California Wines & Wineries

A Tasty Portuguese Dinner and Lovely Portuguese Wines

Posted on October 16, 2023

Background

One of the neighbors in our informal “Friday Night Wine & Dine Group” invited us over to their home for traditional Portuguese dinner this Sunday evening. Each couple brought a side dish that may or may not be Portuguese and a wine. Many of the wines were Portuguese white wines from the Azores and a few reds from the United States.

The Food and Wine Pairing   “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

We started off the evening on the patio with appetizers enjoying two traditional Portuguese cheeses. Dried figs, grapes and dried fava beans were also served with crackers & honey.

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

We moved inside to be served some exquisite foods. The host and hostess prepared a special treat of two Bacalhau dishes. One a traditional Portuguese dish with salted rock Cod fish, eggs, potatoes, caramelized onions, tomatoes and spices. The other was a variation Bacalhau com Natas (Cod with cream).  Not shown was a pot roast and potatoes.

_{Photos ©Michael Kelly}

Other dishes served were a red leaf lettuce salad with a crostini of Feta & Goat cheeses. Vinaigrette dressing  was a reduction of red wine and balsamic vinegar with golden raisins simmered in the reduction. Crostini was toasted and topped with the cheese blend and sprinkled with the soaked raisins and drizzled with reserved red wine and Balsamic reduction.

_{Photos ©Michael Kelly}

Other side dishes included roasted halved Brussel sprouts and drizzled with a Balsamic reduction.

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

And for dessert lovely poached pears in a wine base with cinnamon sticks and cloves. The sauce included orange juice, honey and orange rind. Served chilled and a perfect finish! And of course chocolate candies were served.

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

The Wine “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

The Portuguese white wines tasted ranged from very good to great with Pico’s three main varieties either blended or standalone varietals being Terrantez, Verdelho and Arinto. A few USA red wines showed up to help balance the white wines from the Azores.

Terrantez do Pico – Terrantez

Vinha Centenaria – blend of Verdelho and Arinto

Atlantis Acores – Arinto

Lajido – blend of Verdelho, Terrantez and Arinto

Frei Gigante – blend of Arinto, Verdelho and Terrantez

Canada Dos Ladroes – Verdelho

Terrantez do Pico, Terroir Vulcanico – Terrantez

What a great evening of scrumptious foods and wines. A special thank you to the host/hostess who prepared the appetizers and main dishes. Thanks to the couples who brought delicious side dishes and a bottle of wine for this memorable meal.

Sláinte,

Michael

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