For us, one of the joys or travel is tapping into authentic food experiences.
Something that struck me on our recent trip to Portugal was the shift in my perception of authentic food.
The last time I was in Portugal was over 25 years ago. Back then, I looked almost exclusively for traditional Portuguese food, though even then the restaurant I remember most vividly was fusing those traditions and the local ingredients with a California vibe.
Now it would seem to me somewhat patronizing automatically to choose only traditional food. Our culture, particularly city culture, has become so much more complex in that intervening quarter century. How, then, in an internationalist age, do we define authentic food experiences when we travel?
I think that what I look for is the use of good local ingredients and a dash of inspiration. But I no longer focused solely on ‘Portuguese’ food, which opened the door to some delightful discoveries. On this trip this ranged from the traditional village fish restaurant, through more upmarket but still ‘family’ home-cooked styles, to fusion (sushi) and a high gastronomy tasting menu. Like many things, it is possible to savour and delight in both simplicity and sophistication in food. Part of the pleasure lies in that variety.
Monks, nuns, eggs and sugar
Traditionally, as long ago as before the C18th, monks and nuns used egg-white to clean and starch their habits. They used the leftover yolks to make sweets so as not to waste them, and in order to raise money for their religious communities. Such were the beginnings of two quintessentially Portuguese delicacies, Pastel de Nata and Ovos Moles – truly authentic food!
We were excited to find that one of the most lauded Pastel de Nata bakeries, Castro – Atelier de Pastéis de Nata, happened to be just opposite our Porto apartment. Then, during his scavenger hunt, Paul visited Manteigaria, their main competition for the title of best Pastel de Nata in Porto. Of course he brought a box back with him. The tarts from both were melt-in-the-mouth delicious, with a slight brûlée crispness to the top. I loved that the Manteigaria box included sachets of cinnamon to sprinkle on just before serving.
[As usual, if you click into a gallery you can see the photos at full size and with descriptive titles]
Ovos Moles are a specialty of Aveiro. There is even a monument to them in one of the parks.
Although I have heard the classic Ovos Moles described as ‘very eggy’, I actually quite liked them. But there are also some wonderful variations on the theme. One of the benefits of using egg yolks in this way is that it can preserve them for fifteen days or so without refrigeration.
Long before we arrived in Portugal I had scheduled a stop at Confeitaria Peixinho, which opened in 1856 and specializes in Ovos Moles. It is a magical place redolent of a bygone age. Our beautiful selection box served as supper and more.
Delectable discoveries
On a day when Paul was fully committed elsewhere in Porto, I treated myself at lunchtime to a new and delightful food discovery; pintxos or pinchu, small snacks originating in the Basque region of Spain.
Backtracking slightly, I had walked down to the Ribeira waterfront with the intention of eating on the square. I even sat down at one of the pavement restaurants. But the menu confirmed that this really was not a place for authentic food. I wanted better and headed back up the side-streets towards our apartment.
We had previously noticed what at first glance we thought was a café-bakery. As I walked past, Sagardi once again caught my eye. I’m so glad I decided to explore. Their pintxos brought together fabulous combinations of texture and flavours. My special favourite was a tart filled with smoked cream cheese and apple that wasn’t quite sure if it was sweet or savoury, though everything I tried was delicious. I made a return visit a few days later – it was lovely to be able to introduce Paul and some of his colleagues to something different before we headed to the WordCamp After Party. We discovered that, in the evening, there are also delectable hot snacks straight from the oven. My only regret is that we didn’t have time to try their main restaurant.
To round off my lunch-time treat, I followed up with Portuguese ice-cream from the supermarket next door to Sagardi; chestnut with port and Portuguese custard tart were my flavour choices. I did take my ice-cream back down to the Cais da Ribeira, the waterfront, to soak up the atmosphere. Perfect.
Authentically fishy
Not unexpectedly, fish featured strongly in so many of our restaurant choices.
At Adega Sao Nicolau, an excellent family run restaurant in Porto specializing in classic, home-style cooking, I chose bacalhau (salt cod). This is quintessentially Portuguese, definitely authentic food.
Then there were a couple of village fish restaurants. Onda Sol in Torreira was a ‘local’ restaurant of a kind that one finds all around the Mediterranean. Nothing beats the delicious simplicity fresh Sea Bass with salad and chips. The food at Restaurante Portelas just outside Sao Jacinto was a little more sophisticated, with a stunning array of home-made desserts on offer and particularly friendly service.
