Monte Gordo - Beach, Food & Wine

Posted on June 21, 2008
Filed Under Algarve Beaches, Things to do Algarve

What do you do when you get an invitation for a beach weekend in the Algarve? Well, you pack your suit!

Gourmet_Portugal_Monte_Gordo

Last weekend, we were invited out to a relaxing weekend in Monte Gordo, a small town just east of Faro and close to the Spanish boarder. Not quite ready for summer, we dug up the hibernating swim suits, packed a couple of necessity and we were ready, well almost… Before heading out, we needed to find something special to take in appreciation of this wonderful invitation. Knowing our hosts were adamant foodies, we agonized…then remembered, we had just what the occasion called for.

A few weeks back a friend surprised us with a lovely hamper from Gourmet Portugal, filled with traditional Portuguese goodies. I always feel a little guilty breaking into one myself, so sharing this treasure with friends seemed the prefect way to enjoy a basket full of treats without guilt. Add a couple of wine bottles, and we were set…to the Beach!

We spent the first day relaxing and doing a whole lot of nothing, but reading and enjoying Praia Verde until early afternoon, then strolled back to the beach house for a surprise lunch. On our way back we discovered something no beach house should be without…a foot bath for sandy feet! While enjoying our foot bath frolic we suddenly got a whiff of something heavenly − fortunately for us, the kitchen was just steps away, and this incredible smell…was lunch. A peak in the window and the mystery was revealed, Caldeirada!

A traditional Portuguese fish stew - this one made with Corvina (similar to sea bass), but many include a variety of different fish to enrich the stew - then add the traditional potatoes, peppers, onions and garlic, delicious! I’m trying to wrestle the recipe from Chef Zelda, and will post it here when she weakens to my plea. Before getting to the Caldeirada, we couldn’t resist looking at the hamper any longer, and decided to satiate our curiosity with the olive oil, accompanied by crusty bread, cheese and chouriço. In the back of my mind, I thought “with a lunch like this, its more likely we’ll be having a ’soneca’ Portuguese version of a “siesta” than laying on the beach again today”. As it turned out, I was right.

All this lovely food would of course not mean the same without wine, and that’s when I was introduced to a charming new bottle: Prova Regia Arinto - 2006 Bucelas. Great bouquet and sweet notes of quince, a light and wonderful accompaniment to this stew. We also tried a Vale de Rico Homem, 2007, but unfortunately this number didn’t impress any of us. Lovely colour but otherwise, banal and unexciting.

That evening we visited restaurant Casa da Igreja, in Cacela Velha - a tiny place with no name above the door except for the yellow and white fork symbol for restaurant, it sits directly next to the only Jewish cemetery in the country with just one person laid to rest in it. Its esplanade is open to passing cars just centimeters away, has a regular line up of people at the door, and serves some of the best Oysters I’ve ever tried. This tiny, place has been around for 25 years, and is run by the founders children, who were not yet born when it started. In 25 years nothing has changed, this family business still cultivates its own Oysters from the Ria Formosa below and within sight from the cliff hill top, where the restaurant is located. They pick their oysters daily and serve them nightly, earning them an a quiet reputation for some amazing oysters, and rightly so.

More than content with dinner, we strolled to another spot Cafe Azul, with a roof top patio, for cafe and dessert. A very nicely decorated and organized lounge/bar/restaurant, we felt we could visit multiple times and it would feel fresh and new every time. The dessert selection was small but fresh, and with lots of teas to choose from, in case your not the ‘cafe’ type. A fireplace surrounded by comfy lounge chairs, waits on the first floor, a perfect hide away for cold weekend afternoons - note to self, we’ll be coming back in a few months.

Morning starts off with an aggressive attack of the gourmet basket, out came the jams, jelly, marmalade and honey. Not to over due my sugar content for the morning, my curiosity lead me to the blueberry jam and quince jelly, both had great spread and just enough sweetness. Portuguese sweet tooth causes some preserves to be extremely sweet, but these were right on sweet queue. Alone or layered on fresh cheese and warm toasty bread… well lets just say, it wasn’t the smallest breakfast I’ve ever had….now to the beach, maybe my reading book will help disguise my guilty belly.

