Lets admit it: Portugal does not immediately come to mind when it comes to delicious delicacies. And yet Portugal has a lot to offer! From surprisingly good wines to hearty cheese to other culinary refinements. Browse through our large and carefully selected variety of typical delicacies and refinements from Portugal.
It should be hearty – Portuguese cuisine is home cooking
In general, Portuguese cuisine is rather heavy and – despite the small size of the country – quite diverse. Fish dishes are typical dishes on the coast of Portugal, while more hearty meat dishes are enjoyed in the middle of the land. Typical ingredients for Portuguese cuisine are cabbage, potatoes, rice, beans, meat, and fish and seafood.
In general, the cooking is hearty and heavy – also to survive the cold winters. Its getting surprisingly cold in the winter months. The thermometer can easily drop below zero, especially in the north. Therefore an energy-rich, nourishing diet is important for the Portuguese.
The south, on the other hand, is not so badly affected by the cold winter hardiness – the kitchen still remains hearty and powerful. Here, too, traditional home cooking is strongly represented. The recipes are passed on from generation to generation and are also hearty. Fish and seafood specialties are more common here, fresh and straight from the sea.
Simple with exotic influences
Although Portugal was once the country of immigrants and colonization brought many influences from exotic countries, very little remains of these influences. But you still can find coriander, cinnamon, curry and chilli as basic ingredients for dishes in local markets. For example, the spicy and extremely typical Piri Piri chili sauce has become an indispensable part of the Portuguese dining table.
A good example of the exotic influence are the sweet dishes and the tasty pastries, which are largely shaped by the tradition of the masons. One of the favorite desserts of the Portuguese is the Pasteis de Nata. Which means a puff pastry tart filled with pudding, which is served bite-sized in small, round portions.
Piri piri, Medronho and Vinho Verde – Enjoy these delicacies from Portugal
Portuguese cuisine with its typical peculiarities has also arrived in our latitudes. Sauces, such as the spicy piri piri sauce, are quickly associated with Portuguese cuisine. In addition, the medronho liqueur, the local strawberry and the vinho tinto, the Portuguese red wine, are highly recommended. Wine production has experienced a renaissance. Especially in the recent years, where foreign investors and locals joined forces and revitalized the traditional winemaking tradition. The result are full-bodied red wines and refreshing white wines from Portugal, which were repeatedly crowned with awards and praised by gourmets.