4. The Food
Eat what is put in front of you. They are not making fun of you. The rooster’s head floating in the soup really is given to the honored guest, If you insist on being a picky eater, stay home.
Tim Cahill, Hold the Enlightenment (2002)
The food of Portugual was a standout. While Italy and France get all the acclaim, Portugual holds its own. The seafood is fresh and plentiful. Seafood stews with bread or rice shine with octopus, shrimp, other shellfish.
The cod, dried and salted, reconstituted wrapped in bread with potato ( and cheese) in a cake or soaked then prepared to be served, competes with sardines for popularity with the most inviting little shops which showcase cans of sardines with a variety of seasoning! But the fish does not steal the show, Iberian pork is its own delicacy.
We found some of our best eats were not the tourist attraction restaurants but rather the family run small restaurants. One example of which, in Porto, had only two items on the menu each night, fish or a meat. Momma was cooking in the kitchen and twin daughters were delivering the delicious entrees. The locals filled and refilled this treasure.
The pastries are numerous, but nata, the flaky nest of creamy custard is the National treasure. The pastis de Belem ( the OG of nata) is amazing. Locals and tourists alike queu to purchase these treats by the half dozen. The breads take top prize for us, however.
No one does crust like the Portuguese ( be prepared to pay for the butter though!- you can sometimes get a glass of wine for less than a pat of butter…not really sure how I feel about that!) N.B. bread, olives, butter, relishes, or pates are often brought to the table in a restaurant. You pay for it all whether you requested it or not. It is acceptable and expected that you will say no to anything you do not wish to take.
5. The wine
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.”
Benjamin Franklin
Portuguese wine is delicious. Wine is a perfect complement to a lunch or dinnlier and is enjoyed at without an exorbitant price. The full-bodied dry reds of the Douro Valley are very good. There are eighty varieties of grapes in the region.
The Douro is also home the the fortified Port wine. The Gaia hillside is dotted with the various Port wineries aging the Port and offering tours, tastings or aperitivos on their patios looking over the river and the city of Porto.
The Alentejo produces some lovely crisp whites, and do not pass up the chance to try the Vinho Verdi( green wine) which despite the name is not green in color, but rather has an effervescent tart quality of a young wine.
It is usually a white wine, though it does have a red and rose version. It is low in alcohol and refreshing for a warm day.
6. The Music
“If music be the food of life, play on.“
William Shakespeare
One great treasure of Lisbon, held closely by those in the Alfama, is Fado. Fado is the soulful, mornful music of Portugal. The Fado Museum is in the Alfama section and is also home to many small intimate restaurants offering an evening of Fado music. Fado is a very social and communal event.
Reminiscent of an intimate night in an Irish pub, local artists support and honor those who are there and the stage was shared by 5 different artist. The music transcends the language divide and can be appreciated and “understood” despite the language. A collective respect is evident among the musicians.
We attended an evening of Fado, where dinner began at 8:30 and Fado followed. The musicians were incredible. One playing the 12 string mandolin and the other an acoustical guitar. The vocalists, all well known to each other and established in the Fado world sang their tale of longing… it has been said that “Fado can make the stones cry”.
In addition to Fado, the buskers in Portugal on the streets and squares have been extremely talented and engaging,
Guitarists and singers prevail, but the occasional accordion or mandolin, or one man band ala Ed Sheeran entertains the crowds. As you take an evening stroll be sure to pause and appreciate the entertainment.
Just 3 more reasons to go. Check out our 10 reasons to visit Portugal (Part 3) to finish out our reasons to visit!
Maureen and David’s Travel Blog 