After such a great breakfast a long walk down the beach seemed the perfect way to rid of my jammed guilt, and get a view of the beach from a different perspective. First thing I noticed was all the seaweed that had washed up on shore overnight, and each incoming wave brushing the mounds of vibrant green up a little further like a snow truck in Canada, meanwhile beach goers spread seaweed on their bodies to feel the coolness of the ocean directly on their skin. Kids were busy building sand castles, holes and filling their pails, while the wee ones splashed water around through their parents tight grip. This is what a great beach weekend is all about, enjoying the simplest pleasures as purely as possible.

Having managed a light healthy glow through, mounds of sun screen, our bellies put us on notice, it was time to refuel. This time, lunch would be at another local haunt Restaruante Mares, in Praia Altur - known for its fresh grilled fish and ocean view, and it didn’t disappoint. With a very chilled bottle of Marques de Borba white, lunch disappeared at warp speed, and I realized while I was in conversation, most of my grilled sword fish got hooked by another plate…humm, guess I’ll have to balance things with dessert. If dessert was what I saw on display walking in…things could be worst, and I was sure the Torta de Claras was calling my name.

Comfortably numb from resting, relaxing, good food and friends another ’soneca’ looked to be on the horizon, not being one for naps in the middle of the day, I resisted with a good book, but something happened and I was bitten by the Snooze bug - one paragraph in, and I too was out for another soneca.

Before we knew it, the weekend had flown by, and we needed to say good bye and head home. We got to visit both wonderful and beautiful places, enjoy great food and wine, but most importantly relax and spend time with friends. A wonderfully enjoyable and relaxing weekend, thank you Ze & Zelda!

Gourmet Portugal Hampers
About Gourmet Portugal: authentic Portuguese artisan products packed in beautiful hampers and available to buy and be shipped anywhere in Europe. Visit their online store at www.gourmetportugal.pt

Restaurant - Cacela Velha
Try to arrive before 9, they don’t take reservations, there may be a line, and bring cash. Also, forewarned they may ran out of things, regulars have been known to run home and get their own bread when things get crazy.

Cafe Azul - Cacela Velha
Restaurant/Cafe/Bar - Great atmosphere with both dining areas, cozy fireplace with lounge, snack area and large roof top terrace with a great view. Casa Azule’s walls also feature a rotating display of regional artists, worth seeing. More about Casa Azul online at http://www.casaazulbar.com/

Restaurant Mares - Praia Altur
Nicely grilled fish - ask for the fresh catch, small but good wine choices and good variety of fresh desserts.

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Comments

6 Responses to “Monte Gordo - Beach, Food & Wine”

Gabriella on June 22nd, 2008 7:38 am

Great post! Not only because I’m living your fabulous beach experience through you ;-( but also because I’d never heard of this online retailer before. What a great way for people to get a little taste of Portugal in their neck of the woods. Thanks!
alan on June 22nd, 2008 12:06 pm

Hello Eddie,

Just a note to say what a great job you are doing with this blog. The standard of your photography is outstanding. The hamper with the olive oil is just right. Overall, the whole site is just lovely to look at, and read.
Keep up the good work

Regards Alan
Denise Clarke on June 22nd, 2008 5:19 pm

What a terrific blog and what a great weekend you had … keep up the good work and I will check back soon to read more of your adventures!

Denise
http://www.WineFoodPairing.blogspot.com
Eddie on June 23rd, 2008 7:08 am

Ola,
Gabriella - Thanks, it was so nice to have a mini vacation in our own backyard so to speak ;o) The basket od treats were very nice and enjoyed by all. Really great idea, I also think its a great idea to use to send friends in our out of the country, as well.

Alan - Thank you, Thank you.

Denise - Thank you, looking forward to your visits.
Pedro on June 23rd, 2008 10:50 pm

Ola,
Your website is an example how to really promote this beautifull country!
Congratulations!!
Abraço
Pedro
Eddie on June 24th, 2008 11:59 pm

Ola Pedro,

Thank you. I agree, this is a very beautiful country, and makes discovering these hidden treasure a wonderful treat. Everything was delicious, only problem I had - was leaving without taking the blueberry jam, back with me! ;o)

Thanks again.
Abraço