Entrevista ao Produtor - Azeite de Marvão
It was on a sunny October afternoon that we travelled to the quiet village of Galegos, in the municipality of Marvão, located in the heart of the Serra de S. Mamede, at an altitude of 600m, almost touching our neighbour Spain.
We were surprised by the calm and tranquillity of this idyllic place, where we found a truly passionate business, just like this place. A family business since 1954, where the knowledge of how to extract good flavour from olives has been passed down from generation to generation, stored in the walls of the mill and in the genes of the Nunes family.
We couldn't resist delving into this beautiful story, told by Antonio Melara.
DF: António, tell us how this exciting story began.
AM: From a very young age, I used to go to the village and watch my great-grandfather Francisco Nunes work, a truly entrepreneurial and visionary man with a restless and always dynamic spirit. He bought the space where the village's first industrial unit was installed: the olive press. This space was supplied with energy by the watermill, or moinho da Dorna, a unique construction that brings to mind old stories and exciting adventures... In the 1960s, he continued to modernise the lagar by the hand of his son António Picado Nunes, a multifaceted, rigorous and hard-working man. At that time, several presses, various machines and equipment were acquired and the surrounding area was extended and improved.
DF: And what other stories do they tell you about those times?
AM: In the last century, in the centre of the village, there was a busy shop or tavern, which was sometimes transformed into a ballroom for dances and parties. At the time of the olive harvest, the ranches of people that filled the fields also gave the village a new lease of life.
In the mill, the boiler was always on, which provided a real conviviality and warmed the soul in those harsh winters. But the pinnacle of pleasure was when the golden thread began to come to life, and then it was a real treat for the senses. It was the birth of new oil.
DF: Times have changed and you've had to adapt to new realities. How did António's journey start until he got here?
AM: I was born in Lisbon, the son of an architect father and a history teacher mother, and I started an architecture course that I didn't finish. Whenever I came to the village of Galegos and looked at my grandfather's business, I realised that the architecture course didn't suit me and it was then that I decided to take a course in Marketing Management, so that I could later use my knowledge to boost my family's business.
Years later, the family decided on the future of the company, deciding that the company and its activities should be handed over to young António, me. I was irrevocably marked by the land of Galegos. In the many seasons I spent in the village, at my grandparents' house, I learned to love the countryside, the land, the smells and the flavours.
My grandmother Carmelin, who was born in Madrid to a wealthy bourgeois family and who decided to stay in Galegos forever and "for love", was a determining factor in my future attitude, as she taught me the importance of dedication, generosity and determination, values that I still preserve today, both personally and in my commitment to this business.
DF: And what year was the real turning point for the brand you have today?
AM: In 2010 the new concept of a mill was born in a renovated space where, without forgetting the past, we continue to produce this nectar, extracted cold, and there the Castelo de Marvão Olive Oil brand was created.
DF: What variety of olives do you pick to produce your oil?
AM: Only Galician olives. No other. With this variety we have obtained a unique PDO (protected designation of origin) certification.
DF: If you had to define your oil, what would you say?
AM: It is a fine olive oil with a high acidity, a golden colour, a ripe fruity aroma, smooth and extremely tasty.
DF: When is the best time to pick Galician olives?
AM: Family tradition dictates that the olive grove be harvested after All Saints' Day, the branches combed by hand and the best olive oil in the world extracted cold.
DF: What varieties of olive oil can we find here?
AM: We currently produce three references:
- Azeite Virgem Extra Marvão
- Azeite Virgem Extra Galega DOP
- Azeite Virgem Galega modo biológico
DF: If you want to visit the village of Galegos, what can you expect from this new project?
AM: We are currently continuing our olive oil activity, organising guided tours of the olive grove, mill and museum. We have the possibility of joining groups for lunch or dinner, or even for a simple olive oil tasting. For those who find it difficult to leave this magical place, we also have local accommodation, where only the tranquillity of the Serra de S. Mamede can be felt.
