{"id":195,"date":"2017-09-14T12:26:43","date_gmt":"2017-09-14T11:26:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/wp\/?p=195"},"modified":"2021-11-17T17:06:02","modified_gmt":"2021-11-17T17:06:02","slug":"port-porto-and-culinary-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mostlyfood.co.uk\/index.php\/port-porto-and-culinary-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Port, Porto and culinary culture – travel review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Portugal You might have visited Porto in Portugal before but it\u2019s worth another look, and perhaps with food and drink in mind this time. There has been more investment lately in this vibrant town, which exudes character and charm.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the 15th and 16th centuries Portugal was a leading European power, ranking with England, France and its neighbour Spain. The architecture here in Porto still reflects the grandeur and opulence of those days.<\/p>\n

Sweet treats<\/h3>\n

\"portugal But let us consider Portuguese food. There are many sweets and cakes in Portugal but there is probably only one of which every tourist will have heard. It\u2019s ubiquitous across the country: it\u2019s the Portuguese Custard Tart or, to give its local name, past\u00e9is de nata. It is believed that past\u00e9is de nata were created centuries ago by monks at the Mosteiro dos Jer\u00f3nimos in the parish of Santa Maria de Bel\u00e9m, in Lisbon. They are rather rustic-looking with a slightly burnt top, but they are addictive.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are some other outstanding desserts, too, such as Portuguese rice pudding. This is made with a short-grain rice such as arborio. It\u2019s slowly cooked and is creamy with egg yolks, and flavoured with lemon peel.<\/p>\n

Another favourite is a custard dessert called Leite Cr\u00e8me. It\u2019s made on the stove top rather than being baked and it\u2019s finished with a caramel crust made with a sprinkle of sugar and heat from a grill or a traditional metal plate. It can be found in shops, but it\u2019s mostly made at home.<\/p>\n

For the Carnivore<\/h3>\n

\"portugalBut what of restaurants in Porto? If one is looking for a meat fest and the best location then go to RIB – Beef & Wine. It is exactly what one would expect \u2013 a restaurant with both inside and outside seating, and offering a variety of steaks and side dishes, and right by the River Douro. Rib Eye is rich, marbled, juicy and with a good depth of flavour.<\/span><\/p>\n

RIB Beef & Wine
\nPra\u00e7a da Ribeira 1
\n4050-513 Porto
\nPortugal<\/p>\n

Phone: +351 22 340 2300<\/p>\n

Opening Hours:
\nMonday \u2013 Thursday: 12:30pm-3pm, 7:30pm-10:30pm
\nFriday \u2013 Saturday 12:30pm-3pm, 7pm-11pm
\nSunday 12:30pm-3pm, 7:30pm-10:30pm<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taste of the Sea<\/h3>\n

\"portugalFish is big in Portugal and the country is full of speciality seafood restaurants, many with extravagant counters of shrimp, oysters, and crabs, along with white fish such as hake and the ugly barnacles called percebes.<\/span><\/p>\n

An outstanding fish restaurant is Os Lus\u00edadas. It has, along with the seafood counter, a lobster tank from which one can choose one\u2019s own dinner, or perhaps take one home for a pet. This bright and airy restaurant is popular with locals; this is real Porto and therefore it provides traditional good-quality food rather than tourist fare. If you want a burger then keep walking. Order a seafood platter with all those fresh goods from the counter, and then perhaps move onto the salt-crusted seabass. The restaurant is located in Matosinhos, next to one of the major national fishing ports, so you know the ingredients for your sumptuous meal will be the freshest.<\/p>\n

Opening times
\nNoon to 15h30 for lunch
\n19h00 to midnight for dinner<\/p>\n

Os Lus\u00edadas
\nRua Tom\u00e1s Ribeiro,
\n257 4450-297 Matosinhos
\nPortugal<\/p>\n

Phone: +351 229 378 242
\nFax: +351 229 375 641
\nEmail: info@restaurantelusiadas.com<\/p>\n

Visit Os Lus\u00edadas here<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Not forgetting…<\/h3>\n

But wait! There is something else apart from seafood for which Porto is famous \u2013 and that\u2019s the eponymous Port!
\nPortugal\u2019s wine industry has a close relationship with the British, dating back, in the case of Taylor\u2019s Port, to the 1600s. Wines were first shipped to England as far back as the 12th century and in 1386 the Portuguese and the English signed the Treaty of Windsor which promoted close diplomatic ties between the two countries and opened the door for further trade.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"portugal There are many theories regarding the origin of Port \u2013 one of the most popular is the story of a visit in 1678 of English wine merchants to a monastery on the banks of the Douro River. They were looking for wines to ship back to England and they happened upon an abbot in Lamego who was producing a wine that was totally new to the merchants. The Abbot of Lamego was fortifying his wine during fermentation instead of after, which was the practice for other wines. The abbot\u2019s method killed off the active yeast, leaving the wine with high levels of residual sugar. This produced a potent wine with sweetness that was bound to be to the 17th century English taste.<\/p>\n

Port is produced from grapes grown and processed in that specific Douro region. These days there are robots that are used by some growers to tread the grapes, but many producers prefer the traditional method of treading the grapes by foot in a tank called lagares. The juice starts its fermentation, and the wine produced is then fortified by the addition of a grape brandy (although this is not your regular brandy but a spirit distilled especially for the wine industry). It is added in order to stop the fermentation, to allow sugar to remain in the wine, and to increase the alcohol content.<\/p>\n

Taylor\u2019s is one of the oldest of the founding Port houses and perhaps the best known. No visit to Portugal would be complete without a trip to the Taylor\u2019s Visitors\u2019 Centre. It offers self-guided tours of the cellars as well as a museum and tasting opportunities.<\/p>\n

Taylor\u2019s Port
\nVisitors’ Centre
\nRua do Choupelo n\u00ba 250
\n4400-088 Vila Nova de Gaia
\nPortugal<\/p>\n

Tel. +351 223 742 800
\nFax. +351 223 742 899<\/p>\n

Visit Taylor\u2019s Port here<\/a><\/p>\n

Porto is accessible for tourists who want to walk. The streets are lined with traditional caf\u00e9s, bars, restaurants as well as bread and pastry shops. Every neighbourhood seems to offer gastronomic opportunities.<\/p>\n

From 25 March 2018 -TAP Air Portugal has 20 weekly departures from London City and London Gatwick to Porto. Prices start at \u00a341 one way including all taxes and surcharges.
\nFor further information visit flytap.com<\/a> or call 0345 601 0932<\/p>\n

For further destination information, visit visitportoandnorth.travel<\/a><\/p>\n

Read more articles about Portugal here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Travel review by Chrissie Walker \u00a9 2018<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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