After a few days of traditional fare, we stayed with local fish during our excursion to Aveiro but in the form of delectable fusion sushi at Subenshi Sushi. We ate surrounded by colourful swimming fish and sculptural ceilings, a really stylish and fun environment, and thoroughly enjoyed our departure from the traditional.
Taberna Clandestina in Cascais ticked all the boxes for me. It epitomised my earlier definition of what I look for in authentic food as being ‘the use of good local ingredients and a dash of inspiration’. In addition, the lively, street atmosphere and great service made this a highlight. We put together a meal of shared smaller plates; truffle ravioli, swordfish carpaccio, mixed fried seafood and a fabulous salad. Everything had that wonderful freshness and ‘zing’ that makes food memorable.
Memories Experience – ‘The inspiration that comes from the sea’
In choosing to eat at the Michelin starred restaurant at Fortaleza do Guincho, we understood that this would be about story and spectacle as much as about gastronomy. This kind of meal is what in the 70s was termed ‘a happening’, a kind of sensory performance art. Visually stunning, creative, bringing out flavours, textures and temperatures in ways that go beyond the experience of every-day ‘eating’, this was a meal as memorable as I could have hoped.
When the restaurant first gained its Michelin star in 2001 under Chef Antoine Westermann, it offered French fine dining. In 2015 the concept drastically changed with the arrival of famous Portuguese chef Miguel Rocha Vieira. Then, in 2018, after 3 years of dedication and lots of creativity as Miguel Vieira’s Sous-Chef, Gil Fernandes took the helm. His focus is a menu inspired by the Atlantic and the surroundings of the Fort. It is based on Portuguese products and traditions, especially fish and seafood. That coveted star has been retained throughout this evolution.
“The experience at the table of Fortaleza do Guincho continues to be the one of discovery around the Portuguese culture, traditions and history”
I’m not sure I can fully do justice to the ‘performance’. I can’t remember all the nuances or the subtleties of the storytelling, though our waiter was an excellent guide. But it went something like this.
Cuttlefish surfer (as we looked out at the kite surfers) – cuttlefish ink in tempura was spectacular. Irrigation; and vaccine – the first time I have had a waiter advance on me brandishing a syringe with a scary looking needle! I think I was too startled by the sight of this to think about capturing a photo. It had real drama and humour.
Night Scents: Oyster Pastel, Ginger, Curry, Curry Plant
The edible crisp shell was particularly delightful.
Octopus salad with fermented sweet potato. I went without the crisped quinoa as quinoa and I don’t get along! I wish I could recall what the sauces were. Throughout the meal, though, there was a wonderful range of flavours from subtle to intense.
Algarve: Scarlet Prawn from the Algarve, Water Cress, Citrus
Scarlet prawn from the Algarve, with radish, watercress, citrus – intensely in that golden line and more delicately in the salad below the jellied surface.
River: Aveiro’s Eel, Broad Beans, Wild Fennel
Aveiro eel, with a smoky sauce, young broad beans and fennel. Very beautiful and delicious. I love that visual sense of the river. I’m never sure whether I like eel, but when I eat it I often do.
“3 Parte”: Boiled Bones, Homemade “Alheira”, Bean
‘Boiled bones’ and beans; intense ‘between courses’ flavours rooted in family food.
Corn bread, seaweed bread and walnut and fig bread with a strong goat cheese, a curry butter and lardon and red pepper butter, served as pebbles.
“Domingueiras”: Line Caught Sea Bass, Cabbage, “Cozido a Portuguesa” Broth
Sunday lunch – sea bass, various forms of cabbage, turnip and a pork broth.
Leftovers!
Seabass, in a much more flavour intense broth, pasta. This was almost better than the Sunday lunch!
Ice Melting
Climate change. The ice round the sorbet and apple was dramatically melted with warm raspberry, vinegar and elderflower.
1692: Iberian Prey, Carrots, Pear, Pork Cheese
Iberian prey – pork (or maybe wild boar) tenderloin, carrot, pears poached in red wine. Followed up with a strong cheese from the Azores that is matured for three years (stunning), over a really intense pork stew.
Grandfather: Rose Geranium, Strawberries, Sesame
Strawberries, very intense sesame cookies (in the background and second photo), more a shortbread, with crème anglaise and very intense rounds of gelled strawberry and sesame ice cream.