DF: And what does the future hold?
AM: Many projects are planned, always preserving the village of Galegos and the enormous legacy left to me. All in good time!
Chestnuts from São Mamede
We were right in the heart of the Serra de S. Mamede, in S. Julião, and accompanied a morning of picking chestnuts with the Tânia Militão, which has had this seasonal "hobby" for many years.
The northwest-southeast orientation that characterises the Serra de S. Mamede mountain range allows you to enjoy an unrivalled diversity of flora.
Para além da singular paisagem que fascina quem por lá se aventura, esta imponente serra presenteia-nos com um clima quente e seco nas encostas voltadas a sudoeste e um clima mais fresco e húmido nas encostas orientadas para nordeste - o clima tipicamente conhecido por mediterrânico.
Since the chestnut tree is a medium-light tree, easily adaptable to different types of climate (preferring, however, humid, bright and not too harsh climates), it was, for many centuries, one of the main sources of food for families in the region and, even today, plays an important role in the local economy: generating seasonal employment, gastronomic and cultural events and eco-tourism.
The chestnut trees of the Serra de S. Mamede appreciate hot summers, rainy autumns, cold winters and slightly acidic soils, resulting from the schist of the mountains.
They rest imposingly, with canopies around 20-30 metres high, side by side with the Xévora River, which nourishes and feeds them with its pure, crystal-clear waters all year round.
Water, heat and mountain soil, just that and nothing more.
This is how the fruit of fruits is born. Queen of autumn and princess of family evenings.
As Tânia Militão explained, "Our chestnut has a supply of minerals that only the combination of climate and soil in the Serra de São Mamede gives them. Rich in vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus and folic acid, this is undoubtedly our greatest ally in the cold winter months. Picked by hand, one by one, respecting the cycle of the chestnut tree and the ripeness of its fruit, this produces a chestnut that is unique in flavour and quality. Such are the chestnuts of the Serra de S. Mamede."
Acorn Flour Buns
A spooky and tasty recipe for Halloween? Bloody acorn flour buns ?
? INGREDIENTS
100 ml of olive oil
750 ml warm water
500 g of acorn flour
1000 g rye flour
60 g bread yeast
Salt to taste
Mel to taste
? PREPARATION
Combine the acorn flour with the rye flour in a bowl. Add 3 or 4 tablespoons of honey, the yeast and the water.
Knead and add the olive oil, knead again until the dough is homogeneous. Leave to rise overnight, about 8 hours.
Leave to rest for about 40 minutes and place on a baking tray. Make a cross-shaped cut in the top of the pastry and bake for an hour at around 120º.
And don't forget to add jam for blood!
Turn the oven up to 200º and bake for another 40 minutes.
Share your scariest recipes with us!
Mushroom, Nuts and Spiders Flour Crackers
Today we're sharing a recipe for Mushroom, Walnut and Spider Flour Crackers, in which you can use products from our larder (we just don't have the spiders ?).
? INGREDIENTS
350g unleavened flour
35g of acorn flour
250g sugar
2 whole eggs
75g Flora
150g ground walnuts
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
? PREPARATION
Knead all the ingredients together and leave the dough to rest for half an hour. Use a rolling pin to roll out a thin dough, about 3mm thick.
Make the biscuits with circular cutters or the shape you want.
Grease a baking tray with butter and place the biscuits in the preheated oven at 180ºC.
Cook for about 15 minutes.
Sprinkle the biscuits with chocolate spiders!
Share your recipes with us!
Thursday Gin – Visit to the Producer
This Alentejo gin was created and developed in 2018 in the village of Alagoa, a parish in the municipality of Portalegre, and was born to be savoured and toasted by a group of friends who, every fortnight, got together to have a snack, clear their heads and have a few drinks as a real family.
