Salt of Portugal
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Welcome to our blog about places to see, food to eat, wine to drink, poetry to read, and whatever else comes to mind. The Portuguese navigators discovered much of the world four hundred years ago but the world has yet to discover Portugal. So, the country remains the last secret of Europe. A place of castles and palaces, of mountains and valleys, of sand and sea. All bathed in warm light, all..
Salt of Portugal
3w ago
To find the finest place for lunch in Lisbon, you must head toward the majestic Pantheon, a baroque limestone masterpiece that took three centuries to build. The adjacent plaza, Campo de Santa Clara, overlooks the “sea of straw,’’ the stretch of the Tagus River that reflects the golden sunlight, resembling a field of wheat. A ..read more
Salt of Portugal
1M ago
A woman named after a flower crafts enchanting wines on a farm called Serenada, which her family has owned for over three centuries. It sounds like a fairy tale, but the wines are as real as the spell they cast. As a young girl, Jacinta Sobral had no idea she was destined to become a winemaker ..read more
Salt of Portugal
2M ago
Covilhetes are small meat pies cherished in Vila Real, a town near the Douro Valley. Their origins date back over two centuries when they were sold at religious fairs. By the mid-19th century, covilhetes had become a staple in restaurant and café menus, often served with oven-baked rice. Their popularity has endured ever since. In ..read more
Salt of Portugal
2M ago
As we arrived at Vale da Capucha, a wine estate in Torres Vedras near Lisbon, a small, cute dog ran up to greet us. “His name is Arinto,” Manuel Marques said as he walked towards us, “all of our dogs are named after grape varieties.” For the Marques family, producing great wine was never a ..read more
Salt of Portugal
2M ago
When we asked our son, a chef by trade, what he wanted for his birthday, he answered without hesitation: lunch at Mercearia Gadanha in Estremoz. And so, on the day when we celebrated the arrival of the treasured gift that is our son, we got on the road to Estremoz. Chef Michelle Marques welcomed us ..read more
Salt of Portugal
3M ago
One of the simple pleasures of life in Portugal is savoring the delicious bananas produced on Madeira Island. Portuguese sailors brought bananas from West Africa in the 15th century. By 1552, according to British traveler Thomas Nichols, they were already being cultivated in Madeira. The island’s subtropical climate, characterized by mild temperatures and high humidity ..read more
Salt of Portugal
3M ago
The tomato is a South American fruit that traveled to Europe on sailboats in the 16th century and, over time, conquered the cuisines of the Old World. Like travelers who adapt to foreign lands, tomatoes developed distinct characteristics in different regions. In the Douro Valley, the warm days, cool nights, well-drained soils, and abundant micronutrients produce ..read more
Salt of Portugal
4M ago
Porto’s Ribeira district is always bustling with tourists snapping selfies and street performers vying for attention. Yet amid this lively chaos, there is a haven: a restaurant called Casario. This cozy space, with its terrace overlooking the river, is a collaboration between Granvinhos, the port wine company behind Quinta de Ventozelo, and two virtuoso chefs ..read more
Salt of Portugal
4M ago
João Branco owns a fish stall in the Lourinhã market where he sells the freshest fish and finest seafood. He knows a lot about the fruits of the sea because his family has been in the fish business for nearly a century–both his mother and grandmother were fishmongers. João shared a story about a couple ..read more
Salt of Portugal
4M ago
Lourinhã is one of the few regions demarcated to produce high-quality brandy, known in Portugal as “aguardente vínica.” Like Cognac and Armagnac, Lourinhã imposes strict rules on brandy production to guarantee quality and authenticity. This dedication to excellence has led locals to affectionately nickname the region Lourinhac. While many local grapes are not ideal for ..read more