D.O.P: “Queijada de Evora”, Tras-os-Montes Biologic Olive Oil, Pineapple from the Azores
Pineapple from the Azores – the dried pineapple formed a delicious ‘cracker’ with drops of rich pineapple flavour. The tart had a wonderful crispy filling, the ice cream was olive oil, drizzled with basil and the little cubes were an olive oil jelly.
Our Surroundings: Mignardises
And to finish . . . Particularly unforgettable were the squares of white chocolate with red prawn powder. Very strange, but I could definitely see that they would grow on me with repeat exposure!
I didn’t think I could handle the full wine pairing but asked the sommelier to pick two glasses of wine for me. Both were exceptional. This was not a surprise given that the Fortaleza has the reputation of having one of the best wine cellars in Portugal.
What a meal! What an experience! Although this is about as far from every-day food as one could get, for me this still qualifies as authentic food in its attention to surroundings, to personal story expressed through fabulous local ingredients in inspired ways.
How do you define authentic food in the context of travel? Please feel free to comment!
In a year when I’ve been forced by a concussion (Easter Saturday; uneven pavements, a pitch into the metal door of the change room by the ice rink at Kew Gardens – not quite a hockey story) to avoid spending time at the computer, blogging has had to be largely shelved. Life has needed to be lived at a gentler pace and within tighter boundaries. At times, I’ll admit, this has felt constraining, frustrating even. But it has also been a powerful exercise in finding joy and fulfillment in small things, in the everyday; and 2015 has not been without its explorations and adventures.
Trilliums – Ontario’s Provincial Flower
Spring in Toronto is a case of ‘blink and you miss it’. This year I was able to live in intimate relationship with its unfurling, taking joy in the sunshine on my face and each new bud and bloom.
We were already committed to a trip to Montreal for Canada Day and WordCamp at the beginning of July. We spent five days enjoying wonderful food (especially at Toqué) and a necessarily gentle exploration of the old city (lovely, though we had to take refuge from a downpour in Notre Dame Basilica), Mont Royal, Le Musée des Beaux Arts, the Olympic stadium, the Botanical gardens and Biodome (Space for Life), and more. It was a little galling to be in town for the Jazz Festival and not to be able to more than cast a glance in its direction – just half an hour passing through the Place des Arts was almost more than I could cope with. Another year! One delightful discovery was ‘Dragon’s Beard Candy’ in Chinatown, a confection of sugar threads, peanuts, sesame and coconut, reputedly once made only for the emperors of China.
Notre Dame Basilica
Paul with Jean-Paul Riopelle
Montreal contrasts
From Mont-Royal
Sculpture Garden – Le Musee Des Beaux Artes, Montreal
Thankfully we had already made the decision that we needed ‘cottage time’ this summer, opting for a tiny cottage right on the water at Newboro in the Rideau Lakes, about an hour north of Kingston.
Gina at the Cottages at Turtlehill
Heron on the dock
Our Cottage – Cottages at Turtlehill
Exploring Newboro Lakes Islands
Canal cottage – Lower Brewers Lock
Delta Mill
Paddling on Charleston Lake – Whitefish Island
Waking, watching through our bedroom window a heron on our dock; lazing in a hammock strung between trees; easing into the water to paddle amongst innumerable islands, idly observing fish and frogs, osprey and loons, cottages and cabins; a fabulous country market in a C19th schoolhouse – fresh-from-the-field corn, dripping with butter; canals, locks and mill-houses, then wild, rocky vistas; and always water to catch and transform the ever-changing light. Is it any wonder that this is more or less the area in which we hope to make our home? Photos of our ‘Summer on the Rideau’ (Google Album)
For Paul’s birthday, we chose theatre at Stratford (Ontario). Considered comparable with the London or Broadway stage, Stratford Festival encompasses four distinct stages and many different styles. We saw ‘Possible Worlds’,partially performed in a pool of water (odd but effective), an absorbing rumination on alternate dimensions and social constructs. On Sunday, after luxuriating at Elm Hurst Spa, we abandoned wet waterfall walking in favour of a cream tea!
