Lunch errors! Odd dishes! Cartoons. And Tory donors.

Friday’s lunch was interesting to say the least. We went first to look for the restaurant we think of a “the glass box” as most of it’s seating is in one of those glass or perspex constructions that take over a chunk of pavement. We’ve eaten well there before but yesterday we were not inspired by the menu, apart from robalo, which we had the previous day at Buzio. 

So we went to take a look at a new place, new to us and possibly new to Figueira: Bijou, a place that advertises, among other things,  “petiscos”, more or less tapas. We had a nice vegetable soup and then made the mistake of ordering “francesinhos”, expecting some mind of chicken dish. I had a suspicion, but only after we had placed our order, that we might end up with a burger. But no, this was a sort of “croque monsieur’ but not quite the kind of toasted ham and cheese affair you get in France. It had ham and cheese, yes, and a chicken fillet between slices of bread. Then there were fried mushrooms and a fried egg on top. And the whole was swimming in a slightly spicy sauce. Tasty but over-facing as there was so much of it. Oh, yes, and it came with a large plate of chips! So it goes! You have to try these things,

Also on the menu was something called “açorda”. We didn't order it but suddenly I remembered our first visit here when we tried “açorda”, on the recommendation of the guide book, in a rather snooty restaurant by the old fort. Here is a description of “açorda”:

“The Portuguese açorda is a popular bread soup appearing in numerous varieties throughout the country. Most açorda soups have a smooth and thick consistency and employ a variety of pounded herbs, garlic, olive oil, and boiling water that is poured over diced bread and left to soften.

Two of the most famous types include the seafood-based açorda de marisco and açorda Alentejana, a regional specialty in which whole slices of bread are served over the broth. Even though it originated as a poor man’s dish, today these comforting soups represent an integral part of Portuguese national cuisine.”

The Bijou restaurant offered “acorda de mariscos” and “açordo de frango” but the one we ate - and did not finish - all those years  ago was just the plain variety - pure, boring stodge! So much, we thought, for traditional Portuguese cuisine!  

As with francesinhos, you live and learn. 

The sun is shining again today although rain is forecast for tomorrow. We must make the most of today then. 

 

With Cop27 due to start on Monday, with our PM in attendance after all, here is a link to a First Dog on the Moon cartoon commenting on throwing soup at works of art. 

Now, when you go out and about in the UK you are likely to see JCB vehicles - diggers and earth shifters and the like. Our small grandson thinks they are great. But when you see them you think about the chair of the company, Lord Anthony Bamford, a Tory party donor for decades. He is reported to have contributed large amounts of money to Boris Johnson,s wedding celebration party, where they played Abba songs and danced the conga, according to some accounts. The rich at play - each to their own. However, since Johnson apparently picked up a £130,000 fee for speaking to the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers in Colorado, you wouldn’t think he needed much help to pay for his shindig.

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!