Sao Martinho & Chestnut Festival

Posted on November 11, 2007
Filed Under Culture

Today’s a special day, especially if you like chestnuts, wine and good deeds. This is the day from top to bottom of Portugal, we celebrate Sao Martinho (Saint Martin’s Day), and we do it with Chestnuts and Aqua Pe.

First you may be asking who is Sao Martinho and what is Aqua Pe? Well the story of Sao Martin goes something like this;

Sao Martinho (St. Martin), born around 317 AD, he was a Roman solider who belonged to the Roman Empire and held the spiritual beliefs of Roman mythology. At the time, Roman Mythology was very inward looking towards the Empire and had little consideration for others. On a particularly dreadful winter day, Martin was caught in a downpour of rain with only his cape to protect him. While riding to get out of the horrible weather he was approached by a beggar, half naked with hardly a thread to cover him from the cold weather.

Martin didn’t have any change to help the man but was moved by the man’s misery - he grabbed his sword - reached back for his wool cape, cut it in half and covered the beggar. The other soldiers riding with Martin laughed that he was giving way his protection. But legend has it when Martin covered the beggar the clouds drifted and beams of sun lit up the sky.

The following day, Martin heard a voice through a dream, “Every time you do a good deed for your less fortunate and unprotected bothers, you are doing onto me”. From this day on, he began looking at and treating people differently. Martin died on November 8th, 397 AD and was laid to rest in the city of Tours, France on November 11th. He was later canonized as a saint. Sao Martinho is celebrated throughout Europe on this day, with many agriculture fairs, feasts, festivals and especially by wine makers.

Aqua Pe translated means “Foot Water” since wine used to be crushed by foot; the first tasting was affectionately named Aqua Pe. Autumn is the season where wine makers open the barrels and “taste test” the season vintage; checking the quality and what it will eventually mature in to. Since wine is so much better shared, the tasting of Aqua Pe with Sao Martinho, couldn’t be better timed.

I saved the best for last, chestnuts. Thankfully, chestnuts last all winter long here and if you’ve ever tried them roasted hot from a vendor on a cold winter day…well the only thing that compares is a huge hot cup of cacao with tons of marshmallows on blistery day. Wrapped in newspaper or old phone book pages, you can enjoy chestnuts in Algarve from now to spring. Vendors will be easily found around the country with their stacks of smoke, smelling up the cities with the aroma of roasted chestnuts. If you’ve never given them a try you must! If you don’t have chestnut vendors, you can roast them at home.

Chestnut Festival in Tavira Algarve

We’re off to Tavira to enjoy their Sao Martinho celebrations and will post some pictures of how we Algarvios celebrate the day. The legend of Sao Martinho is an important one, so roast up some chestnuts grab some wine and share — random acts of kindness are always well received no matter where they come from. I’ll even share my chestnuts!

Comments

2 Responses to “Sao Martinho & Chestnut Festival”

faustianbargain on November 16th, 2007 6:18 pm

hey…came via chezpim. love the posts and the pictures. and the stories..bookmarked!
Eddie on November 16th, 2007 7:41 pm

Hi Faustrian, Thank you! Glad to hear and welcome, look forward to hearing from you!

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