Distilled in small quantities in a traditional alembic, with a production of 200 bottles per batch, resulting in superior quality. Distilled from 9 botanicals, including juniper, coriander seeds, liquorice root, lemon zest, cardamom, fennel seeds, bay leaves, lemongrass and aniseed (the lemon, bay leaves and lemongrass are organically grown), carefully selected and combined during distillation. It can be drunk neat for the stronger palates or in the traditional way by adding tonic water, mint leaves and a lemon peel! Thursday Gin is already a national reference in Alto Alentejo.
We spoke to Duarte Martins, the mentor of this project, to find out more about his business.
DF: Duarte How did it all start and where did the idea of creating a gin come from?
DMIn fact, it all started at a friends' get-together I used to attend on Thursdays, and I was often challenged by them, "Hey, kid, what if we made a gin for our Thursday snacks?", and I'd reply, "That's not how it's done, anyway, but I promise I'll do some research and we'll talk about it later".
DFAnd what steps did you take to try?
DM: After many hours of research, I concluded that making a gin was quite complicated, and getting a recipe right without the knowledge of a good blend of botanicals, not to mention the limited conditions in which I worked, would certainly not go well. It would take a miracle for us to make something that came out right and drinkable on the first try. That's what I passed on to my friends and that was that.
DF: And what changed your mind?
DMDuring the phase when I gave up on the idea, I had absorbed a lot of information in my research and that's when I realised that I had to at least try again and... I couldn't give up any more. I knew that if I experimented with smaller quantities, different mixtures, various experiments and different ways of distilling, something would happen, something unique would be born.
DF: How long were you experimenting before you reached the final stage of the product?
DM: I spent about four months trying, making mistakes, correcting those mistakes, adding and removing botanicals...and finally something unique was born, I came up with a recipe and that's how the THURSDAY GIN.
DF: How do you define your product?
DM: Alentejo by Nature! It's a handmade gin, created and developed in Alagoa and distilled in Portalegre, with some botanicals from the garden!
DF: And what do you have in mind for the future of your gin?
DM: My goal will be, after five years, to be producing 5,000 bottles and discovering my own space. From there, I'm sure THURSDAY GIN will discover many other paths.
We went to RTP1
The RTP1 programme Festa das Vindimas went to the Alto Alentejo region and got to know Despensa Franciscana! We were represented on the programme by the founder, Suzana de Matos, who spoke about the motivations that led her to create this project and a whole change of life. In case you missed it, you can watch it now here!
Visit to the Olimel company
We got to know Olimel - Azeite e Mel, a family-run company that was born out of a dream by founder João Ferreira. Born in the Alentejo village of Cunheira, João grew up surrounded by the rich, genuine flavours of foods that at the time were only destined for his family's exclusive consumption.
With a degree in Electro-Mechanical Engineering and after a few years in Lisbon, he decided to return to his homeland to reproduce and make known to the world the products he still kept in his imagination. At the age of 60, João Ferreira took three technical courses at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, joined the Portalegre Beekeepers' Association, called his family and set to work.
Foi com a filha, Maria João Ramos, que estivemos à conversa e conseguimos perceber um pouco melhor do negócio desta família e até experienciar a cresta - arte de extração do mel. Maria João afirmou que foram recuperadas as centenárias oliveiras da propriedade e também a arte e método tradicional de produção de mel. Deste trabalho resultou o Azeite Tapada da Fonte e o Mel D'Abelha.
The oils are low in acidity and their quality is guaranteed by the cold extraction process. This noble product is a fruity, golden olive oil with a soft aroma and flavours. The Mediterranean climate and the pure, fertile soil, together with the traditional characteristics of the olives and traditional, organic production, guarantee a quality, natural 100% olive oil.
O Mel D'Abelha é produzido em apiários e herdades próprias puras e despoluídas. A elevada qualidade das abelhas rainha importadas da Argentina, são o resultado de dez anos de investigação que levou à obtenção de uma espécie mais dócil, produtiva e resistente. As características do mel, beneficiam da brisa suave do clima mediterrânico e de uma flora composta de rosmaninho e de flores silvestres. Os sabores florais leves devem-se à alimentação pura e natural das abelhas e a sua cristalização a baixas temperaturas é uma garantia de qualidade.
