Balcony garden

Yesterday Bruno came home with two gigantic fresh eggplants!! Before I could let the skin get wrinkly or any soft spots to form I got chopping.
1. Rinse and rub the eggplant under running water
2. Slice in round disks or half moons no thicker than a little pinky finger width
3. leave on a cookie tray sprinkled with course salt until water is released (20 min), wipe dry with a towel, paint with olive oil and bake in the over for 10 minutes
4. Make a white bechamel sauce - melt butter in a saucepan (2-3 Tablespoons), add flour spoonful by spoonful and stirring constantly until a dry paste is formed. Add milk splash by splash stirring and blending. Keep adding milk until you have a smooth creamy sauce
5. sautee onions, garlic, a bay leaf, a piece of cinnamon stick in olive oil. Add a can of peeled crushed tomatoes with sauce and let cook a few minutes
6. Now you can layer like lasagna - eggplant slices, red sauce, white sauce, eggplant, red, white etc until the big pan is full and covered with white sauce on top
Bake for 30 some minutes, 180 C

Yum!

200 bucks - DC to Madrid, what are you waiting for?

Vitamins in Lisbon

First of all, hello and happy Summer to all,

We've been waiting for a heat wave and here it is folks, been quite hot for the last few weeks and although the water is chilly the beaches keep filling up more and more.

So Bruno and I have been talking about vitamins lately - I've always taken some kind of something whether just regular vitamin C, emergen-c powder, or multi supplements and as you all probably remember a lot of protein shakes and tinctures.

I ran out of vitamins and was thinking about which route to take this time around when we got into a real honest discussion about what ever got me to take vitamins in the first place.

Most Americans do, at least the kind of folks we know, right? But I always just "knew" that you should take them. Take B vitamins for stress, C for colds, zinc for colds, A for skin . . . but I usually just buy whatever is cheapest and most accessible in the place I live. I never really asked myself why.

An interesting article came out in the ny times:

Sure enough it may be worth asking ourselves, why?

Of course nothing can replace a balanced diet enough rest and exercise and well not walking on cold linoleum floors with your bare feet, or getting soaked in the cold pouring rain etc.

Anyhow my conclusion is to not take daily vitamins but to try and eat even more fresh veggies and fruit and keep some good quality source of concentrated C on hand (like a juice or extract which is easy to absorb) and some kind of superfood or mineral to amp your energy and combat stress for a few months out of the year.

Vitamins are crazy expensive here in Portugal but I have discovered a way . . . German Amazon.com!! Weleda has a sea buckthorn juice that is supposed to have lots of C and A and it's about 7 euros, not bad.

Then there's Schindeles mineral powder for 12 euro bucks, not bad either.

So what are y'all taking these days?

Saudades

What is Saudade?

Arguably the most difficult word in the Portuguese language to translate, it is intrinsic to poetry and music across the Portuguese-speaking landscape. In Lisbon find it in the poets or fadistas, or as it is rumored, in the hearts of all of it's people. In Brazil find it in Bosa Nova and Choro, two much loved forms of music more outside of the country than inside. In Cape Verde, listen to Morna and you will see that saudade is always a factor wherever the Portuguese have left their mark.

But what is it after all? Why such mystery? You'll have to take a trip to Portugal come find out for yourself! 

(Of course until you can make the trip just yet, click on saudades above to get the closest translation in several languages including Japanese  懐 [ふところ])

Getting Around

My Lisbon Story

Thinking of visiting Lisbon? Not sure where to begin? If you’re hesitant to drive a rental car take a ride . . . 

The city that offers more than breathtaking views, Iberian flavors, and fado

The tram

Unfortunately most Lisbon residents are in too much of a rush to bother with the yellow trams that run through most of the historic neighborhoods. The 28 is one of the most popular for visitors. Wherever you choose to get on, try to  take the full ride through the baixa, up past Se catherdral and onward to Graca. 

For more information go to Lisbon bus line website. 

The metro

Stay cool or avoid the winter downpours underground. The Metropolitana de Lisboa is simple, made up of just 4 lines. Although they have names, not even locals refer to them that way. Instead opt for the color and direction your going. You can go virtually anywhere by underground and if you have a clear destination in mind, it’s the quickest and most efficient way to go. Most of the stops offer strategic access to shopping malls, monuments, business districts, restaurants, and bus or train stations.

