Portuguese food varies from region to region, but fresh fish and shellfish are found on virtually every menu. The national dish is "bacalhau," dried, salted cod. The Portuguese have been obsessed with it since the early 16th century, when their fishing boats reached Newfoundland. The sailors salted and sun-dried their catch to make it last the long journey home, and today there are said to be 365 different ways of preparing it, one for each day of the year. Grilled sardines are popular in the coastal towns and if you are a fish lover you should also sample the ‘Arroz de marisco’ or seafood rice which will give you a tasty mixture of prawns, clams, crab and squid.
For meat lovers try the famous chicken piri piri which is grilled or barbecued chicken with a spicy marinade or steak Portuguese style which is a tender steak cooked in the oven with sliced potatoes on top. For a bit of both sample the rather unusual but tasty combination of pork and clams or ‘Porco a Alentejana’. Although this dish is served all over Portugal it originated from the Alentejo region of Portugal and is served in a light sauce with white wine, coriander and garlic.
For those with a sweet tooth you will be spoilt for choice in the local cafes and pastry shops where there are a wide variety of cakes and pastries available. The famous ‘Pastel de nata’ is a small cream tart which is believed to have been created by Catholic Sisters at the Jeronimos Monastery in the Belem region of Lisbon.
There are a wide variety of Portuguese wines to compliment your food with around 500 native breeds available. The Alentejo and Dao regions produce fruitful flavour wines suitable for a casual wine drinker. Planalto is a popular Douro white wine which was launched in 1990 and has quickly established itself as a quality option for those looking for a fresh and elegant wine. Three very nice red wines also originate from the Alentejo region are Borba, Loios and Chamine the latter being produced and bottled in Cortes de Cima- a family run business in the Alentejo. The rose wine is a great light alternative that has now reached international popularity with brands such as Mateus, Lancers Rose and Casal Mendes being exported.
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