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 into her restaurant with her radiant smile. She filled our glasses with Mainova, a white wine made with a harmonious trinity of Portuguese varietals (Arinto, Antão Vaz, and Verdelho). It has a wonderful acidity and a citrus aroma that kept us great company through the meal.
Our lunch began with Gadanha’s classic lamb croquettes served with garlic confit mayonnaise. Each bite reminded us why this dish had long been a favorite.
Next came the quail, stewed to perfection and served with a rich demi-glace, an intense apple sauce, and some of the most flavorful potato chips we’ve ever had—thin, crispy, and seasoned with just a whisper of oregano.
Then came wild mushrooms with a soft-cooked egg, and a crumble of alheira sausage, each mouthful an explosion of umami.
The next course was a set of stunning cação pastries. Never was this fish so prized in Alentejo so wonderfully cooked. The pastry was crunchy, allowing the delicate flavors of the fish to shine.
Another favorite followed: the exquisite codfish mille-feuille, a combination of crispy Alentejo toasts, chickpea foam, codfish confit, and black-pork prosciutto. This dish alone is worth the journey to Gadanha.
The next course, black pork and cockles (berbigão) is a delicious reimagination of a traditional Alentejo recipe: pork and clams. The savory part of the meal ended with duck rice brimming with flavor.
We indulged in three desserts: a reconstructed apple with pennyroyal (poejo) and sheep milk ice cream, a medley of chocolate and hazelnut textures, and a chocolate and coffee delight with vanilla ice cream.
Michelle was born in Brazil, but she has lived in Portugal for so long that she lost her Brazilian accent. In its place she gained a culinary voice so original that it is worth traveling the distance to celebrate life’s best moments at her restaurant.
Gadanha is located at Largo Dragões de Olivença, 84 A in Estremoz, tel. 268 333 262. Click here for their website.
There’s something about dining on the beach that makes the food taste even better. Perhaps it’s the salty breeze that stirs the appetite or the beauty of the ocean that awakens the senses.
It used to be easy to find simple beachside restaurants that served freshly caught fish. But, as the price of wild fish went up, these places have become increasingly rare. That is why we were so delighted when some friends took us to Xakra at Molhe Leste, a beach in Peniche favored by surfers because of the consistency of its waves.
Xakra’s decor is plain, but the view is luxurious. We ordered two starters, a soup, and a main course. The first starter was berbigão, a flavorful cockle prepared with olive oil, coriander and garlic. The second was a wonderful skate salad simply dressed with olive oil, vinegar, and onion.
The fish soup had delicately cooked fillets immersed in a creamy vegetable broth. The vegetables of the land harmonize surprisingly well with the fruits of the sea.
Finally, the pièce de résistance was freshly caught turbot perfectly grilled and served with small potatoes, cabbage, and a sprinkle of cornbread crumbs.
Xakra has been delighting guests since 2006. We’re sorry it took so long to discover it, but now we know!
Xakra is situated at Praia do Molho Leste in Peniche. For reservations, please call 965 172 166.
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, provides perfect conditions for growing bananas.
Madeira farmers produce bananas on a limited scale and harvest them by hand. Smaller than the common Cavendish variety, they are sweeter and more flavorful, with a delightful lemony taste and a creamy texture. Try them, and you will see!
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 tomatoes with exceptional flavor, texture, and succulence.
Every year, on the third Friday of August, the Douro Valley comes alive with a festival dedicated to the heirloom tomato. Winemakers submit tomatoes grown in their vegetable gardens to this friendly competition, an opportunity to enjoy some light-hearted fun before the serious work of the harvest begins. Renowned chefs like Miguel Castro e Silva prepare the food and vintners pour their wines, creating a festive atmosphere.
The tomatoes are served at peak ripeness, blessed with a pinch of Castro Marim sea salt, and anointed with sacred olive oils from the Douro Valley. A panel of judges, composed of chefs and food experts, conducts a rigorous blind tasting to elect the finest tomatoes.
This year, a small producer, Casa da Quinta dos Ferreiros took first place. Wine & Soul, acclaimed for their iconic Pintas and Guru wines, received second place. Third place was awarded to the Mateus Palace.
The festival is open to the public. If you dream of mingling with famous chefs and winemakers at a picturesque Douro Valley estate, mark your calendar for the third Friday of August. You can email greengrape@greengrape.pt to join the mailing list. One word of advice: once you receive your invitation in late July, answer immediately—the event sells out in less than an hour!
