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I admit it, I LOVE food, I can’t really name an all time favorite, but I usually feel that if “it swims, I’ll eat it”… not in a literal sense, I have to have it cooked, no raw meat or seafood for this former microbiologist.  So of course, while in Portugal, I wanted to eat all the food I could. Believe me, there’s plenty of walking to do to burn off calories in “a cidade das sete colinas de Lisboa”, or the “city of seven hills” as Lisbon is often referred by. There’s really at least 8 famous hills, but those not so famous will still burn calories if you walk them enough! So before I left Charleston, I promised myself that I would eat all I wanted and not worry about where those calories might ultimately reside on my body!

Did I mention I had a sudden gallbladder removal 5 days BEFORE my trip?!? Yikes, what a RIDE! PLEASE PLEASE if you’re traveling out of your home country and it’s offered from your airlines, buy trip insurance! If something unexpected happens (serious medical issues, pregnancy, broken anything, or even a car accident en route to travel) most times you can get a refund or a postponement. It was well worth the about $40 I spent to have peace of mind. Fortunately, my surgeon said I could travel if I promised not to lift my suitcase for ten days. Mr. D wasn’t sure I should chance such a long distance trip, but I promised him I would ask for help if I needed it, even promising to show my 4 laparoscopic incisions publicly if need be! Ha! I have to admit that I was scanning the crowd a few times for healthy males with strong backs for lifting …now you can understand why I packed my backpack lightly with absolute necessities!

I was undaunted though, and after walking a bit through Lisbon with Sherley (this is still the day I arrived!), and sending her teenagers off to teenage shop (you know, clothes, shoes, makeup, ice cream), Sherley and I settled on an outdoor restaurant, João do Grão.  I was quickly handed a menu in English, and she in Portuguese, but I was more interested in her “local” menu, especially because it seemed to have more culinary choices! Sherley quickly chose our dishes, partly because we had had this discussion many times back home in Charleston, and my fork was ready! We nibbled on olives and cheese, and ordered white wine Sangria. Typically, Sangria is Spanish, but the Portuguese have mastered many delicious versions which are colorful and refreshing.

http://www.joaograo.pai.pt

If you’ve never eaten octopus or salted cod, you’re really missing out on some great eating! I ate both about 4 or 5 times, and I was never disappointed. The octopus is pressure cooked tender enough to cut easily, and the cod is soaked in water and is not as salty as you might imagine. The salt is the preservative for the cod, and must be soaked before cooking, but it gives the cod a wonderful, distinct flavor. Simple potatoes and salad are served and nothing tastes “heavy”, and we certainly ate our fill. True Portuguese “dinner time” is really closer to 9 pm, so this was really a “snack” meal at 4 pm! That meant we could eat ice cream soon after, which was great, since there were many street ice cream vendors to choose from.

Wine is served like water in many parts of Europe, and Portugal is no exception! In fact, it aids in the making of friends, when drinking responsibly … we met a very nice gentleman on holiday from coastal Italy, literally in arm’s reach from us, enjoying his meal while we waited for ours.  It was over glasses of wine that he told us that Portugal is his “favorite” place to take his holiday, and that he comes as often as he can. I asked him “what makes Portugal so special to you?”, he quickly answered with a wave of his hand to our surroundings “this, all of this…the people, the beauty, the relaxation pace of life, even the air… it’s just different” …Hmmmm…he had this slightly familiar look in his eyes …a “saudade” memory perhaps???