By Linda Brennan
A few years ago I read ‘A year in Provence’ by Frances Mayes and like many, was totally captivated by the romance of life in a northern country close to the Mediterranean. I dreamed about somewhere exotic, hot and sunny, a pantry brimming with freshly crushed extra virgin oil from my own trees, life in a 400 year old farmhouse, sun sweetened orange juice from the orchard out the back and wine made from grapes spilling from the pergola. So this is my version: A vegetarian foodie in Provence!
It was with this remote dream in my mind, and the opportunity to experience some glorious northern hemisphere sun and sensational flavours, that we have headed for Portugal to meet up with our UK based children. Now plane travel can be pretty daunting for me. I feel pangs of guilt for the environmental impacts, and definitely do not look forward to the long haul flights. I liken it to being packed like battery hens, fed and watered on demand. (I do feel even more acutely for poor hens every time I travel abroad.) Nevertheless, travel we did and have eventually arrived in the south of Portugal, at Silves in the Algarve – a red, dusty and parched land of olives and oranges.
We are staying at a wonderful bed and breakfast called Duas Quintas (which in Portuguese means two farmhouses) with hosts Mary and Les, escapees from Britain. As I write, cicadas are calling in the late afternoon heat and my much anticipated scent of warm olive trees and oranges has come true. The musty and sweet notes of foliage and fruit linger as the 34 degree heat envelopes us all.
The orange groves in this area, established by dictatorial decree once brought relative wealth to the farmers. Now, as water supply prices have risen and the price of oranges plummeted, few can make a living from an orchard. Mary and Les lease their orchards to locals for the price of the water only. The local people who love their land are happy and Mary and Les are content with their acre of land for house, garden and vegies.
In this land where we were told ‘the locals love their vegies’, finding fresh food ‘without eyes’ is difficult. And I don’t mean spuds! I’ve discovered that vegetables are peasant food. Meat and fish are king here. So, for the first few days before the luxury of a kitchen, when eating out was essential, asking for a vegetarian menu was met with completely quizzical looks. Yes, I could have a vegetarian salad, but it would also have some chicken. (Surely that’s not meat. No? What about some smoked local jamon ham then? No? Ahh, what a strange woman this one!) One poor waiter could not fathom why I would not want a plate of meat. ‘Nothing with eyes’ was my final message that he understood.
Most holidays you tend to come home with more baggage around the middle than when you left. This holiday has been a blessing in so many ways. Lettuce and tomato salads are definitely weight loss material and that was the extent of it in restaurants. I love my raw food inclusions too, but it took only a couple of travelling days to exhaust the supplies I carefully packed.
Anyway, back to the Algarve. Arriving at the self catering B&B was wonderful. I could experience once again, the simple of joy of having a kitchen to prepare food in. The first home-cooked meal went something like this: About 8pm, we start to think about food. The hot sun is descending slowly for another day. Up the dirt track, dogs bark enthusiastically for a few moments then settle down, too hot to be bothered. A couple of local cervesas (Portuguese beer) cool the body off in preparation for a barbecue.
Mary and Les have a vegie patch and have given me run of the garden. Haha little did they know I am a mad keen gardener-cook! A glut of zucchinis in the patch that is tucked in between the olives means zucchini is on the menu tonight. I’ve bought some sweet potato and leeks at the local shop and these combine to make a wonderful chunky soup. The family carnivores char grill local sardines over coals while I prepare a large crispy salad and whip up half a dozen chick pea patties, adding basil, oregano and thyme from the garden. My patties sizzle on the barbecue plate with local olive oil blessing the whole lot. Ahh, a delight to the senses after a week of tomato salad.
The next day, dinner number 2 is a grand affair. The vegie patch today reveals python-sized zucchini that have grown at a ‘Jack and The Beanstalk’ rate since yesterday. My choice is about 50cm long and perfect for stuffed zucchini. A few handfuls of herbs and some of the chick pea patties from last night plus some flavoured cous cous are included into the stuffing mix too.
Although Les says the oranges are not good at this time of the year, I have secreted a few into my pockets like a naughty child stealing lollies. They turn out to be the richest ,sweetest and most caramelly oranges I have ever tasted. The thought of them brings the flavour memory to my tongue even now. A fresh tomato and orange sauce, reduced to a thick drizzle is most essential to complement our zucchini, and as we have some fruity Portuguese Rose to hand, that goes in too. It must smell good. Mary’s black dog who incidentally is a fresh food connoisseur, comes to sit outside the kitchen door, waiting for rations. (Evidently this labrador raids the fig tree, gorging on ripe fruit and cleans up the apricot tree too!)
We feast on our very local meal at 10pm as the sky turns burnt sienna. Mary passes by and we share the remainder of the stuffed zucchini and tomato and orange sauce, share recipes and wonder at how marvellous it is to nurture your own meal from the earth.
It has been a good afternoon of harvest and cooking. I haven’t lifted a finger to grow the food, but the love Mary and Les have invested in their garden has helped to feed another family from across the globe and provide us with the pleasure of meals that are a highlight of our trip.
I would love to share the recipe for our stuffed zucchini and the zucchini, sweet potato and leek soup with you. Check my website www.ecobotanica.com.au for the recipes from our travels and many more exciting things…
If you have a love for good food, grown organically, and prepared with inspiration, I’d love you to join in some of my workshops in Brisbane and at the Sunshine Coast. I also have classes on raw foods, especially tailored to people recovering from serious illness. You’ll learn how and what to grow and prepare for health, energy and vitality.
Do you need a little help to create a really flourishing garden and orchard that you can eat from all year? Check out my garden and acreage visits options too. You’ll be on track to eat from your garden every day in no time.
For recipes, workshops, appearances and a whole range of healthy living choices, check www.ecobotanica.com.au
Linda is an organic horticultural specialist, environmental educator, environmental planner, raw food teacher, caterer and was a midwife for many years. She has a lifetime’s experience in teaching, growing and preparing sensational food that even the pickiest eaters enjoy! She shares her enthusiasm for life and nature with all around her. Look for her regular column in this newsletter, her writing in a number of gardening magazines and sign up for her own e-magazine at www.ecobotanica.com.au
Would you love a 2 day pampering mid week break to learn the gentle art of growing organically and eating well? Join in the retreat packages at Montville Country Cabins www.montvillecountrycabins.com.au Or join a gourmet gardening workshop with Linda and chef Martin Duncan at Freestyle Escape.