If you’re looking for a unique gift from Lisbon for a food-loving friend, we have just the thing. Can the Can, a restaurant in Terreiro do Paço, sells flasks of garum. This fermented fish sauce created by the Greeks was coveted throughout the Roman Empire. Like Asian fermented fish sauces, it enhances flavor, adding a rich umami taste.
The Troia peninsula in Setúbal is home to sprawling remains of piscinae, large basins used by the Romans for salting and fermenting fish. Along Portugal’s Atlantic seaboard, this region is ideal for garum production, thanks to its plentiful fish stocks and a climate favorable for fermentation.
Maria da Luz and Vitor Vicente, two entrepreneurs, revived the production of garum in Troia using mackerel (favored by the Greeks), swordfish, tuna, sea bream, octopus, mullets, and sardines (our favorite).
In the Roman Empire, garum was a symbol of extravagance. Pliny the Elder described it in his Natural History as a “liquoris exquisiti,” an exquisite liquor. Priced on par with the rarest perfumes, it was reserved for the tables of the affluent. Today, thanks to Can the Can, this nearly forgotten delicacy is both accessible and affordable.
Can the Can is located at Terreiro do Paço, 82/83 in Lisbon. Click here for their website.
The Portuguese are obsessed with clams. These bivalves star in two of the most important recipes of Portuguese gastronomy. The first, clams Bulhão Pato, is a simple preparation that produces delicious results: clams are cooked in olive oil, smashed garlic, and a dash of white wine until the shells open and then are sprinkled with coriander. The second, pork and clams Alentejo style, combines pork marinated in a pepper sauce called pimentão with clams and fried potatoes.
Among the myriad of clams, three stand out for their distinct characteristics. The Japanese clam, or ruditapes philippinarum, originally from the Pacific, thrives in Portuguese waters. Venerupis corrugata, known as macha, and ruditapes decussatus, or boa (meaning ‘good’ in Portuguese), are two notable local varieties.
Visually, each clam has its unique charm. The Japanese clam boasts the most attractive shell. Macha’s shell is elongated with shades of beige, brown, and grey. Boa clams, flatter and oval, have independent siphons that enhance their ability to search for nutrients. When the clams are in seawater, you can tell the boa variety by the way they stretch their siphons.
Regarding weight, macha clams have the heaviest shells and boa the lightest. A kilogram comprises approximately 120 macha, 130 Japanese, and 150 boa clams.
Flavor-wise, boa clams reign supreme. Their intense taste and pleasant texture, paired with the large size that fills the shell, make them a top choice for fine dining. Macha clams also fill their shells but offer a tougher texture and milder flavor. The Japanese clam is smaller and less firm and flavorful.
Each type of clam can taste differently depending on where it comes from in Portugal. And there are other varieties that deserve to be tasted. Exploring this diversity is a delightful culinary journey.
Extreme sports, like surfing giant waves, captivate enthusiasts with their exhilarating adrenaline rush. Hamilton Reis’ family wine project, Natus, offers this kind of thrill. The production is organic; the vines are not irrigated; the fermentation relies only on wild yeast and takes place first in the large clay pots that the Romans used and then in old oak barrels. The grapes are picked by hand and trodden by foot. Most modern winemaking techniques are set aside to produce wines with minimal intervention but meticulous attention to detail. Like a master surfer, Hamilton can afford to take these risks because of his extensive experience and depth of knowledge.
Natus means born in Latin. Hamilton chose the name to indicate that he and his family started this project from the ground up. They bought four hectares of land in Vidigueira, Alentejo in 2008. For ten years, Hamilton nurtured the soil so it could recover from decades of chemical abuse with herbicides and pesticides. During that time, he learned about the climate and the varietals planted in the region and talked to the elders about the local wine-making traditions. Those traditions are, for Hamilton, as much part of the terroir as everything else.
He built a house for his family in the middle of the field so he could take care of the vines as if they were part of his family. The cellar is invisible. It lies underground so that gravity can help unload the grapes.
An important aspect of the location is the absence of barriers between the land and the sea. The Mendro mountain, situated east of the property, forms a shell that keeps the cool air from the sea. The resulting climate produces elegant wines that are low in alcohol and yet rich in complexity, depth, and freshness.
These unique wines are difficult to buy because only about 6,000 bottles are produced in each year. Hamilton is determined not to increase production to a level that would compromise his ability to maintain personal control over every aspect of the process. However, to meet the demand for his wines, he has initiated a new venture named Intus, the Latin word for “inside.” This wine is crafted from grapes sourced from a select group of farmers who refrain from irrigating their vines and agree to adopt the rigorous biodynamic methods that Hamilton champions. Like Natus, Intus wines are characterized by their low extraction and alcohol content. However, they undergo fermentation in stainless steel, which preserves the pure essence of the fruit.
