Taste of Portugal-An Overlooked Mediteranean Influenced Cuisine

Portugal-An Overlooked Mediterranean Influenced Culture

By Ana Patuleia Ortins, 02/16/2023

Portugal has a deep multi-rooted culture that goes back hundreds of years.  It has a multifaceted culture.  Architecture, religion (primarily Catholic), language, traditional handcrafts, dance, music, folklore, family and food-ways, was born from a melting pot of outside influences. These cultures influenced the Iberian Peninsula in varying degrees,. Be it through discoveries, battles, occupation or just passing through, these influences can be traced back to its origin.

Some cultures that occupied what is now Portugal, to name just a few, were the Moors, Romans and Spanish. The Discoveries led the way to new lands and cultural influences. The discoverers returned with  new ingredients from newly encountered cultures to cook with and seeds to plant.  From these strong influences and discoveries, Portuguese cuisine had evolved into what it is today.

Although it is located on the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal’s food culture is nonetheless Mediterranean.  Legumes, making wine, leaven and unleavened bread, figs, pomegranates, olive oil, pine nuts, and a wide range of seafood are just some of the standard ingredients.  This food culture goes hand in hand with the country’s folkways, family ways and friendships. Neighbors, family, friends, young and old, then come together to share bountiful meals. These meals are welcome after laboring to help each other pick crops, olives, and grapes.

During the winter, they even helped each other slaughter a pig for winter sustenance. Teaching the methods of wine making to upcoming generations is a must.  How to tell when the grape juice is done fermenting and when the wine is ready to bottle are learned by sharing, one generation to another.  Today, it might be Mr. Silva that benefits from the labor and tomorrow, Mr. Silva will join the others in helping another in need. Even today, a rotation of service is how it is done.  No money is exchanged, just a meal of thanks, good wine, laughter, comradery and sometimes song.

In the kitchen, it is the women that join forces to make meals.  The culture of food is more than labor sharing.  The Portuguese food culture is an enjoyment to be experienced.  It has been  this way to teach the upcoming generation.  Mother to daughter, friend to friend, the teaching of traditional recipes can be preserved and carried on to future generations. More than ever, Portuguese cuisine is in transition.

Thanks to the global market, the internet, and migrations, the food ways are on the move.  Contemporary re-workings of traditional dishes, new recipes with Portuguese spices, and increase of restaurants with foreign flavors are changing things up.

With now popular ready-made ingredients, takeout restaurants and global ingredients, Portuguese is evolving slowly, but surely from old influences to the new ones. For example, Ervilhas Guisadas (Stewed Peas) which was introduced to Portugal by the Arabs during their occupation. By Arab standards, this dish would not include wine or pork. But leave it to the Portuguese to sauté sausage slices which, together with the peas and other ingredients, simmered in a wine infused base then served topped with poached eggs, one for each person. A pea lover’s dream, but will this dish evolve even more or will it stay as it is remains to be seen.