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: Miguel Castro e Silva and José Guedes.
We strolled to Casario under ultramarine blue skies. The dining room, bathed in a warm glow, offered a welcoming ambiance. As soon as we settled at our table, the waiter presented a basket of enticing dark wheat bread. It was accompanied by velvety butter from the Azores and Ventozelo’s piquant olive oil. A refreshing rosé from Ventozelo filled our glasses, setting a playful mood for the meal.
Like Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, dinner began with unforgettable notes: smoked eel seasoned with mustard and honey, served atop flatbread with a vinaigrette-dressed lettuce, and fried salted skate paired with pickled fennel and a celery and hazelnut purée.
This impressive start was followed by a harmonious sequence of courses. First came a moist and flavorful robalo, cooked at low temperature and served with a surprising yet felicitous combination of yellow peppers, turnip, and bok choy. Next was a whimsical shrimp and squid lollipop and chickpeas with two mushroom varieties: nutty boletos and earthy trompetas. The meal continued with a squid stuffed with spinach and sausage, bursting with flavor. Then came a briny turbot, paired beautifully with asparagus and a cockle called berbigão.
Dinner concluded on a sweet note with cinnamon ice cream, crème brûlée, and toasted pine nuts. A glass of 1994 Dalva port served as the perfect coda to this delicious meal.
It takes a lifetime to master the art of preparing a symphonic culinary experience like this one. Bravo, Miguel and José!
Casario is located at Praça da Ribeira, Viela do Buraco, 19, Porto, tel. 227-662-270. Click here for their website.
You might not be familiar with António Magalhães, the chief viticulturist of the famed Taylor-Fladgate port house, but if you enjoy exceptional port wines, you’ve likely experienced the fruits of his labor. António has worked for more than three decades in the rolling terraces of the Douro Valley. Throughout this time, nature has gradually revealed to him some of its winemaking secrets. Patience has been essential in this apprenticeship. It can take many years to grasp the impact of viticulture choices on wine production.
António is known for his thoughtful character and gentle disposition. But beneath this demeanor lies a powerful intellect–he has the rigor of a scientist, the curiosity of a historian, and the eloquence of a poet. He believes in combining scientific methods with traditional wisdom and has a deep reverence for the mysteries of winemaking.
In collaboration with a statistician, António sought to unravel some of these mysteries, analyzing climate data since 1941 to identify weather patterns associated with vintage years, the finest for port wine production. They discovered that these years share three characteristics. First, the average temperature in July is less than 24.5 degrees Celsius. Second, two-thirds of the rain falls during the dormancy period (from November to February) and one-third during the growth period (from March to June). Third, there is less than 20 millimeters of rain in September. A small amount of rain at harvest time helps refine the grapes, says António, but too much rain in September fills the grapes with water and promotes fungal diseases. To António’s delight, they found that exceptional vintage years often deviate from the norm in unique ways, a testament to the magic of port wine.
Another facet of this magic is the art of blending. The Douro’s diverse microclimates provide winemakers with a rich palette to adapt to the annual variations in weather. They skillfully blend diverse varietals from vineyards with different locations, altitudes, and sun exposure. António has a profound understanding of the art of blending grounded on his comprehensive knowledge of the Douro subregions—the rain-soaked Baixo Corgo, the moderately wet Cima Corgo, and the arid Douro Superior.
He has studied how grape varietals were adapted to counter the crisis created by phylloxera, an American insect that decimated European vines in the second half of the 19th century. The blight reached the Douro region in 1862-63 and became a severe problem in 1872. Farmers noticed that Mourisco, a varietal with lackluster enological properties, was the most resistant to phylloxera. For this reason, Mourisco was crossed with Touriga Nacional, considered the finest pre-phylloxera varietal, to create Touriga Francesa. The name, which means French Touriga, was likely chosen to honor the French school of viticulture and its contribution to creating phylloxera-resistant varietals.
António also analyzed the various types of American vine roots brought from places like Texas to the Douro Valley to graft European vines and increase their resilience to phylloxera.
Since 1992, António has worked closely with David Guimaraens, the chief enologist at Taylor-Fladgate. Every year, António and David write several letters to the farmers who produce grapes for Taylor-Fladgate, offering insights into the vines’ current conditions and the most effective viticulture practices to respond to them. This educational effort is vital to the quality of the Taylor-Fladgate ports.