The Natus label has a secret. Those who discover it get a glimpse of what Hamilton sees every day: vines that produce wines made without compromises, perfectly in tune with nature.
The Natus vineyards are on Estrada da Cancelinha in Vidigueira, Alentejo. Click here for the Natus website.
Gaveto is a restaurant in Matosinhos where winemakers from the Douro Valley and the Vinho Verde regions often gather. It is easy for regulars to take for granted the meticulous selection of ingredients, the flawless execution of each dish, and the impeccable service. But this restaurant took a lifetime to build.
Its founder, Manuel Pinheiro, began his culinary journey at age 12, working in Porto at the home of the banker António Borges. At age 18, Manuel got a job in a restaurant owned by the Borges family. He started by hauling coal for the stove and washing countless pots and pans. Over time, he learned to cook, to run the kitchen, and to manage the dining room. Ten years later, Manuel put all this knowledge to use by buying a small restaurant in Porto and turning it into a popular spot.
In 1984, while shopping for fish at the Matosinhos market, Manuel learned that a spacious restaurant called Gaveto was up for sale. Tempted by the opportunity to attract a larger clientele, he purchased the place. The investment was so large that his wife Margarida cried for two weeks, worrying that they might soon be ruined.
Manuel involved his two sons, João Carlos (in the photo with his father) and José Manuel, in the business. Together, they turned Gaveto into a gastronomic landmark and built one of Portugal’s most impressive wine collections. Whenever they serve a rare wine from their cellar, João posts a photo of the bottle on Instagram captioned with his signature phrase: “There are days like this.”
The menu includes only traditional Portuguese fare, yet the offerings are so tempting that we always struggle with our choices. During our last visit, we hesitated about whether to get the iconic lobster rice, the legendary lamprey, the exquisite tiger shrimp, the perfectly grilled fresh fish, or the tripe with beans, which former President Mário Soares considered the best in the country.
When dessert time came, we debated whether to opt for one of the many puddings and tarts, get the traditional pão de ló, or taste the fine cheese that Manuel procures in the Estrela Mountain. These were not easy decisions. And at Gaveto, every day is like this.
Hidden behind unassuming walls, the Serralves Foundation can be easily missed. But this beautiful park and contemporary art center in Porto is a must-visit destination.
Its story began in 1925 when Carlos Cabral, the 2nd Duke of Vizela, attended the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris with architect José Marques da Silva. The duke returned to Porto with the dream of building an Art Deco house on his family’s property. To realize this vision, he enlisted Marques da Silva and a cadre of French architects, including Charles Siclis, who worked on the villa, and Jacques Gréber, who designed the gardens.
Siclis’ watercolor of a pink house on a hill became the blueprint for the elegant villa we know today. It took until 1944 to turn that sketch into reality. The cost was so extravagant that in 1955 Carlos Cabral sold the estate to Delfim Ferreira, a wealthy entrepreneur. To ensure that his dream villa would live on, Cabral imposed the condition that the house would be preserved without alterations.
In 1987, the Portuguese government acquired the estate to convert it into a contemporary art center. For the first time, this home, which was the subject of great fascination in Porto, was opened to the public. As soon as we step into the villa, we feel a desire to wear tuxedos from Saville Row and Chanel gowns so we can do justice to the elegance of the place. The villa’s intricate decor and aesthetic harmony are mesmerizing.
In 1999, the new Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by renowned architect Álvaro Siza was inaugurated. Since then, it has become a beacon for contemporary art in Porto. With each passing year, the exhibition program expands, and the collection welcomes new works and new artists.
In 2019, the House of Cinema dedicated to filmmaker Manoel de Oliveira and other auteur directors was inaugurated. More recently, the Álvaro Siza Wing added new exhibition spaces where delicately lit pristine walls patiently wait for the arrival of new canvases.
Spread across 18 hectares, the Serralves Park is dotted with sculptures amid lush trees. Visitors can stroll on the Liquidambar Promenade, explore the Treetop Walk for stunning park views, or visit the gardens of the villa.
Serralves is a place where nature relaxes the body and art stimulates the mind.
The initial thrill of a new experience often fades with repetition, a phenomenon psychologists call hedonic adaptation. Somehow, this human trait does not manifest itself at Ceia, a restaurant in Lisbon that keeps reinventing itself, serving food that is always interesting, new, and delicious.
