Borrowing dishes from around the world – The cuisine of Portugal

During the 17 and 1800’s Portuguese influence was expanding rapidly with the advancement of naval shipping and trade. Before long the customs, traditions and most importantly foods, came back home with them when the voyage was done. After 200 years, there are few dishes or ingredients around the world that Portugal has not borrowed or integrated into the cultural cuisine.

The most common types of food you will find in Portuguese cuisine are hearty and inexpensive. They are fond of using various spices and other indigenous ingredients including cinnamon, vanilla, saffron, and several types of nuclear-strength hot peppers. Their food is highly reminiscence of the neighboring Arabian and Moorish specialties. The spices used in Portugal’s cuisine follows along with the seasons, and of course (jus like most of us) the average price at market.

A large part of Portugal’s population makes their living from the sea, whether in commercial fishing, boating or shipping. Because of this Portugal and especially areas like Lisbon feature a large variety of seafood and fish, especially “bacalhau” The name for Lisbon’s national dish – salt cod. According to locals they have devised 365 ways to cook salt cod, one for ever day of the year. You can also find various other seafood and fish in Lisbonian cuisine including octopus, hake, lamprey, a variety of shellfish and sardines, especially grilled sardinhas or assadas.

Portuguese cuisine is also heavily influenced by local meats like chicken, pork, partridge, goat, quail, rabbit and kid. The typical afful and by product meats that westerners typically shy away from and toss in the bin are always used in Portuguese dishes. In fact, in most places in the world, dishes like kidneys, liver, heart and tripe are staple foods and actually taste wonderful when prepared correctly. Many visitors to Portugal leave the country with quite a few strange favorite foods!

Portugal also has a large community of vegetarians and many of the counties most popular dishes don’t include meat or seafood t all. Many types of dishes use beans, grains, and various local vegetables and ingredients that are free of any animal byproducts.

Desserts are far from forgotten in Portugal. Two of the countries most popular sweet dishes are Leite-creme – a creamy egg custard flavored with real locally grown vanilla beans and Arroz doce – a delicate set rice pudding that is typically decorated with cinnamon and anise, much like a western cupcake is decorated in with icing.