And for day trips . .  .

The train

There are train lines leading to Sintra (the home of cool green hills which have provided needed shade to city dwellers since the days of royalty), Cascais (still a prime destination for a day at the beach) and across the Tagus (Tejo in Portuguese) River to Almada (home of the Portuguese Christ the Redeemer statue) and its nearby beaches. 

The truth about bacalhau

Did you know that an electric saw is used in order to slice through this popular delicacy? 

For those of you who have been fish shopping in Portugal, you know exactly what I'm talking about. For others, it may sound bizarre and certainly far from appetizing.

First off let me remind you that we are not talking about regular cod fish as you know it, frozen or fresh this is salted, stretched and dried cod which looks a bit like a cross between a baseball bat and an angel arranged in big stacks, weighed and then run through the vertical saw into workable chunks which are then soaked in cold water for 20-30 hours to take away some of the salt and stiffness.

Sound like a lot of fuss? Although it does take some getting used to the advantages are that it can be stored in the pantry for several weeks, it's very flavorful, and when served to your Portuguese friends and family, it's always a crowd pleaser.

For most Americans however, it's an acquired taste. On a recent trip to the US I made it through customs with enough salted cod to feed a small army, a few bottles of wine and a lovely wax encrusted soft goat cheese. I was sure to wow my friends and family with these refined and lovely flavors. Well the red wine was a huge success (Serra de Azeitão vinho tinto) and the cheese (queijo de cabra amanteigado) which should have been served at warmer temperature in order to be even more buttery and soft was enjoyed by many. The bacalhau however was another story. Only after several bites and drizzles of more and more olive oil did our dinner guests come to discover the tremendous flavor that this bit of fish was giving to plain steamed potatoes and broccoli. 

There are three easy things to remember if you want to discover your true love for Portuguese cod. (Ok of course the cod itself is not from Portuguese waters  the cod comes from colder Atlantic seas off of Norway, Iceland, and Canada mostly but the recipes are uniquely Portuguese.)

1. Just add water!

Give it a nice long soak in cold water. Whether you buy the whole fish (again, it's always a good idea to let the gal behind the counter saw it up for you otherwise you're going to need a huge bucket and pot to prepare this stuff!) or just the shredded bits, they will be stiff and encrusted in salt. (Part of the true old world trader experience!) Because the Portuguese are used to the flavor and tend to like things on the salty side, they don't usually change the water. If the fillets are an inch or more thick you may want to change the water a few hours before cooking. If you are going to put it in the oven or on the grill where it could dry out, try soaking it in milk for a the last couple of hours after you drain the water.

2. Be choosy.

Based on how your going to cook the cod, you should soak the right pieces. If you are grilling, opt for a few thicker fillets. If you are cooking, shredding and mixing with potatoes or frying little patties, go for the tail or or other thin, bony areas.

3. 1001 codfish recipes

I have lost count already of the several ways in which bacalhau is used in Portugal. If your new at this, why not grill or bake it with baked potatoes, hard boiled eggs, and plenty of olive oil? 

Some standard ways of making Portuguese cod are:

- Bacalhau asado is essentially that, baked cod. Peel and pre-steam the potatoes so they're almost cooked. In the same pot add two eggs. Lay the fish, potatoes, hard boiled eggs (whole or sliced), a few olives and bay leaves in a copious amount of olive oil in a baking pan and voilá! Bake until brown on top.

- Bacalhau com natas is also a hugely popular dish for parties or gatherings. Much like potatoes au gratin with sauteed onions and garlic in olive oil mixed with shredded cod. (note: be sure to still soak the dry fish and boil or steam it for 10 minutes in order to shred by hand after)

- Cozido de bacalhau is certainly the easiest way to go. After soaking the cod, place it in a large pot with a few inches of boiling water. Add your favorite greens, 2 eggs (in their shell – just to hard-boil them), carrot and potato chunks and let it steam. Drain and serve with drizzles of olive oil and finely chopped raw garlic.

4. Of course I'm not the authority on Bacalhau, just an American in Lisbon with a taste for the traditional.

Please share your thoughts and recipes in English ou em Português!

Until next time, Obrigada!