Ceia’s culinary team is currently headed by Chef Renato Bonfim, who previously worked at Adega, a Michelin-starred Portuguese restaurant in California. The menu is inspired by the pristine produce from Herdade no Tempo, a beautiful estate in Alentejo that follows regenerative agriculture practices.
The restaurant, which is part of a project called Silent Living, is located on the ground floor of Santa Clara, an intimate hotel with privileged views of the Tagus River and the Pantheon. Kristin Liebold, a member of the Silent Living team, welcomed us to the spacious courtyard of the historical building that dates back to 1728. She presented us each with glasses of Ode, a refreshing wine crafted near Lisbon from Arinto grapes. As we mingled with other guests, Kristen appeared to whisper a magical incantation. Then a door swung open, unveiling a dining room so perfect it could be the setting for a Vermeer painting.
As we gathered around the table, Renato and his teammates Ricardo Cruz and Tiago Ramos came to greet us and, like the three kings, they brought three offerings. First, slices of sourdough bread accompanied by a sumptuous butter from the Azores and a luscious spread crafted from butter and a type of sausage called alheira. Second, a crispy tartelette made with perfectly seasoned lírio (greater amberjack) and vegetables. Finally, exquisite polenta cubes topped with aioli, garlic, and cheese and nestled in wooden boxes filled with bright yellow corn. Dardas, a bright vinho verde (green wine) made with the Avesso varietal, kept us in great company.
As we debated which of these offerings had most captivated our taste buds, Ricardo introduced a new chapter to our culinary adventure: an algae chowder. It is based on shio koji, a salted Japanese pudding encircled by algae cooked in a Bulhão Pato style. The preparation was crowned with a leaf of the rare Mertensia maritima. We were instructed first to eat the leaf, savor its unique oyster flavor, and then blend a small glass filled with chowder with the algae. The result was an unexpectedly delightful harmony of flavors.
As our glasses filled with a silky Dona Paulette from Quinta de Lemos in the Dão region, we were brought plates of octopus grilled in charcoal, topped with kale, and seasoned with an inventive mole made from grilled peppers and pomegranate—another unusual but perfect combination of flavors and textures.
The next dish featured crispy sarraceno wheat mixed with chanterelles and shiitake mushrooms seasoned with a sauce made from shallots, beer yeast, dehydrated apricots, and raisins. There was so much flavor to process that we closed our eyes to let our brain focus on the gastronomic sensations. A late harvest from the Douro Valley called Aneto complemented the earthy flavors of the dish with a delicate, effusive sweetness.
A sparkling wine made by Sidónio de Sousa in Bairrada ushered the arrival of a turbot from the Azores delicately cooked, dressed with beurre blanc and kombucha, topped with fermented turnip and kohlrabi and finished with a few drops of garum. This Roman fish sauce, which is once again being produced in the Troia peninsula after a hiatus of 15 centuries, added a unique depth to the dish.
The meat course was a succulent black pork served with a rich purée made from Jerusalem artichokes, chestnuts, and purple onion. It was served with a robust vinhão, a red wine made from a dyer grape called Sousão produced in the vinho verde region by Vale da Raposa.
The first dessert was an ensemble of panna cotta, chocolate, and matcha powder, garnished with leaves from Madeira that taste like passion fruit. A white port made by Alves de Sousa called Oliveirinha added a velvety smoothness to this symbiosis of flavors.
The second dessert was ginger and pumpkin cooked with Chinese spices, a praline made from pumpkin seeds and seasoned with pollen.
Our meal concluded with a refreshing lemongrass tea, quindin, a Brazilian coconut pudding, and truffles crafted from 70 percent pure chocolate from the island of São Tomé.
We lingered at the table, talking with the other guests about the culinary experience we had just enjoyed, so replete with unexpected pleasures and delights that we felt like we were dining at Ceia for the very first time.
Ceia is located at Campo de Santa Clara, 128. Lisbon. Click here for the restaurant’s website.
The rain fell hard, trying to make up for the dry spring and summer. But we were not deterred. We drove through the narrow road that leads to Colares to meet a legendary winemaker: the 97-year-old Paulo da Silva, affectionately known as Chitas (pronounced cheetahs), the nickname he inherited from his grandfather.
We stopped at Adega Beira Mar, which means cellar by the sea, an apt description. Paulo came out to greet us, his slender figure dressed in a dark suit. It was chilly inside the building, but he did not seem to mind. “Is it the cold or the wine that is the secret of your longevity?” we asked. Paulo replied with a smile. “My father liked to say that drinking a bottle of our wine with lunch and another with dinner would extend your life. But I prefer a small glass of wine with my meals.”
