It's worth stopping at a cafe to sample the region's specialities, which include cheese, smoked hams and chouriços followed by mouthwatering desserts, using recipes that originated in local convents. The Alentejo region also produces some of Portugal's best wines, such as Borba, Redondo, Reguengos and Vidigueira.
Conventual sweets - Alentejo, photo by Nuno Calvet
One of Alentejo specialities is based on a combination of pork meat and clams, savoured with herbs and a large variety of cheeses such as Queijo de Serpa, Queijo de Évora and Queijo de Nisa and ideally accompanied with one of the many Alentejo wines. Desserts are big business in the region too, and the variety is huge. You’ll find them all over the Alentejo as many of their sweets and cakes were originally made by monks and nuns in the local convents. Made from egg yolks and almonds, sweetened with sugar or honey, and sprinkled with cinnamon they are very good. If you are passing through Elvas or Vila Viçosa, make sure you have this dessert the traditional way – cooked on a tin plate and accompanied with one or two succulent and juicy Elvas plums.
The Alentejanos love soup and eat it hot with bread, or cold as gazpacho - an essential feature in game, cod or tomato and sausage soups. These specialities can be found in any self-respecting restaurant in Estremoz, Évora or Beja. Alternatively, opt for some game – another true local speciality. On the coast, fish and shellfish are back on the menu again and further north, Niza offers up strong-smelling home-cured cheeses, whitish-yellow in colour with a sharp taste. Made from sheep’s and goat’s milk, they’re the ideal snack to accompany a glass of wine from the Portalegre region.
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