Onboard flavours in Ílhavo
The dishes that were eaten on board the cod fishing boats are the motto for the Festival of Gastronomy on board that is being held in Ílhavo between today and Sunday. There are four days to discover the flavours that should not be missed.
Cod is our faithful friend but on board the Portuguese fishing fleet that sailed the seas of Newfoundland, this epithet took on a truly special dimension. Without being able to eat the codfish, which was immediately prepared on board, the fishermen had to make do with the less noble parts to escape the poor diet that the months at sea forced them to.
It is this special and delicious gastronomy that is now celebrated in Ílhavo until Sunday, November 19th.
The programme of the onboard flavours extends until Sunday and consists of activities that aim to recall the history and tradition of the region in cod fishing in faraway places, namely in the cold seas of the North Atlantic. Considered the National Codfish Capital, Ílhavo and the 14 adherent restaurants will show the meals that were served on board the codfish mills, usually with the parts considered less noble. This is the case of bladders
The festival is mentored by Patrícia Borges, a lecturer at the Escola Superior de Turismo e Tecnologia do Mar and a national chef specialising in fish, and the aim is not only to surprise diners with less common dishes on the menu of restaurants, but also to celebrate the gastronomy, understood as the flavours and customs, produced on board the codfish boats.
During the four days dedicated to the flavours on board, there will also be time for gastronomic and historical visits guided by specialists in the region’s flavours and history.
The first visit is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. today and consists of a guided bike ride to the Costa Nova do Prado, with the meeting point at the Costa Nova Creative Pier. This is a free visit that only requires prior registration, with the Organization providing bicycles.
The next day the meeting point will be at 17h30 in the Coastal Fishing Harbour, in Gafanha da Nazaré and a pedestrian visit will be made to the Lota and the remaining Docapesca installations in the Coastal Fishing Harbour. In this case the visit implies registration and the payment of 5 euros/person.
On Friday, 16th, visitors can take a guided walking tour to the urban centre of Ílhavo. The meeting point is scheduled for 6.15pm at Largo da Igreja Matriz and a fee of 5 euros per person is required.
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Gastronomic visits with maple flavours as a backdrop are scheduled for the weekend. On Saturday at 3pm there will be a guided bike ride to the Delmar Conde and Carmonáutica shipyards, at a cost of €8/person. The meeting point will be at Largo da “Bruxa”, in Gafanha da Encarnação, at 3 p.m.
The last tour has the theme of flavour and codfish trips and consists of a guided nautical and pedestrian visit to the coastal fishing port and the codfish food processing company – Bacalhau Barents, with tasting prepared by chef Ricardo Marques (Montebelo Vista Alegre Ílhavo Hotel). It will start at 10am, at the Miradouro do Forte da Barra, in Gafanha da Nazaré and costs 15 euros/person.
Take note of the restaurants in Ílhavo that put the flavours of maple on the table. They are A Praia do Tubarão, Bela Ria, Canastra do Fidalgo, Cantina Bar da Lota, Duna do Meio, Estrela do Mar, Maradentro, Marisqueira Costa Nova, Marisqueira da Barra, Montebelo Vista Alegre Ílhavo Hotel, O Gafanhoto, O Navegante, Salsus and Traineira. Many good options to choose from.
Divided into three stages, this festival presents local particularities and collective dimensions, in an opportunity to taste maritime flavours, which began in October in Peniche (inshore fishing) and will end in December in Murtosa (lagoon fishing).