Paulo has an amazing memory for dates, facts, and figures. He tells us the building was erected in 1898 by his grandfather. “This place has seen it all: the two world wars, the Great Depression.”
In Colares, the vine planting process is unique. Farmers dig holes in the sand until they find a clay bed where they can plant the vine roots. The sandy soil served as a natural barrier against phylloxera, an insect that devastated many European vineyards in the latter half of the 19th century.
With wine production declining in other regions, Colares thrived. Many producers prospered by exporting their wine to Brazil. Paulo’s grandfather, António, was a foreman for one of these exporters, Manuel José Colares. António’s work ethic and dedication were so great that Manuel bequeathed him part of his business. But when the Great Depression came, Brazil did not pay for the wine, and most companies went bankrupt. The few that survived have since been sold or closed. Only Paulo’s Adega Beira Mar remains in the same family. “The wines have earned 71 prizes since 1889, two just last year,” he tells us.
Over the past few decades, the construction of summer residences in Colares has gradually encroached upon the land occupied by vineyards, reducing it to 30 hectares. Paulo da Silva owns some vines, but for most of his life, he was what the French call a “negociant,” a savvy wine merchant. His expertise lies in identifying superior wines, aging them to perfection, and then selling them. “Time is the secret of Colares wine,” he explained. The region’s two signature varietals, the white Malvasia and the red Ramisco, need time to develop complexity and finesse.
On one occasion, the former President of Portugal, Jorge Sampaio came to visit Paulo. The president asked, “What is the oldest wine in the cellar?” “It is from 1955,” responded Paulo. “You kept that wine for too long,” said the president. “It has surely gone bad.” Paulo fetched a bottle from 1955 and offered it to the president. A few weeks later, the president called in the evening to say, “We tried that wine at dinner tonight, and it was exceptional. I learned something new— Colares wines have a remarkable longevity.”
We sampled a Malvasia from 1996 that was lively and crisp, with aromas of citrus and green olives and a hint of saltiness on the palate. A marvel!
Paulo led us to see some Ramisco vines he had planted in the sandy soil near the cellar just two years ago. “Look how well they’re doing,” he said with pride. He then gestured towards an unoccupied section of the yard. “Over there, I’m planning to build a new cellar to boost our production,” he explained.
Perhaps Colares wines are the secret to eternal youth and vigor. We purchased a few bottles to test this theory. It promises to be an enjoyable experiment.
The origin of the honey cake remounts to Madeira‘s “white gold” era. This period began in the 15th century when Henry the Navigator brought sugar cane from Sicily to plant in Madeira. The island became Europe’s main sugar supplier until the first half of the 16th century when Brazil took over this role.
The honey cake recipe has been refined over the years. Despite its name, the cake does not contain honey. It combines flour, yeast, nuts, dried fruit, spices, and Madeira wine with sugar cane molasses, known in Madeira as sugar cane honey.
The molasses imparts a rich flavor and contributes to a long shelf life–the cake lasts about a year. Historically, these cakes provided sailors with a sweet reminder of home during lengthy sea voyages.
Ringing in the New Year with a slice of Madeira honey cake is a delightful experience.
Below, we share a version of the recipe created by the great Maria de Lurdes Modesto. It takes more than a week to make a Madeira cake. But there’s an easier way to taste this wonderful dessert: visit Madeira in 2024!
We wish you a happy New Year that is as sweet as a Madeira honey cake.
Madeira’s honey cake (recipe by Maria de Lurdes Modesto)
Ingredients
Wheat Flour: 160g
Baker’s Yeast: 5g
Lukewarm Water: 0.25dl
Lard: 200g
Butter: 125g
Cane Honey: 450ml
Flour: 465g
Sugar: 250g
Orange Zest and Juice: From one large orange
Walnuts (Chopped): 250g
Almonds (Chopped): 75g
Fennel Seeds: 10g
Cinnamon: 20g
Cloves: 5g
Sweet Madeira Wine (Bual or Malmsey): 1 tablespoon
Start a day before baking. Prepare the yeast mixture with 160g of wheat flour, 5g of baker’s yeast, and 0.25dl of lukewarm water. Mix well, cover, and leave in a warm, draft-free area.
On the day of baking
Gently melt 200g of lard and 125g of butter in a saucepan. Once melted, add 450ml of cane honey.
Sift 465g of flour with 250g of sugar into a large bowl (traditionally an “alguidar”). Make a well in the center. Pour the prepared yeast mixture into the well. Add the melted fats and honey (which should now be warm) to the well. Start mixing the ingredients. Add the zest and juice of one large orange. Knead well until the dough is smooth and lump-free.
