Portugal

Few nations have a history and a culture as interesting as those in Portugal . We are talking about one of the first true states in the world, which gained independence from Spanish kings after the Reconquista and defined itself as a true nation.

Formerly inhabited by peoples of Celtic origin, Portugal underwent Roman, Hispanic and Muslim influences, until it had enough strength to establish the first true colonial empire in history, across multiple continents.

In fact, being completely overlooking the Atlantic has made the Portuguese character very adventurous and inclined to travel: we can find ex Portuguese colonies everywhere, just to mention Brazil, some Moroccan areas, Angola and Mozambique in Africa, Goa in India, Macau in China .

This element has brought a unique freshness to the national cuisine and a unique tendency to joyfully mix the elements of tradition with those of distant countries.

Portuguese cuisine: typical dishes

To understand the typical Portuguese dishes we must understand the Portuguese geography : in the kitchen here are used fresh ingredients both of the mountain, of the hills, and finally of the sea.

Much fish, but also meat and lots of Mediterranean vegetables. Let's start with a typical local salami, the alheira, a guinea fowl sausage typical of the Portuguese hills and can be found almost everywhere.

Going down to the sea, we find the tamboril, a curious and very tasty soup similar to a prawn risotto, cooked together with bay leaves, garlic, a little tomato and rice.

Remaining on the fish it is impossible not to mention the bacalhau, or cod, a real national obsession, especially under the Christmas holidays, often eaten with potatoes and fried onions, black olives, egg and parsley.

It is often fried with the same ingredients in the form of bolinhos de bacalhau, codfish patties .

For those who love heavy cooking, here is the francesinha, bread stuffed with steak, sausage and spicy salami, covered with melted cheese and bathed in hot sauce, finally accompanied by potatoes or egg.

It also happens to be able to find the shark in our menu, with the name of cação, cooked in soup with coriander and corn. We conclude, as is proper, with a nice glass of local Port wine .

Where to eat in Portugal (on the street or in the restaurant)

There are not many Portuguese restaurants around the world, although in the former colonies and in the countries visited by Portuguese navigators, it is not uncommon to eat Lusitanian food.

In Portugal, as well as in restaurants of various levels, where we can eat well all the typical local dishes, we can also find bars that serve typical dishes of street food, especially along the sea, where the fish is very fresh, and festivals of food, where the latter is often served directly by the van as we do for hot dogs.

Not to be missed in Portugal

All the fish dishes are magnificent, a unique combination of Atlantic culture, Mediterranean culture, and finally exotic elements that have become part of the local cuisine due to the colonial eras: chilli, vanilla, black pepper, cinnamon, saffron and so on.

If you pass by Lisbon you must try Belem pastel, an amazing egg cake that can only be found here.

What to avoid in Portugal

It will be difficult to find totally vegan dishes, meat and fish are everywhere. Alcohol is varied and buno but very strong. The continuous use of many spices can make life difficult for those with food intolerances.

Always ask first. Mollusks and strange crustaceans like the pedunculata, locally called percebes, do not suit everyone's tastes.

Advice and curiosity

Portugal is one of those places where you can relax and be safe when it comes to food: everything is fresh, well cooked and tasty .

Many dishes around the world have Portuguese influences, from the Brazilian feijoada, to the tempura ( tempora, in Portuguese) Japanese, passing through the vindhaloo ( vinha d'alhos in Portuguese) Indian.