The result of three generations coming together around the same goal is products that are reminiscent of traditional Portuguese flavours and the recognised medicinal properties of both olive oil and honey.
You can buy these products in our Franciscan Pantry and guarantee healthy, high-quality products on your table.
Alpalhoense sausage
We went to visit Salsicharia Alpalhoense, a century-old company that is a benchmark in the Alto Alentejo. Located in the parish of Alpalhão, in the municipality of Nisa, this family-run business is currently owned by Maria do Carmo Carrilhohas been in existence for over a century. It was founded by her great-grandmother, known for her "Ti Mariana do Bicho". Also noteworthy was the strong presence of his mother, Angélica Temudo Carrilho, who for many years, a lifetime, gave his face to this project.
The secret of this company lies in the art and ancestral know-how, combined with the experience acquired over more than a century, which is the fundamental basis for producing top quality sausages.
Maria do Carmo, who has been the owner since 2005, told us that she follows the traditional methods handed down to her by her mother and that she has never changed either the formula or the artisanal production methods.
The company's sausages are made from pork that has been cut and seasoned, followed by a maturing phase and the filling of the natural casing. Curing takes place over a few days in a holm oak wood smokehouse. Tradition, combined with modernity, makes for excellent products whose flavour is unlikely to be forgotten.
The range of products includes
- Traditional sausage, from black pig e flour millsideal for baking;
- Black pork belly, paio do lomboblack pudding or eased loinideal for eating raw;
But the real queen of the house is waterfall. A characteristic and exclusive sausage from this region that should ideally be eaten grilled. If you eat it once, you have to eat it again. Salsicharia Alpalhoense is also one of the places where you can buy a sausage. Franciscan sour cherry.
Take a look here:
Acorn cupcakes in the microwave
When it comes to getting back into the swing of things, there's nothing better than a quick and healthy recipe. Today's recipe is for tasty acorn cupcakes made in the microwave, delicious and very tasty. ?
? INGREDIENTS (8 units)
100g of TerriuS Wholemeal Acorn Flour
1 natural yoghurt
70g sugar or sweetener
70g cake flour
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
4 eggs
? PREPARATION
1. Beat the eggs and add the acorn flour, stir well.
2. Add the sugar or sweetener and stir until dissolved.
3. Add the cake flour and then the yoghurt, stir until the mixture is smooth.
4. Finally, add the oil, mix well and pour into silicone moulds, without filling them completely.
5. Microwave for 3 minutes, add 1 minute if you think they're not cooked enough.
SuggestionAdd chocolate chips on top.
Share your recipes with us!
Shitake and bacon puffs
September is the month for starting over, getting back into a routine and starting to organise everything. To help with snacks for the little ones, here's a recipe for shitake mushroom and bacon puffs. ?
? INGREDIENTS (4 pax.)
1 30g packet of Shitake mushrooms TerriuS
Puff pastry
Bacon to taste
5 cloves of garlic
Soya sauce
1 glass of white wine
1 egg yolk
Salt and black pepper to taste
? PREPARATION
1. Leave the mushrooms to hydrate for 15 minutes in warm water.
2. Chop the garlic cloves and brown them in a frying pan over a low heat with two tablespoons of olive oil
3. Add the bacon and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Prepare the puff pastry. Cut it into circles with a slightly larger diameter than the moulds you will be using. Cut other circles with a smaller diameter to serve as lids.
5. Add the mushrooms to the frying pan, season with soya sauce, salt and pepper and let them sweat. Add a glass of white wine and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and stirring well.
6. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
7. Grease and line the moulds with the puff pastry. Fill with the mixture and cover. Brush with well-beaten egg yolk and bake for 15 minutes.
Share your recipes with us!