The Diverse Influences That Created Traditional Portuguese Cuisine
By Wendy Ponte
Most people don’t know a lot about Portuguese cuisine and assume it is almost the same as Spanish cuisine. In fact, although the two countries make use of many of the same ingredients in their traditional food preparation, their very different histories and landscapes have created distinctly different cooking styles and dishes. For such a small country (it is slightly smaller than the state of Indiana), Portugal has a broad range of terrains and climates within its bounds. There are rocky coastlines on the western shores, and fine sandy beaches in the Algarve, to the south. The islands of Madeira are semi-tropical. The plains of the Alentejo are dry and home to olive groves and cork trees. In the north are cool mountains and running brooks. One of the biggest influences on Portuguese cooking is, without a doubt, the ocean. Portugal is on the southwestern-most tip of the Iberian Peninsula, and is bound by the sea on two of its borders. Portugal also contains two island archipelagos: Madeira and the Azores. Seafood is an integral part of the cuisine, from Shrimp Moçambique to the hundreds of varieties of bacalhau (dried codfish). Each of the provinces of Portugal contains its own culinary traditions based on the terrain and the foods available. For example, in Tras-os-Montes, which is sheep and goat grazing country, meat dishes are prevalent. Madeira is famous for its black scabbard fish (found only in this environment) served with fried bananas. The town of Alcobaça in the Estremadura province is known for the Frango na Pucara (jugged chicken with ham). One of the earliest and most long-lasting influences was created by the invasion of the Moors in 711 AD. Although the Moors were never able to take over the entire country, they had a stronghold on the southern portions for hundreds of years. The effect on the national cuisine was profound, and to this day almonds, figs and egg-influenced desserts, traditional to the Moors, are also an integral part of eating in Portugal. The biggest external influence on Portuguese cooking, however, must be attributed to Portugal’s famous history as maritime explorers and colonists. Beginning in the early 1400s, Prince Henry the Navigator began to build ships that could withstand long journeys. Driven to find a better route to trade with the East, his ships headed south and began to explore the coast of Africa. This initial exploration brought unknown items such as coffee, peppers and peanuts home. In 1487, the Portuguese became the first to round the Cape of Good Hope and make their way to the Far East. This began the robust trade of spices such as cinnamon and curry and foods like rice and tea into Portugal’s boundaries and, from there, all over the rest of Europe. The Portuguese embraced these strong flavors with gusto and these popular Portuguese cooking spices appear in higher proportions in Portuguese cuisine than any other European country. At the same time, the Portuguese also headed west and in 1500, the explorer discovered Brazil. Sailors brought home pineapples, tomatoes, potatoes and corn. All are now an inexorable part of Portugal’s flavors. One of the hallmarks of Portuguese traditional foods is the unusual combining of foods that is a direct result of so many diverse influences over the centuries. In Portugal you can find dishes that combine pork with clams, such as Porco à Alentejana, trout with ham, and whole loaves of bread with seafood and eggs in a kind of dry stew called Açorda, and much, much more.