Mix in 250g of chopped walnuts, 75g of almonds, and 12g of citron (called cidrão in Portuguese, it is a citrus fruit often candied and used in cakes like Bolo Rei). Add the spices: 10g of fennel seeds, 20g of cinnamon, and 5g of cloves. Stir in a generous tablespoon of sweet Madeira wine. Knead the mixture thoroughly by hand. Cover the bowl and place it in a warm, draft-free spot.
Let it rest for 2 to 4 days. After the resting period, portion the dough into 250g or 500g amounts, depending on the desired size of the cakes. Use round, shallow, well-greased baking pans without a hole in the center. Decorate the cakes with walnuts, citron (if available), and/or almonds.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (approximately 374°F). Bake for about 30 minutes or until done. Place the baked cakes on wire racks to cool. Once cooled, cover them with a cloth and let them rest for 2 to 3 days. Finally, wrap the cakes in parchment paper and store them in airtight containers.
On the night before Christmas, Portuguese tables are graced with food from near and far. Local staples like cabbage and olive oil accompany codfish from the icy waters of Norway, Iceland, and Newfoundland. Potatoes, originally brought from South America in the 16th century, are a mainstay of the culinary feast.
It is thought that the first potato planted on Portuguese soil was “raíz de cana.” It became popular on the west coast of Portugal because its firm texture makes it ideal to use in fish stews or cook with salted skate, a local delicacy.
Raiz de cana has an irregular shape that makes it difficult to peel, so over time, it lost favor with cooks. It might have vanished if it weren’t for Raul Reis, an entrepreneur who moved from Luxembourg to Sobral, near Lourinhã. He discovered raíz de cana in a small village called Cesaredas and began cultivating it. Thanks to Raul, these potatoes are now featured in Portugal’s finest restaurants.
João Rodrigues, a famous Portuguese chef, liked raíz de cana so much that he created some recipes that showcase it. One of them is the recipe for potato salad we share below.
You can try the recipe with another potato variety or visit João Rodrigues’ new restaurant in Lisbon (Canalha) to taste the real thing!
Potato salad
Ingredients
8 raíz de cana potatoes
2 large pickled cucumbers (cornichons)
One rose onion
3 tablespoons of chives
One egg
½ garlic clove
Sweetened yogurt
1 tablespoon of mustard
Water from the pickles
White wine vinegar
Sunflower oil
Salt
Fleur de sel
Pepper
Olive oil
Preparation
In a glass, combine the egg, mustard, sunflower oil, olive oil, and vinegar. Use an immersion blender to mix everything very slowly and thoroughly.
Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
Add yogurt, grate the garlic into it, and put in a little bit of the pickle juice to taste. Mix everything well.
Thoroughly wash the potatoes with their skins on.
Place the potatoes in a pot with cold water and salt, then bring them to a boil to cook.
Once cooked, remove the potatoes, peel them, and season with olive oil and fleu de sel.
Cut the potatoes in halves and arrange them on a serving dish.
Top the potatoes with the previously prepared mayonnaise.
Finish by sprinkling chopped red onion, cucumber pickles, and chives over the top.
Vidago is a spa town in the north of Portugal favored by the aristocracy and the royal family for the curative powers of its waters. King Carlos commissioned the building of the Vidago Palace Hotel. However, in 1908 the king was assassinated, and by the time the hotel opened its doors on October 6, 1910, Portugal had just become a republic.
A century after its inauguration, the Vidago Palace welcomed guests once more in 2010 after extensive renovations guided by the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, a Pritzker Prize laureate.
As you veer off the main road and pass through the entrance gate, an impressive pink edifice with 365 windows, one for each day in a common year, comes into view. Upon crossing the entryway, we are greeted by regal purple columns framing an expansive staircase reminiscent of those seen in classic Hollywood films. For a moment, you might expect Rita Hayworth, dressed in a glamorous gown, descending the stairs to rendezvous with Cary Grant.
The walls of the ground floor corridors are adorned with exuberate paintings. The former ballrooms, now transformed into the dining room and breakfast area, have a mezzanine level to accomodate the orchestras that enchanted the dance floor with their smooth melodies.
Surrounding the hotel, there’s a picturesque golf course and a lush park with many trails to explore, as well as charming water stations that look straight out of a fairy tale.
Álvaro Siza Vieira made every corner of the palace more elegant while remaining faithful to the original architecture. The result is a hotel that captures the allure and optimism of the Belle Époque.
Salt of Portugal 