Santarém - 32nd National Festival of Gastronomy
Hello ma dears!
Brace yourselves this is entirely a mouthwatering post, evolving around the biggest food event of Portugal the none other than the 32nd National Festival of Gastronomy hosted every year in Santarém. The festival includes all flavours of the country showing and giving for the visitor to taste the very best of our gastronomy heritage (cheese,sausages,meats, fish, honey, desserts,drinks...). You can either nibble from "tasquinha" to "tasquinha" or go for what I do, choose a place, sit down and have a full proper meal.
Again as it's been tradition we go to "Académico" from Bragança just for the "Posta Mirandesa", we can't eat it anywhere else, only this year we did have to wait to get a table (but it was so worth it). I live for the festival ahaha
These year our beloved restaurant was right upfront, less to walk for me, and as you can see full!
The appetizers! 2 types of spicy sausage and cheese from the region.
The well known "Alheira". You do have to ask for it during the entrée
The "Posta Miradensa" huge chunks of meat roasted to perfection well seasoned, accompanied by some boiled potatoes and better cabage than last year. In the photo you see 4 "postas" but don't worry if you can't eat it all there you can always bring home, nicely wrapped, the one that got away.
Coffee, always a must. To ensure you stay awake and ready for the desserts, and also to help digest the meal. (And to easing it up the 13% alcohol green wine you had during the meal)
And Now the desserts.
Honestly each year I pass by the finest and delicious dessert's area I'm like "I'm in heaven and my heart beats so that I can hardly chooooseeee!". Jokes aside after seeing all those different and regional sweets you understand why the Portuguese gastronomy is so well known 'cus there's so much to choose from, each region with it's own devilish yummy pastries.
There was a couple of older women making for everyone to see "D.Rodrigo" one pastries also very popular.
If you're my usual follower you might have seen these babes here and here: "Doces Finos" made of marzipan originally from Algarve. If you like macaroons you probably would love them.
Now the drinks or should I say alcohol drinks.
Moscatel about 2,50 although I seriously don't remember, from Setúbal. A sort of liqueur wine.
"Poncha" from Madeira at 1,20. Made of brandy cane sugar, honey and lemon juice.
Craftwork
As I like you call it, the souvenirs. Some "Doces Finos" just to prolong the food high.
"Doces finos" filled with yarn eggs
The view on the way home.
Recap: The food festival is a fantastic way to pass the day, it's an opportunity to eat the very best of each regional dish, to enjoy the warm feeling and learn how strong the cultural value of the Portuguese's gastronomy heritage is. If to you eating is more than simply suppress a biological need, it's a way to socialize and to bond with others than these festival is definitely for you.
Prices: The entries cost this year was 2 Euro per person. The main dish we had, "Posta Mirandesa" for 4 people was around 85 Euro. The outside desserts and drinks were usually above 1,50 Euro. So yeah, expensive, not everyone can afford, but for as long as we can, we'll continue to visit it. And it's once a year.
Hope you've enjoyed these post.
If you happened to have visisted these festival, please share what you've tasted!
Happy weekend!
Beijinhos**