Albion Falls, Hamilton
Albion Falls, Hamilton
Paul at Albion Falls
Birthday Tea
Thanksgiving saw a glorious combination of early colour and unseasonable summer temperatures (75 F/ 24C); not wanting to travel too far, we basked in the golden glow at Toronto Zoo, which is set in rolling parkland. Focused as I was on giving thanks, I was particularly wonder-struck by the rich diversity of animal life. Photos of Thanksgiving at Toronto Zoo (Google Album)
Gina & Paul at Toronto Zoo, Thanksgiving
Fall continued mild, with particularly rich tones, sunny days – even a mild, dry night for Halloween! We had a fine dusting of snow in November, but, so far, December has continued balmy, though we continue in the belief that winter will come . . .
Downtown from the Brickworks
Fall colours at the Don Valley Brickworks
Fall colours at the Don Valley Brickworks
Fall colours at the Don Valley Brickworks
From our window
Halloween Crone
Halloween Pumpkins
2015 has undoubtedly been challenging. But, despite this, looking back I am grateful for the riches of these and other experiences and the new gifts of insight it has brought. Roll on 2016!
(You can click on any photo on the page to see it at a larger size, and flip through all the others in the same gallery too!)
Sailing Penobscot Bay at sunset, eating appetizers and lobster bisque on Schooner Heron, which became “Sanderson’s Yacht” in the Johnny Depp film “The Rum Diary”;
. . . looking out from Mount Battie across the magnificent sweep of the bay, dotted with islands;
. . . floating on our backs in Megunticook Lake whilst watching the Turkey Vultures ride the thermals overhead; lazing with our books on the beach at Birch Point and at our lovely home from home, ‘Wildflower Cottage’, small but perfectly formed, set in a woodland clearing in a garden that beautifully blurs the distinction between wild and cultivated.
Shaker simplicity – beautiful benches and beds, first at the fabulous Farnsworth Art Museum at Rockland and then at the equally wonderful Windsor Chairmakers in Lincolnville; and the delightful discovery at the Farnsworth of American artist Andrew Wyeth, so rooted in place (a Maine summer person) and cinematic in quality.
No trip would be complete without one or two memorable foodie moments; for Paul, the Whoopie Pie was an obvious hit! Then there were the pop-overs served with whipped butter and jam at Jordan Pond, an Acadian tradition that seems a little strange to those used to eating Yorkshire Pudding with roast beef and gravy. But the meal to remember was at Saltwater Farm, overlooking the harbour at Rockport – my Halibut with spicy borscht was exquisite.
“Lobster” – if you mention Maine, this seems to be the almost unanimous first response. So it was very apt to spend our first day in the pine tree state at Rockland Lobster Festival. We ate lobster rolls and chowder, saw the massive steamers where, to that point in the Festival, 13,680 lobsters had been cooked (and counting!), watched crazy people try to race across the water on a path of lobster crates, posed by the giant lobster from the procession and even bought a bauble made from reconstituted crushed lobster shells as this year’s Christmas Tree memento.
Needless to say, this was not the last lobster we ate, though in all honesty it doesn’t rank in our all time favourite foods. But dinner at a lobster pound, Thurston’s in Bernard on Mount Desert Island, had to be done, looking over a classic working harbour as the sun dropped low over the water.
Kayaking out of Rockland harbour, round the headland to the lighthouse and back to shore through the lobster boats at Owl’s Head was pretty awesome too – I’ve always been a bit nervous around boats that can move faster than I can when paddling; no sweat.
And, everywhere you go, even in-land, the landscape is punctuated by the bright signatures of the buoys that stake out a lobsterman’s pots.
(You can click on any photo to see all the photos in the post as a gallery with full titles)
Yup, Maine is a long drive from Toronto. That said, we left on Thursday evening and arrived on Saturday afternoon, so we hurried slowly the 625 miles to our destination, though I was pretty impressed to pass through four Provinces/States in one day!
We barely glimpsed Vermont, though what we saw was lovely, but we thoroughly enjoyed our drive through New Hampshire’s White Mountains to North Conway (a ski and all-season activity resort) – despite a brush with the law! Apparently someone thought they had caught the rear of our car and phoned it in. As we felt nothing and could see no damage, we parted on good terms with the police. There was a certain comedy to it; Paul had been warned of the tendency to jump on those with Canadian plates for speeding and was being rigorously law abiding. The flashing lights in our rear-view mirror therefore resulted in some muted expletives along with that sinking feeling . . .
I’m not normally really a pizza person, but maple-fennel sausage pizza at the Flatbread Pizza Company for supper was as entertaining as it was delicious – pure theatre!
