June 10: Cromeleque dos Almendres, Evora, Portuguese Cooking School,

Dear Friends and Relatives,

Today was one of those red-letter days, especially in the afternoon, when I got to help cook our evening meal at a cooking school for the cuisine of Alentejo, the region of Portugal we are residing in right now.  Alexandra, Charles, Martin, you are probably wondering if I have gone completely mad, but I will explain!  

First, we walked down the fortress hill after breakfast to catch our bus to visit the prehistoric site of Cromeleque dos Almendres, Portugal's most important Megalithic site and 500-1000 years older than Stonehenge.  It is set on a spectacular hillside location and among olive and cork trees.  It is the Iberian Peninsula's largest and most impressive stone circle and lies 13 km from Evora.  We got there on a dirt road, and once there, saw no less than 92 stones aligned for 70 m down a hillside.  They are thought to have been erected in a horseshoe shape as a kind of astronomical observatory.  The spiritual power of the place is undeniable.  

From there we drove to nearby Evora to visit the Old Town.  Evora is one of Portugal's most historic and unspoiled cities.  Its Roman temple, Moorish alleyways, a circuit of medieval walls, 16th c. mansions, and whitewashed houses trimmed in ocher have resulted in it being awarded UNESCO World Heritage Center status.  There is a university.  The Praca do Giraldo is the city' s central hub, and we walked there as well as through several distinct old-town areas within the surrounding city.  Romans fortified the city, and its position on trade routes allowed Evora to flourish.  In 715, a long period of Moorish rule ensued, but the city was recaptured by Christians in 1165.  It was even a royal residence until the Portuguese court moved closer to Lisbon and Evora faded into obscurity for much of the 19th snd 20th centuries.  The university, however, was re-established in 1973, and in 1986, Evora was awarded World Heritage status.  With a guide, we toured a Roman temple to Diana; the Se, Evora's most impressive cathedral; the Mercado Municipal, a market of local produce; and the Public Garden in which we saw the Royal Palace from which Vasco da Gama received the commission to discover a sea route to India.  

I had eaten a very light lunch (once again, soup) during one of the two breaks we received from our guide.  The reason for this was that I wanted to be in good condition for the eatathon we embarked on next.  We went to Portuguese Cooking School at a chef's house named Sophia.  Actually, she and another chef worked in tandem, and half the group went to the entree-preparing chef, whereas my half prepared appetizers and dessert.  It was a hands-on experience in which we cooked our own dinner.  It included all cooking supplies and wine (especially fine Sangria), and took about 2 1/2 hours.  We cooked traditional recipes of the Alentejo, the part of Portugal that Evora is in.  Olive oil, garlic and onions were always on the table.  The kitchens were light and airy affairs right by her house.  My group prepared chickpea salad with tuna; vinaigrette carrots, chorizo, and a dessert of Evora Sweet (a kind of pudding) and baked apples.  The other group made the entrees: pork meat with sautéed potatoes and vegetables and fried codfish with eggs--all wonderful, and I enjoyed myself so much as I cored apples, cut up carrots, sampled Sangria, stirred pots, drank toasts with the local wine, wore a cool apron, and in general reveled in the whole experience!  Who would have ever thought I would????  So much fun, but am now back at our fortress pousada, the sun is setting, and I am bushed.  Off to Spain tomorrow.  What a stay we have had in Portugal!!!!  A+!!!

Sylvia M. Venable, PhD

Instructor, German

St. John's Episcopal School

Dallas, Texas