A Fine Platter of Fish

Introduction

After just over a year in Portugal, there are three things we haven’t done well.  (Actually, there’s a lot more than three, but this needs to be a short post!)  Those three things are:

1. Learn Portuguese.  We continue to work on it sporadically and slowly.  We’re trying to get registered for a class in the fall.  (That’s another blog post…)
   
2. Get to know our Portuguese neighbors.  
   
3. Learn to eat more of the local seafood.  

We know that #1 is a major contributing factor to #2. It’s hard to get to know people if you can’t communicate.  And both #1 and #2 have impeded our ability to do #3.  

But recently, we made a small step toward making new friends and learning about seafood.  

During the first week we were in Parede, we were stopped by a man on the street while we were walking Sox.  He asked us (in English), “Is that a Boston Terrier?”.  We said yes and proceeded to have a brief conversation about how he had always wanted one.  

Over the next few months, we met this man several more times around the neighborhood.  We would see him walking his dog, a mottled grey and brown cão (dog), much younger than Sox.  Once we ran into him and his dog in the vet’s office.  

Another afternoon, he approached us while we were playing frisbee in the park with Sox.  He wanted to know where we came from, why we chose to live in Portugal, and how we ended up in Parede.  We finally introduced ourselves.  His name is Victor and he is a retired airline executive.  

Then one day, earlier this summer, Victor stopped us in the park and asked,  “Have you eaten sardines?”  When we said we had not, he said, “Oh, but you must try them.  I will take you to eat sardines.” 

We said that would be very nice and left it at that, but the next time we saw him, he said “Let’s go to lunch next Tuesday.  I’ll take you to a place that makes the best sardines.”  We agreed on a time and a place to meet.

Some background on sardines

Sardines were first “discovered” in the waters off the coast of Portugal by the Romans.  Catching and eating these tasty fish has been a popular activity ever since.  They are abundant in the summer, and are a staple at outdoor festivals and celebrations.. Many restaurants will set up charcoal grills outside to prepare sardines and tempt passersby with the smell.

And – bonus! – they are a source of protein and minerals.

The Portuguese fishing industry is heavily regulated in order to ensure the sustainability of the sardine population.  In the early 2000’s, over fishing was a major problem that resulted in a total ban on fishing from September, 2018 until June, 2019, and then a limited fishing season after that.  

The imposition of strict limits was done through a joint effort of the Portuguese and Spanish governments in collaboration with the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).  The intent was to protect the sardine population and allow it to recover. 

This action created financial hardships for many fishermen and tension between the governments and the sardine fisheries organizations, but the limits had the desired effect. After constrained seasons in 2019 and 2020, the sardine populations began to recover and by 2022, things were nearly back to pre-limits levels. This year the fishing season began on 2 May and runs through the end of November.    

Our Lunch With Victor

On the appointed Tuesday we went to lunch with Victor.  He took us to the Restaurante Borges in the nearby town of Paço de Arcos. 

It’s a small, cozy place where Victor has been eating for almost 50 years, ever since he moved into his first apartment building around the corner.  Sr. Borges, who has owned the restaurant for the last 40 years, greeted us as we entered.

Images above from tripadvisor.com. (Mike was too busy talking to Victor to take good photos!)

The fish came out on a large platter – 10 or 12 of them, cooked whole. Their flesh was seared from the grill and little bits of salt clung to the skin. They were accompanied by boiled potatoes.

Victor gave us instructions on how to eat them.  Scrape off the skin, then slide your knife into the side of the fish.  Cut along the spine toward one end, then you can lift the filet off the bones.  But watch out for bones!  They are hair thin. When you finish one side, flip it over and start again.

This is not a meal you can rush through, which makes it perfect for a leisurely Portuguese almoço – lunch. It takes time and a bit of patience for a newbie to separate the meat from the bones, but the payoff is worth it. The meat is light colored and mild, with a hint of smokiness from the grill, a bit of salt, and a slight sweetness. 

Then we had dessert – too much dessert.  Mary ordered a lime tart, I ordered one with almonds.  We should have split one, but they were both delicious.  We enjoyed a café with our dessert.

As were were finishing our dessert, Sr. Borges came to the table holding an unlabeled bottle of a pale amber liquid and three small glasses. He poured us each a glass. Victor explained that this was the house-made cognac and that Sr. Borges only gave it to special guests. We thanked him and enjoyed the smooth, warm drink.

Until next time

Our lunch with Victor was delightful. We spent time getting better acquainted – talking about our respective lives, loves, and careers. We were introduced to sardinhas, a fish we will now eat frequently and confidently.

For our next culinary lesson, Victor said he will take us to a place that makes the best bacalhau (salted cod – arguably the national dish of Portugal). Mike has had bacalhau several times, but we’re still looking forward to our next outing with our new friend.

Stay tuned. We’ll have pictures!

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How have shared meals helped you make new friends? Tell us your story in the comments below or with a note via the Contact Us form.

Until next week / Até a próxima semana

Mary and Mike

The Cook and The Writer

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