The New Portuguese Table

Book excerpt: James Beard Award-winning writer, David Leite takes you on a culinary journey into the soul of Portugal. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Spain, Portugal is today’s hot-spot vacation destination, and world travelers are enthralled by the unique yet familiar cuisine of this country. The New Portuguese Table looks at this fascinating country's 11 surprisingly different historical regions, as well as the island of Madeira and the Azores, and their food culture, traditional dishes, and wines. This book also showcases Portugal's pantry of go-to ingredients, such as smoked sausages, peppers, cilantro, seafood, olive oil, garlic, beans, tomatoes, and bay leaves—all common in American kitchens and now combined in innovative ways. In The New Portuguese Table, David Leite provides a contemporary look at the flavorful food of this gastronomic region, sharing both the beloved classics he remembers from cooking at his grandmother’s side, such as Slowly Simmered White Beans and Sausage, as well as modern dishes defining the country today, like Olive Oil–Poached Fresh Cod with Roasted Tomato Sauce. With full-color photographs throughout and a contemporary perspective, The New Portuguese Table is the definitive handbook of the exciting cuisine of Portugal.