A Dive into Authentic Flavors
One of the ties between Portugal and France undoubtedly comes from their shared love for the pleasures of the table. Although Portuguese cuisine is not as sophisticated as French gastronomy, it boasts excellent chefs with creative and contemporary cooking styles. These chefs reinterpret hearty rustic dishes prepared with fresh and natural ingredients. In most restaurants, rooted in tradition, you will taste cod (bacalhau) presented in a thousand recipes, fish, seafood, charcuterie, lamb, veal, or even roasted suckling pig. Grilled dishes, soups, stews, pot-au-feu, and elaborate rice dishes are also celebrated. The bread and cheese are excellent and accompany very good wines produced throughout the country. Alentejo and Douro wines (including the famous Port) are the most renowned, especially the reds, but good vintages can be found everywhere. For dessert, you can choose from convent pastries and countless small dry or creamy cakes, including the famous pastéis de nata.