Oranges

When I first thought of Portugal’s fruits, what came immediately to mind was oranges – living in the Algarve it would appear we are surrounded by different varieties of these delicious juicy citrus fruits. The Algarve region produces a wide range of oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, limes, and lemons, and the orchards in the district of Faro occupy an area of about 16,000 hectares, with most trees being oranges and tangerines.

Apples

The origins of PGI apple growing in the Alcobaça region dates back to 1154 and the arrival of the Chiaravalle monks from France, and the quality of the apples became praised in songs, ballads, sonnets and proverbs.

Maçã de Alcobaça PGI apples vary depending on the variety and include Royal Gala, Red and Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Fuji, Casanova de Alcobaça, Granny Smith and Reineta Parda, and all are known for their flavour, sweetness and juiciness. (If you were wondering what PGI means – PGI status is issued by the EU as a stamp of approval and credibility and is a testament to the quality of the apples).

Maçã de Alcobaça PGI apples are grown in the municipal areas of Alcobaça, Nazaré, Caldas da Rainha, Óbidos and Porto Mós, in the Leiria district, mainly intensively cultivated from the Atlantic Ocean side in the west to the Serra dos Candeeiros in the east, with orchards 50 to 100m above sea level in a hilly landscape. Because apples prefer cooler autumns and winters, they are cultivated north of Lisbon with the Alcobaça region being the most productive.

In the past, the Casanova, Camoesa and the Espelho were the most widely grown varieties of Maçã de Alcobaça PGI. Today these varieties are in decline and have been replaced by those with much greater demand even though the Casanova still makes up one third of the orchards.

Sour Cherries


Another fruit grown here is the Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus), characterised by its slightly flattened shape, small size, red colour, and firm flesh. The production of Ginja de Óbidos e Alcobaça is limited to the municipalities of Óbidos, Alcobaça, Nazaré, Caldas da Rainha, Bombarral, Cadaval, and some parts of Porto de Mós. The soil and climate present good growing conditions for a fruit that is well balanced with sweet and sour flavours, and because of their aroma and unique flavour, the cherries are used in the production of teas and sweets, but more notable is the famous Ginjinha liqueur, a Portuguese liqueur made by infusing sour cherries in Aguardente, a Portuguese Brandy, and is mostly served as a digestif.

Pears


Pêra Rocha do Oeste – Also just known as Rocha, hails from the municipalities of Leiria, Santarém, and Lisbon. According to legend, the Pêra Rocha was discovered by farmer Pedro Antonio Rocha in the town of Obidos north of Lisbon.

It is said that he found a pear tree that bore exceptional fruit and shared grafts of the tree with his neighbours and friends, resulting in the rapid spread of the variety throughout the region. The pears are harvested both by hand and mechanically and gathered in custom made boxes and are refrigerated within 24 hours of being picked.

Chestnuts

Another of the ‘fruits’ found here are chestnuts (castanhas), the ‘seed’ or nut of the chestnut tree, that contain much less fat than regular nuts. In days gone past, they were eaten in Portugal and other countries in Europe as part of a meal, sometimes instead of bread in the wintertime, and before potatoes were introduced to Europe in the late 16th century, chestnuts were used as a side dish in a meal. Nowadays, they’re a delicious treat served roasted in portable ovens in the streets in November, which gives the outside of these treats not only a white, charred look but a most delicious smell!

There are many other fruits, some wild, some cultivated – including of course our famous grapes and olives, medronho (which makes our famous fiery brandy), but bananas, watermelon, peaches, apricots, figs, almonds, persimmons, carobs, and even kiwis, strawberries and raspberries all grow here - including loquats (nêsperas in Portuguese), if you can get to them before the birds do!

Author

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan