I can tell some stories to my followers in America



Dear Folks,

As you know many times in my Blog I speak about history (as it is one of my favourite subjects), I have many times explained how my country (Portugal) managed to influence the world as we know it today.

Because my Blog is mainly visited by Americans from the States, today I am going to speak about two Navigators that probably you have never heard about.

Miguel Corte Real was a Navigator that explored the east coast of the US and reached Florida in 1511, years prior to the arrival of the English pilgrims. Proof of this voyage was found in 1910, the so-called “Dighton Rock” has inscriptions of the Portuguese sailors that were there.

There are also other remains of Portuguese presence in US prior to Spanish or English (Newport Tower in Rhode Island, Ninigret Fort remains in Charlestown/Rhode Island and some Portuguese canons and swords).

Joao Rodrigues Cabrilho (or Cabrillo as it is known in USA) was a Portuguese Navigator that sailing under Spanish flag (like Fernao de Magalhaes or Magellan) made the first exploration voyages of the US West coast. They were searching for a passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean.

Cabrilho had in his armada several other Portuguese sailors with him, the other famous one was called Sebastiao Rodrigues Soromelho. Why talk about this sailor in particular? Well, this sailor was natural from a Sea Town in Portugal called Sesimbra (not far from Lisbon), in this town there’s a famous beach called Califòrnia, the origin of this name comes from a “fornus of Cal” (or in English Lime or Whitewash). So CAL (lime/whitewash) plus FORNIA (fornus/fire oven) equals CALIFORNIA, there are written records in Portugal prior to the exploration of the California coast where the name "Praia da Califòrnia" already appears (similar situation is the name of the Portuguese Town of Cuba that already existed prior to the arrival of Colombo to that island).

When Soromelho arrived at the shores of that new land that reminded him of his native town he named it California.

There you go, you have now a new story to tell your friends and family. The Portuguese influence in America in both shores.

Be sure to go and pay a visit to San Diego to Cabrillo’s National Monument, it is a wonderful location that overlooks the Pacific Ocan. There’s a huge statue of Joao Rodrigues Cabrilho under a Portuguese Padrao dos Descobrimentos (Portuguese Discoveries Land Mark). Or to San Miguel Island by Santa Cruz where his resting place is.

Or to go to visit Dighton Rock in Berkley, Massachusetts.

I hope that you lovers of a good story have enjoyed this Post and that you will find appealing to have a more exotic background.

Enjoy diversity and enjoy good food.

Bon Apetit,

Chef Gourmet Du Art

I Can delicious Vermicelli with Truffles



Dear Folks,

Still in my thoughts the wonderful pasta that I ate in one of the nicest restaurants of Piazza del Campo in Siena.

It is a recipe so simple that the taste the aroma will blow your senses, I am talking of course of pasta with black truffles.

You should open a nice bottle of a rich, full bodied red, I suggest a good bottle of Alentejo Wine, Herdade do Esporao.

Hope that you enjoy it has much as I have.

Shopping List

1 package of Vermicelli Italian Pasta (thick Spaghetti type of pasta)

1 Garlic clove

1 Black Summer Truffle

Q.B. Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)

Q.B. Salt and Black Pepper

Q.B. Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Q.B. Butter

Preparation

Step 1) Clean the Truffle from any impurity (soil, etc.)

Step 2) Shop it in small thin layers

Step 3) In a large pan, full of water bring it to boiling point

Step 4) When it is boiling add salt (Q.B.)) and add the pasta (follow the exact timing of the package)

Step 5) In a frying pan, add a bit of olive oil and the butter, add the garlic clove

Step 6) Retrieve the garlic clove (don’t burn it), add the chopped truffle

Step 7) Take the pasta into a pasta strainer and without any water pour it in the sauce pan

Step 8) mix it well and add more butter. Put some crushed black pepper (Q.B.)

Step 9) In each individual plate pour a portion of paste and freshly grate more truffle on top of the dish (you can add freshly grated parmesan cheese).

Bon Apetit

Chef Gourmet Du Art

I CAN wonderful Siena - Palio, History and Food



Dear Folks,

I would like to share with you my latest Italian expedition. I had the luck and pleasure of visiting Siena for the very first time.

For starters Siena is an Italian city in Tuscany, famous for its Palio horse race and its medieval architecture (UNESCO World Heritage site).

But Siena is much, much more than this.

Siena is a city full of tradition and its citizens are proud keepers of their heritage.

The city is not big but its history is humongous, inside its medieval walls the city is divided in 17 contradas (sort of neighbourhood), each with its colors and Mascote: Aquila (eagle), Bruco (caterpillar), Chiocciola (Snail), Civetta (owl), Drago (Dragon), Giraffa (Giraffe), Istrice (Porcupine), Leocorno (Mitological horned Lyon), Lupa (Wolf), Nicchio (Shell), Oca (Goose), Onda (Wave), Pantera (Panter), Selva (Jungle), Tartuca (Turtle), Torre (Tower), Valdimontone (Mountain Goat).

There are many rivalry between the contradas and many are sworn enemies, such rivalry can get physical and many fist fights happen during the days of the Palio.

The Palio race take place two times per year, inside a round circuit built in the main square (Piazza del Campo), the first race happens in July (2^nd) and the other one in August (16^th), it has its roots in Medieval times and apparently started in the 13^th century, but the town hall only started organizing it since the 17^th century.

Only ten out of the seventeen contradas can race at a time, thus there’s a draw to choose the lucky ten, the other seven that do not participate are already sure for the next Palio and three will be draw out of Seven.

Also the horses are drawn for each contrada, only the Fantino (the jockey) is a paid professional, but the Palio race obeys to many strange factors that might affect the winner.

The Palio will only start when a chosen contrada (also drawn) will place itself inside the ropes and with this gesture signal the start.

Inside the Palio race there’s no rules, often contradas with poor horses try to affect the enemy contradas and obstruct their horses. Other times there are some beating up during the race between the various Fantino’s (Jockey).

During the year, the various contradas celebrate their Saint and organize a street fest (usually in their square by their church. It is a wonderful way to get to know the Sienese People, their culture, their history. The food and the wine are great.

If you are curious to see a Palio live, be sure to organize yourself with time and to exactly know what you are coming to, as prices go sky high and confusion is great. The main square is big but not huge, and the real aficionados are in the middle (thousands of people standing crushed against each other under a blazing sun), this is the place of the several fanatic supporters of each contrada and where riots might occur. The other excellent opportunity of a good view is the stands that are built to the occasion but places are limited and usually prices are very high.

I recommend you to observe first in the Youtube some races and decide what it would be best.

Siena is of course more than the Palio, the rich history, the culture, the food, the wines and the amazing architecture merits your visit.

The Duomo of Siena (Cathedral) is a masterpiece. Inside this famous iconic place there’s the most beautiful floor ever built by Mankind. The marble floor and its drawings are only visible few days a year to avoid damage, be sure to check when it will be open for visit.

I hope I have managed to arouse your curiosity, and invite to walk in the narrow streets of Siena and walk the very same footsteps of millions of Pilgrims in history.

Enjoy wonderful meat, a good Chianti wine and then the sweet Panforte di Siena.

Bon Apetit,

Chef Gourmet Du Art

I Can Tiger Prawn Fest



Dear Folks,

Still with my Summer Holidays memories freshly imprinted in my thoughts, I would like to share with my dear followers my abundant summer experience with Tiger Prawns. In Portugal we called them Camarao Tigre or vulgo Carabineiros, and they are huge.

Not only they are a wonderful delicatessen but also, as you know, aphrodisiac.

This crustaceous is normally found in Indian/Pacific Ocean but some varieties also exist in the coast of Africa and some in Portugal.

In Portugal we traditionally eat the Portuguese variant and also the one from Mozambique, delicious.

It’s considered a giant prawn because it can reach 33cm.

In Portugal we slice it in two half’s and we grill it in charcoal, then we use a salsa made out of melted butter, salt, black pepper, powder red paprika, loads of garlic, fresh parsley and of course Piri-piri (hot Chili sauce).

I hope you can try it at home, as it can be quite expensive, save it for a special occasion or to a party but with few guests, two half’s per person it’s enough if you have other food to serve (usually grilled fish).

I recommend a fresh dry Alentejo White Wine, Herdade do Esporao.

Bon Apetit,

Chef Gourmet Du Art

Most aphrodisiac sea food in the world. Perceves (Goose Barnacle)



Dear Folks,

After a well-deserved and relaxed summer holidays in Portugal here’s a new post.

Today I am going to write about the most aphrodisiac sea food in the world, very expensive and more desired than lobster.

Perceves (in Portuguese and Spanish) or Goose Barnacle (in English) is a crustaceous that can be found in the Atlantic Coast of Europe namely in Portugal and Spain.

Highly appreciated in the Iberia Peninsula, Perceves are very expensive because they are fished by hand and it can very dangerous as they live in attached to rocks and cliffs were the waves of the brave and cold Atlantic Ocean are usually high and strong.

In Portugal, the best place for you to find this delicious food is in my home region, the Algarve (south Portugal) namely in the South-Western tip of Continental Europe. Famous for its natural beauty this region has the Natural Park of the Saint Vincent Coast. Sagres and this region is world famous as a meca for Surfers and also for the first maritime school in the time of Discoveries.

There’s a very small village called “Vila do Bispo” where many nice restaurants prepare delicious Perceves dishes and other fresh fish/sea food delicatessens.

