Order Deadline: Noon, Tuesday, May 28th
Order Your Narrative Provisions Box – Delivery Sunday, June 2nd (3-9 PM)
ABOUT THIS BOX
For many years, Lisbon was my home. I lived in a beautiful old neighborhood called the Bairro Alto on one of the many “hills” of Lisbon — age-old buildings with crumbling facades, palaces with hand-painted tiles, simple houses right next to palaces, a wonderful mix of trendy shops and bars, as well as traditional shops and corner restaurants.
Women dressed in black leaned out of windows, wearing headscarves, hanging their laundry out to dry in the hot sun. The knife sharpener would pedal his bicycle around the neighborhood, hawking his service. Tramways with worn wooden seats rode up and down the hills.
It was as you would imagine Old Europe…
From the Bairro Alto, I would ride the funicular train down the steep hill to the Central Market along the banks of the Rio Tejo. The lower floor of the market was dominated by the fishmongers: strong-voiced, stocky women in knee-high rubber boots with an array of fish straight from the boat — Peixe-espada, which look like a silver blade, beautiful robalo, dorado, sardinhas, and so much more.
The sea plays an important role in the land of Vasco da Gama and fishermen. Although Portugal keeps its eyes on the ocean and turns its back on its huge neighbor, Spain, there is still a lot of shared food culture between the two. And so this week, we’re celebrating the tastes of both Portugal and Spain with the Saudade Box.
“Saudade” is a nearly untranslatable Portuguese word. Trusty Wikipedia defines it as “the love that remains” after someone is gone. It can be described as an emptiness, the overwhelming feeling of that missing someone or something that should be there in a particular moment, but is not.
So I do admit to a certain Portuguese (and Iberian) something missing from my life in LA, and here is a meal plan to make up for it, inspired by so many memories. If you’ve never been, enjoy this week’s curated selection of traditional recipes. And if you have been, reminisce with me. I hope you enjoy! JP : )
BOX RECIPES
- Pollo Al Ajillo (Chicken cooked in garlic and bay)
- Paella de Cerdo con Chorizo y Espinaca (Paella with pork, spinach and chorizo)
- Spanish-Style Tuna and Potato Salad
- Ervilhas Guisadas (Braised Peas with Eggs)
- Caldo Verde
- Spring Vegetable Paella
- Warm Mushroom & Charred Onion Salad
- Portuguese-Style Roast Potatoes
BOX DETAILS
Large Omnivore Narrative Provisions Box for the first five recipes, plus additional staples and fruit
Large Vegetarian Narrative Provisions Box for Braised Peas with Eggs, Caldo Verde, Spring Vegetable Paella, Warm Mushroom & Charred Onions Salad (from brand new James Beard winner, Fat Rice in Chicago), Portuguese-Style Roast Potatoes, plus additional staples and fruit.
Small Omnivore Narrative Provisions Box for the Chicken cooked in Garlic & Bay and Caldo Verde
Small Vegetarian Narrative Provisions Box for Braised Peas with Eggs and Caldo Verde
Leave a Reply