Prove Portugal

A meeting point of different cultures, the region of Lisbon offers us a little of all national gastronomic specialties but it also presents us with its own recipes and products. The fish tradition is more accentuated in the months of May and July in the City’s Fairs, where sardines become the image of these events. Grilled or driping in a slice of bread is the most common way of eating sardines in the typical Arraiais Populares (Popular fairs) that take place in the historical quarters. At the restaurants, the grilled sardine pairs well with boiled potato or just with a lettuce, tomato and pepper salad.

Salmonetes (Mullet)à Setubalense is a typical dish from the Setúbal peninsula which has very routed culinary and fishing traditions. The distinctiveness of this dish comes from the broth that is prepared with the fish’s liver, by far its most tasty part.

To the north of Setúbal, after Serra da Arrábida, we are able to find the qualified cheeses (DOP) of Azeitão. They are produced, still following the traditional methods, from November until May and they can be served either as appetizers or at the end of a meal, which in the last case requires the company of a Moscatel wine from Setúbal.

To the north of Lisbon, in the west coastal area the ocean becomes more vigorous and the cliffs are abundant. The more energetic waves cause some fish like bass, red snapper and seafood to flow into these cliffs.  As proof of that is the quality and assortment of fish and seafood we find in some ports like Peniche. A town of rich gastronomic traditions, this is evidently where the recipe for Lagosta Suada à moda de Peniche (Swety Lobster in Peniche’s way)comes from.

The Carolino Rice from the region of the Lezírias (DOP) in Ribatejo is another important asset in the wealth of national gastronomy. Its round grains, with low contents of amylose, are undoubtedly one of the finest rices.

The Pastel de Nata(custard egg tart), or Pastel de Belém, when made according to the original recipe of the monastery of Jerónimos, is a sweet example of the best use of the ancestral flavor acquired in monastery retreats. This tradition, according to which the best sweet making recipes came out of the convents, was also used to enhance regional rivalries.

The Queijadas de Sintra also score in the sweet making scenery. They are tiny cakes made from fresh cow’s milk cheese, eggs, sugar, flour and cinnamon which, according to old writings, were used as currency exchange in trade operations.

Up north we have one of the most renowned fruit areas of the country which provides us such juicy fruits as the Pera (Pear) Rocha do Oeste (DOP) or the Apple from Alcobaça.

Having salt with no sea around is the distinctive feature of the salt extracted from the salt pans in Rio Maior which are located in the top of Serra dos Candeeiros, at about 15 miles from the ocean. By being produced with salt water from a solid salt rock, it develops unique properties which grant this salt recognition all aroud the world.