Perceves not only have an enormous gastronomic value but also is very high in protein.

If you have the opportunity to visit Portugal, please pay a visit to the west coast, true that the waters are colder than the warm south coast, but the natural beauty, the waves and the food merits your visit and your appetite.

I am sure that the romantic sceneries of the ocean plus, amazing sunsets plus aphrodisiac Perceves will set both you and your partner in the mood.

If you manage to get some Barnacles in your city, do not forget to cook it currently, in Portugal the tradition is three times more water than the weight of the Barnacles, plus a garlic clove and a Bay Leaf. Fisherman cook it with seawater. Serve it with a nice chill dry white wine, I suggest Portuguese Porta de Murça.

Bon Apetit,

Chef Gourmet Du Art

I proclaim Venice as the Romantic Capital of the world

Dear folks,

much has been said and declared about romantic places and/or cities.

Yes Paris is wonderful, what about Rome, but I fancy Vienna and also Prague. Lisbon is a city to walk hand in hand, Seychelles is where you want to be with your love one and so on and so on…

I proclaim Venice as the romantic capital of the world!!!

It is the only place in the world that gave me more than I was waiting for, and believe me I was waiting for a lot.

The city is just unique, you cannot find anything like that in the all world. The history, the views, the escapades, the weather, the culture, the romance, the food, the intrigue and the sex… Venice has it all.

To visit Venice is to walk in the past, to a time that does not exist any longer, you can actual feel how people use to live before.

Walk hand in hand and get lost in the many narrow little streets, take the vaporetto and feel the sea breeze in your face, take a Gondola and pass under the “Ponte dei sospiri”, enjoy a Bellini cocktail, take a hot chocolate in the same place of Casanova, buy a Venetian mask and play a role with your lover, seat down by the canals and watch the sunset, walk during the day, walk during the night, have a meal in the many cute small restaurants, visit the museums, visit the Cathedral, visit the Palaces, visit the S.Marcus square, visit the tower, visit Murano glass factory, visit the Lido, go the Casino, go to the Opera, go to the city festivities, enjoy it, enjoy it all.

So next time you fancy a romantic escapade, go to Venezia.

Here’s a list of small restaurants, that not only you will have a proper Venetian meal with excellent quality but also you will not over pay just because you are a Tourist, luckily there are still places where Venetians go and have a wonderful meal at decent prices.

1)      Osteria alla Vedova – Calle del Pistor

2)      Trattoria da Gigio – Campo San Leonardo

3)      Anice Stellato – Fondamenta de la Sensa

4)      Bancogiro da Andrea – San Polo, 122

Hope that you enjoy it as much as my wife and I did last weekend.

Bon Apetit,

Chef Gourmet Du Art

J'aime "French Riviera" - a tale of Cannes

Dear readers,

my wife and I love the “French Riviera”, from Menton to Monte Carlo, from Antibes-Juan Les Pins up to Cannes, we love it. We love the scenery, we love the tows we love the summer life.

Just in front of cosmopolitan, hype, rich and famous Cannes you can find a natural paradise called “Iles des Lerins”, there’s two little islands reachable by boat after 15 minutes.

The biggest of these islands is “Ile de Saint Margherite”, it’s about three kilometres long and 900m wide, no cars or pollution allowed. A natural paradise made of Pine trees and wild beaches. Time seems to have stopped there.

Water is warm and clear, you can relax and forget about the hectic city life all day long.

Nightlife is intense in Cannes, with venues for all tastes. From world famous nightspots (that present for example DJ Bob Sinclair) to Moroccan Cafes where you can smoke flavoured Sisha in the Hookan. But if you talk about France you have to talk about food. I love promenading with my wife in old town Cannes, the Croisette, there’s a small little street called Rue de Saint Antoine, also known as “Le Suquet”, this narrow street that goes all the way to upper Cannes is full of little restaurants, galleries and shops. It’s a place to see and be seen. It’s actually possible to be sited next to a famous VIP in one of the many restaurants.

The place that I am going to talk about today is “Maitre Renard” restaurant, a tiny, cosy restaurant of Chef Renard that in person greets visitors and exchange a kind word and advice. The atmosphere is that of the “Suquet” but with added touch of class and sensibility because his restaurant is also a Jazz place. He invites known pianist that jazz along talented singers.

The menu is not huge, but in my view it’s better that way cause all in it is delicious.

My wife and I had different starters and different main dishes so that we could taste the variety. All dishes had a wonderful mix of flavours, smells and colours, the end result exquisite. We finished with a wonderful tris of flaming Crème Brulee.

If you have the chance go and pay a visit, you will not regret it. Here’s the contacts: Restaurant Maitre Renard – Rue St. Antoine, 4 – Cannes, Tel. 0033 (0)4 93399938

As they say in France…

Bon Apetit,

Chef Gourmet Du Art