At the Table with the Alentejo — August’s New Arrivals

There is an ancient wisdom in Alentejo cooking. A wisdom that does not hurry, that respects the seasons and understands the value of good olive oil, a wine that tells stories, and bread that still smells of a wood-fired oven.

August arrives at that same unhurried pace — and with it, a new selection of recipes on the À Mesa com o Alentejo blog.

We begin with game, which in Alentejo is both tradition and art. Wild boar stewed in red wine comes to the table after hours over a low flame, with a rich, deep sauce that calls for bread to mop up every last drop. Roast venison with crushed potatoes follows the same path — seasoned with garlic and local herbs, then slowly roasted until the meat is succulent and tender.

For the warmer days, there are also two summer dishes: roasted pepper salad with tuna and Galega olive oil, where the sweetness of the peppers meets the elegance of a distinctive olive oil, and chickpea salad with cod and coriander, simple and generous, just as Alentejo cooking has always been. And because August in Alentejo is sweet too, we bring you two treasures from Évora’s conventual tradition — Toucinho do Céu, dense and fragrant with almonds and egg yolks, and Pão de Rala, one of the region’s finest sweets and among its least known beyond its borders. To finish, tomato migas with scrambled eggs — a humble, quick and deeply comforting dish that sums up all that is good about honest cooking.

But August in Alentejo also brings another novelty in the air — the scent of warm earth heralding the grape harvest. The grapes are nearly ready, and with them comes the promise of another year of wines that tell the story of this land. It is the perfect time to discover — or rediscover — our selection: from fresh, mineral whites to full-bodied reds that call for a well-laid table and good company, as well as sparkling wine that opens any celebration with elegance.

And then there is talha wine. Made the traditional way in clay jars, using a method more than two thousand years old — the same one the Romans used on these plains. A lively, unique wine that changes every year and cannot be found anywhere else. If you have not tried it yet, August is the perfect time to discover it — before the grape harvest brings a new vintage and the jars are filled anew.

The table is set. The wine cellar is ready. Stay tuned.