A Farm-to-Table Foodie Foray
EDIBLE ESCAPES
We begin 2023 with a much-anticipated foodie foray into new Design Escapes frontiers, Portugal's most Northern region - Tras-os-Montes (Behind-the-Mountains) - a place awarded by the United Nations for its unique biodiversity & ancient agricultural traditions, for the first of Portuguese chef João Rodrigues’ just-launched edible endeavour, Residencia João Rodrigues.
Renowned for his relentless recognition of Portugal’s most passionate independent producers, Rodrigues has invited his collection of ardent agronomists to spring from their pastures to host pop-up suppers, monthly stops on a tantalising culinary caravan across the country, all held in the most astounding & curious locations.
Soon enough, the plateful pilgrimage will culminate in the opening of Monda, João’s much anticipated farm-to-table hotel & restaurant buried deep in the plains of the Alentejo. But for now, we follow, forks in hand as he invites us & other deliciously driven travellers around the world to pull up a pew on his handpicked plots for truly unforgettable mouthfuls & memories.
Edible Escapes…is a series of foodie forays & gastronomic explorations that go deeper into Portugal’s rich culinary lexicon. Discover restaurant reviews, news of new openings, pop-up events, food festivals & experiential, esculent experiences to enrich your travels across the country.
All images by Joana Freitas
All roads lead North…
As the mist lifts from the undulating mountainside & the frost underfoot begins to melt, we arrive for the morning in Vilharino Seco, the remote, 300-year-old stone village that João (heralded for his versatile & adventurous cooking styles ranging from fervent fine dining to salt-of-the-earth sumptuousness) has chosen to gather his gastronomically driven disciples in together for his first weekend of experiential edible events.
Back the the roots…
The genesis of Residencia is founded in Rodrigues’ project Projecto Matéria, an endless encyclopaedia of farmers & fishermen, growers & greengrocers, butchers, bakers, beekeepers & beyond, sought out by Rodrigues himself & placed on a ‘makers map’; a delicious directory that not only highlights the best-of-the-best of Portugal’s producers but the best-for-the-earth too. At an organic Barossa cow barn nestled in a rolling valley, we come face-to-face with our food, just as we have at each stop throughout the day - introduced to its’ origins & the people who so passionately dedicate themselves to doing better for both plate & planet.
The journey to the table…
Throughout the day, we are led through an ancient smokehouse that houses Vilarinho Seco’s famous sausages & the honey producer that cultivates bees who suckle on the mountain’s heather shrubs. We wander through biodynamic mushroom forests where the community here have regenerated acres of what was once uni-crop farmland & step on stones alongside the wild water trout rivers that provide this land-locked region with fish essential sustenance.
Produce & preparations…
At golden hour, back in the village, we are greeted by slow, sleepy streets & the sound of cowbells chiming on each & every corner, as the Cachena cows reveal their gentle plod, steam rises from their chestnut bodies as they slink behind headscarved farmers’ wives ready to be tucked away for the evening & to heat the homes they live beneath. Standing at the foot of the tiny church steeple, evidence of the evenings activity emerges across the square…
The gathering commences…
As smoke rises from crooked chimney pots, cooks carrying bubbling pots of soup march across cobbled paths while teams plucking armfuls of abundant cabbages from villagers’ allotments make their way to Rodrigues’ kitchen housed at Casa do Pedro - the 300-year-old family home & taberna where the evenings’ events will elude. A small collection of intrepid travellers from all around step out of cars - vehicles that seem like elements of a faraway future. Wrapped up warm, we join them to curiously convoy inside, greeted by a roaring hearth at the centre of a heavy stone-walled dining room steeped in old beams & humble tables dressed for dinner.
“A mesa…”
Huddled with new friends from the days’ adventures, we break bread & fill our cups full of local grapes - chosen by Rodrigues & his team for their low-intervention methods & biodynamic fervour. Happy & hungry, a perfectly choreographed tale of tantalising dishes begins - sharing plates graced with effortlessly elegant, yet homely & humble fare - the perfect combination of tradition & technique. The river trout is delicately dressed with a citrusy escabeche before a warming pumpkin soup is infused with local heather honey & garlic. What follows are wild, foraged mushrooms that crackle under eggs from our hosts’ chickens, a steamy rice dish glistening from plump juicy game birds shot just that morning & served with smokey ‘feijão’ because of course, no Portuguese feast is complete with out the biddable bean.
A pudim to ponder…
As we settle into sweets, a palpably gelatinous pudim (the North’s national treasure of treats) we plot with our fellow punters about next month’s comestible convention. February will welcome João’s travelling kitchen in the Minho, where he will continue on his mission to protect Portugal’s producer-led patrimony, paving new pathways for the professors of its lands to ensure that its tables traditions remain resilient & relevant for new generations to come.
The rest is far from history, so join us in consistently refreshing Residencia Rodrigues's Instagram & website for further details on upcoming dinners. For anyone visiting Portugal this year, it’s a must. For insider tips and to include the experience as part of a wider foodie foray, get in touch with us.
