuguese cookery books! ;) |
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