Ginjinha

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“Ginjinha” is a liquor made from sour cherries called “ginjas.” It is produced in various locations, including Alcobaça, Bombarral, and Caldas da Rainha. But the most famous ginjinha comes from Óbidos, a region where the Romans planted cherry trees.

There are several producers, including FrutÓbidos, Oppidum (the Latin name for Óbidos), and Ibn Errik Rex (the Arab name for the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques). Each producer has its proprietary, carefully guarded, secret recipe.

You won’t be surprised, dear reader, to know that we have our own secret ginjinha recipe. Rumor has it that our ginjinha is made only from ginjas harvested during the new moon and that it uses dew collected at dawn from the petals of wild flowers. We are neither confirming nor denying.

Óbidos

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Imagine that the year is 1282 and that you are king D. Dinis. What wedding present would you choose to impress your bride, Isabel of Aragon?

1) a passionate “cantiga de amor” (a medieval love poem);

2) a state-of-the art ship that can crest ocean waves without capsizing;

3) silk and jewels;

4) a medieval town.

If you guessed 4), you are correct. King Dinis offered Queen Isabel the town of Óbidos. And, while the gift might seem extravagant, Queen Isabel repaid it many times over by helping the poor and maintaining peace in the realm.

Óbidos’ beauty is unique. Inside the castle walls it is easy to imagine we are in the Middle Ages and that we might bump into the “Lidador,” the knight who helped conquer the town in 1148.

If you cannot afford giving your loved one a medieval town, you can settle for the next best thing: a visit to Óbidos.

Pousadas

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In the 1940s, the Portuguese government started converting many castles, palaces and monasteries into historical hotels called pousadas. There are now more than forty of these wonderful establishments. They are places where you can sleep and eat like royalty without having to wear funny-looking hairdos or worry about court intrigue.

Click here for the pousadas website.

Queijadas de Sintra

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Queijadas de Sintra are cheese tarts made from fresh cow’s cheese, eggs, sugar, flower, and cinnamon. There are several producers and there is even an association that certifies whether the recipe is authentic. The ones featured here are from Casa do Preto (Estrada Chão Meninos, 44, Sintra).

Historians think that the first Sintra queijadas were produced in the Middle Ages (presumably without cinnamon). It is easy to believe that it has taken a few centuries to figure out how to make the shell so thin and the filling so moist and flavorful. And, if you try them, you will see that all this effort has paid off.

Matraquilhos

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This unpronounceable word is the Portuguese word for table soccer. In the old days, many Portuguese wasted their youth learning the fine motor skills needed to control the ball. Even today, table soccer remains popular. So, if you see a table at a local café, don’t be afraid to join in. You will be surprised at how easy it is to start playing and at how much fun it can be.

Berbigão

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Put yourself in the shells of the “berbigão.” You are constantly outshined by your cousins the clams.  Clams star in famous Portuguese dishes such as “carne the porco à Alentejana” (pork with clams).  Berbigão gets roles in minor culinary productions such as “arroz de berbigão,” a rice used to accompany other dishes. But forget what the critics say. Cook berbigão with a little olive oil and garlic and you will feel its star power.

Vista Alegre

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Vista Alegre has been producing porcelain since 1824. Their many designs are used in Portuguese state banquets. Our favorite is a simple design called Sagres. It has beautiful proportions. The coffee and tea cups are particularly wonderful because they have very thin edges. And that makes all the difference.

Portuguese corn bread

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Broa is a delicious corn bread that is a great complement to many Portuguese dishes (if you guessed that broa goes great with grilled sardines, you guessed right).

For a while broa was hard to find in urban areas where people preferred bread made with white flour. But, over time, urbanites saw the error in their ways, so now you can find broa almost everywhere. The texture and color varies by region but the taste is always deeply satisfying.

Tasca da Esquina

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“Tasca” means a modest establishment that serves cheap wine and “petiscos” (the Portuguese word for “tapa”). When well-known chef Vitor Sobral opened this restaurant he probably called it tasca to signal its affordable price. But the quality is excellent.

There is a daily menu featuring small dishes, all original, all prepared with great care. There is also a degustation.

Three star food almost at tasca prices, that is what you get at Tasca da Esquina. Reservations are a must.

Rua Domingos Sequeira 41C , Campo de Ourique,  1350-119 Lisboa, Tel. 919 837 255, email info@tascadaesquina.com. Click here for web site.