- Springtime walk
When I think about Easter holidays at the quinta, memories flood my mind. The tapestry of blooming wildflowers, to include the blue of lupine, the red of clover, the yellow of buttercups, the white of field peas and etc reminds us that spring is really here, and this beautiful cover crop also replenishes nutrients to the soil. With our menagerie of dogs, enjoyable walks are taken along the banks of the Tedo and beyond, listening to the song of the recently returned oenanthe leucura, aka black wheatear, the migratory bird that we proudly use for our quinta’s stylized logo. Wild asparagus is foraged in the Mediterranean scrub around the quinta, by climbing over granite boulders to look for the spindly spears, destined to become part of a delicious meal. The grapevine’s buds develop and burst at this time, bidding adieu to winter’s dormancy as shiny green new growth takes over in the vineyard. The natural light is special at this time of year, fresh and not too intense, yet hints at the heat that will soon arrive, so integral to make good port and wine here at Quinta do Tedo.
- Easter egg hunt
Add to this the annual egg hunt on Easter morning, an American tradition, and guess where is a perfect hiding place for the decorated eggs….the olive tree! Clever Easter bunny! Afterwards we continue to celebrate the religious holiday feasting on leitão, or roast suckling pig or cabrito, roast young goat, garnished with creamed bitter turnip greens called nabica and the Portuguese tradition of serving both rice AND garlic potatoes, cooked in abundant olive oil from the quinta, all complemented by our Douro DOC. A cheese course follows to introduce a LBV and dessert may be our winemaker’s wife’s delicious recipe for “Port Wine Cake” or my mother’s tried and true recipe for “Citrus Surprise”, to enjoy together with our Tawny. I will proudly share with you any of the above recipes, just send a request to my blog.
Easter week is also when the momentum of visitors coming to tour and taste picks up, after the long winter (and this winter has been especially long and wet). We hope that one day soon we will have the pleasure of your visit at Quinta do Tedo.
- Enjoy a glass!
Happy Easter to all, we wish you a wonderful time with loved ones together with an enjoyable glass of our port & wine. Gretchen, thanks for the use of your fantastic photos!