Concerned with the impact of heavy rainfall on soil erosion, António and David developed a new model for the terraces where the vines are planted. They had an epiphany while visiting the Benziger family, a biodynamic wine producer in California. It started to rain torrentially, and as they ran for shelter, they noticed that the rain was running with them. They realized that this kind of drainage, created by a three percent gradient, is what the Douro Valley needs.
António and David asked earthmoving companies to find a bulldozer narrow enough to fit in the terraces and capable of creating a three percent inclination. One of the companies found a second-hand machine used in rice plantations in the south of Portugal. The company’s manager called to say that the machine had an unusual device. “Bring it along,” said António. It turned out that the device was a laser that greatly simplified the task of creating a three percent slope. They later learned that the Benziger farmland had been graded by Chinese workers, who were likely to be familiar with the three percent inclination used in rice cultivation.
The Taylor-Fladgate farms stand out for their beauty because António is a sculptor of landscapes. He knows that cultivating a vineyard, planting a tree, or building a stone wall alters the scenery, and like an artist, he selects colors that harmonize, proportions that feel human, rhythms that please the eye.
António is passionate about researching the history of the Douro region. He often visits Torre do Tombo, a vast national archive with documents spanning nine centuries of Portuguese history. The writings of Álvaro Moreira da Fonseca (the creator of the vine quality scoring system still in use), the Baron of Fladgate, John Croft, José Costa Lima, A. Guerra Tenreiro, and many other Douro luminaries are his constant companions.
His extensive knowledge of history gives him a unique appreciation for the sacrifices made by generations of workers who have toiled in the Douro region. This understanding is evident in how António interacts with the people he manages. His sincere appreciation for their efforts earns him the loyalty and trust of his collaborators.
Today, António Magalhães retires as Taylor-Fladgate’s chief viticulturist. This milestone marks the beginning of a new chapter. We hope that António can now find the time to write a treatise on viticulture so that, as the climate continues to change, his erudition can illuminate the future of the Douro Valley.
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 who had friends coming over for a “caldeirada,” a traditional fish stew, but had never prepared it before and found the task daunting. João reassured them, saying, “No worries. Bring me a large pot, and I’ll prepare everything. All you need to do is put it on the stove until it’s cooked.” The next day, the customers called to tell João that their guests thought it was the best caldeirada they’d ever had. Whenever their friends return for the famous caldeirada, João prepares the pot, ensuring success every time. João generously shared his recipe with us so you, too, can impress your friends.
João Branco’s Fisherman Stew
João only uses fish without scales because finding scales in the stew can detract from the culinary experience. He also advises against using sardines because their strong taste can overpower the other fish. João does not use laurel because it can also overshadow the delicate flavors of the fish.
He arranges the vegetable layers at the bottom of the pot and places the fish on top. This technique allows the fish to cook in steam, ensuring it is ready at the same time.
Ingredients:
Olive oil (100 ml)
2 sliced onions
4 minced garlic cloves
One sliced red pepper
One sliced green pepper
2 ripe sliced tomatoes
500 grams of sliced potatoes
A teaspoon of smoked paprika
Cayenne pepper
White wine (100 ml)
Beer (100 ml)
Parsley
Coriander
Salt
Navalheiras (small crabs, cut in half, optional)
Shrimp (optional)
Squid or cuttlefish (optional)
One kilogram of assorted fish including tamboril (monkfish), safio (conger eel), raia (skate), and cação (dogfish).
Instructions:
Choose a pot large enough to accommodate two or three layers of potatoes and the fish.
Wash all the ingredients.
Cover the bottom of the pot with olive oil.
Add a layer of sliced onions, garlic, tomatoes, and red and green peppers.
Add a layer of sliced potatoes.
Repeat the layers of onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes.
Place the fish on top of these layers, ensuring it cooks in the steam from the layers below.
Drizzle the white wine and beer on top of everything.
Season with salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Optionally, you can add navalheiras (small crabs) cut in half for extra flavor. You can also add some sliced cuttlefish or squid and top the fish with shrimp. The shrimp cooks faster than the fish. Once it is cooked, remove the shrimp, peel it, and serve it with the stew.
Cover the pot and cook over medium heat. You don’t need to add any water because the vegetables naturally release plenty of it.
Season with parsley and coriander before serving.
