There's Always Something Fishy in Portugal

Portugal has its carnivorous side, with pork particularly, but also goat, beef, tripe and the ubiquitous chicken, but every menu is never without a healthy abundance of food from the sea. 

Salt cod (bacalhau) is the staple, for many centuries fished and salted from Newfoundland, and more recently from Norway. It must be reconstituted for 12-24 hours in water before it can be cooked.

salted cod sold in supermarkets

on the right, the most common way salt cod is served
(blood sausage is on the left)

the town and fantastic beach at Nazare

In the coastal fishing villages and towns, such as Nazare, the fish boats still go out and set nets or people fish with rods from the shore. Boat shapes adjust according to locale, such as whether there are big waves to contend with.

typical fishing boats with high prows for big waves

Most of the fish is white, although there is some salmon. A lot of this fish is still dried, and traditionally this was done on open platforms, in the sun, with the women selling what they had on tables nearby.

a typical woman in Nazare,
with layers of full skirts to keep her warm
while drying and selling fish all year

every tiny lane in Nazare leads to the sea,
 and yes, cars even drive down them!

The variety of seafood available is impressive, and we have tried as much as possible, although we could not quite bring ourselves to eat the gnarly gooseneck barnacles.