Food And Drink In Portugal
Portuguese people and locals are well known for their gastronomic delights. They love their food and go to great lengths to serve the best and choicest dishes. Though fish forms the staple diet and the Portuguese are known to be the highest consumers of fish in all of Europe they also include a variety of meats, vegetable and plenty of fruits in their daily diet. Rice, Olive Oil and garlic are used extensively in their food preparations which give the recipes a distinctive and typical flavor.
Pork and chicken are favorites and port wine which is a local process and preparation is used in much of their cooking. The Portuguese love their wines and port wine is the most common of wines consumed in the country. The locals take pride in the distilling and preparation of a variety of wines which are made for local consumption. Wines accompany most of their foods and they have a wide variety of red and white wines to choose from. A famous dish of the Portuguese is Porto which is a chicken or duck dish specially prepared in port wine. This is the signature dish which is generally prepared for guests and is accorded top priority at the dinner table. Port and Madeira wine are the two most famous wines available in Portugal and one must not leave the place without sampling these wines which can be found at all restaurants. However, it must be kept in mind that these wines do not appeal to all palates and some tourists are quite often disappointed by their flavors.
Pork is very important in any Portuguese diet. Porco Preto which is a type of black pig is the most favored pork dish. Sausages and a variety of pork curries and dishes are all cooked on wine, plenty of garlic, a variety of peppers and herbs and spices.
Road side cafes and cafeterias, restaurants and eateries line the streets of Portugal. You will find many tourists enjoying the varieties of coffee and snacks offered there and one can even enjoy local musicians playing a tune or two while you dine. All menus are available in English and even in one or two languages to assist the traveler in placing their order. Normally Portuguese food is served with a variety of breads, some olives and wine which you may choose from the menus or ask for assistance in case you desire detailed advice on combinations and names on the menus.
The people are so fond of their meats and non vegetarian food that vegetarian tourists may find some difficulty in placing orders as choices are limited and cooks are not very adept in the preparation of vegetarian foods. However, you may face some difficulty in obtaining a bill at the end of your meal. The Portuguese have a much laid back attitude and do not hurry the guests or tourists who visit the hotels or restaurants. They generally believe in relaxing and digesting the food after a meal. So do not hurry the waiter to get you bill which may take some time in this country.