Food Culture
Portugal has many specialities and are famous for pastéis de nata (custard tarts), many wonderful regional cheeses, bacalhau which is a salted cod. The country also has a great variety of meat and seafood dishes, as well as great wines. Many people visiting the country are delighted by the traditional culinary experiences.
Clothes
Portuguese clothes are often vivid and in bright colours. Women tend to wear bouffant long skirts in checkered or striped fabric (known as saia), whilst men wear shortened leggings (calsas), waistcoats and sombreros. Kerchiefs are an obligatory part of Portuguese women’s natural costume. Clothing styles may vary regionally.
Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions
In rural households, the annual killing and preserving of pigs is one of the most important ceremonies. It usually occurs in either late December or early January over two days, as it involves making sausages, smoking ham (presunto) and salting various parts of the pig. The midday meal on the first day is called sarrabulho, and consists of the pig’s blood, rice and innards.