If preparing this delicious stew feels like too much work, bring a large pot to the Lourinhã market and ask João if he’ll prepare it for you.
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 table wine, they are perfect for brandy. The fertile soils yield grapes with higher water content. The proximity to the ocean moderates the temperature, resulting in less maturation and lower alcohol concentration. The cool nights enhance the grapes’ acidity. This acidity helps the delicate fruit and floral notes of the wine carry over into the brandy and provides a stable foundation for the aging process.
Quinta do Rol is the main distillery in Lourinhã. In 1995, Carlos de Mello Ribeiro, an accomplished manager, acquired the estate from his family and invested in producing premium brandy. He had the attributes essential for success: capital, managerial skill, and patience—high-quality brandy requires 12 years of aging to develop its depth of flavor, delicate vanilla aroma, and seductive amber color. What he lacked was a detailed knowledge of the production process. To fill this gap, Carlos and his enologist, Pedro Correia, traveled to Armagnac and Cognac to learn from French producers, who generously shared their secrets.
Upon returning to Portugal, Carlos committed to using traditional methods without shortcuts. He installed a copper distillation engine like those used in Armagnac and planted Tália grapes, the varietal favored in France for brandy production under the name Ugni Blanc. Since then, he has accumulated 30 years’ worth of precious brandies, aged first in new oak and then in used oak barrels.
The region’s freshness also lends itself to producing interesting white wines. Carlos crafts a wonderful sparkling wine with Arinto and Pinot Noir and a great white wine with Arinto and Chardonnay. He also makes a delicious Moscatel.
The first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques, granted the Lourinhã region to a French knight called Jourdain, who fought valiantly in the conquest of Lisbon. The knight would likely be proud of Lourinhac’s success in the world of brandy.
Victorian novels describe picnics where friends have a grand time, enjoying delicious food in idyllic settings. But real-life picnics seldom measure up to these literary accounts. Sometimes, the sun is too harsh, and the shade is scarce. Other times, it is cold, the wind blows disagreeably, or the rain intrudes. Wine and beer are lukewarm by the time they are served. Sitting is uncomfortable, and troupes of insects join the party.
When our friend Abílio Tavares da Silva invited us for a picnic, we braced ourselves for the usual woes. But, as soon as we arrived at his Douro Valley estate, it was clear that this would be no ordinary affair.
It was a midsummer day with clear skies and a gentle breeze. Spacious wooden tables with comfortable benches awaited the lucky guests under the shade of two majestic linden trees. The view, with the Douro River stretching out in all its splendor, was worthy of being painted by Turner.
The picnic basket, prepared by the talented Rosário Buia at Toca da Raposa, was brimming with delicacies. There were farinheira tarts, shrimp rissoles, oranges seasoned with olive oil and minced garlic, chickpea salad, carrot and zucchini rice, olives, freshly baked bread, and a tortilla prepared with eggs so delicious that they were surely laid by the happiest of chicken.
The food was served in colorful pottery designed by the 19th-century master ceramist Rafael Bordallo Pinheiro. Abílio’s alluring Foz Torto white wine, made from precious old vines in Porrais, was poured into crystal glasses at the ideal temperature.
The conversation flowed as freely as the food and the wine. The meal ended late in the afternoon with slices of Toca da Raposa’s famous drunken cake (bolo borrachão) accompanied by glasses of chilled 20-year-old Fonseca tawny port. Not even Jane Austen could imagine such a perfect picnic.
Torres Vedras, a charming town near Lisbon nestled among hills planted with vineyards, is steeped in Portuguese history. Its castle helped defend the kingdom during medieval times, and the town served as the headquarters for the troops that fought against the Napoleonic invasions.
However, for us, Torres Vedras is synonymous with a Portuguese cornbread called broa. Some years ago, a friend brought us bread made with corn and rye flour from a pastry shop called São Pedro. Since then, we have made regular pilgrimages to satisfy our devotion to this delicious treat.
Despite our persistent attempts, the secrets behind São Pedro’s cornbread remain elusive. Over the years, our inquiries have been met with vague responses such as “It’s a traditional recipe from the north of Portugal.” The resulting mystery only adds to the cornbread’s allure, compelling us to keep returning to Torres Vedras.
Pastelaria São Pedro is located at Rua Dona Teresa Jesus Pereira 34-A, Torres Vedras, tel. 261 321 133.
Salt of Portugal 