Chef Melina Lemos et un nouveau menu d'été au Bistro Terrace

Bistro Terrace a été fondé par les enfants Bouchards pour offrir aux hôtes du B&B et les visiteurs de la salle de dégustation à Quinta do Tedo des petits plats savoureux à déguster avec les vins Douro DOC, les Portos et l'Huile d'Olive Extra Vierge.

Pendant l'été 2016, Paolo et Odile Bouchard et trois amis universitaires ont ouvert le bistrot saisonnier sur la terrasse privée de la famille Bouchard qui surplombe le fleuve Douro. Ils ont préparé et servi des plats adaptés au vin qui ont fusionné des recettes traditionnelles portugaises avec le concept californien de farm-to-table et l'attention française aux petits détails. La Chef californienne-lituanienne Marina Budrys, qui a ensuite travaillé dans deux restaurants étoilés Michelin à San Francisco, est l'auteur de notre recette signature de gâteau moelleux au chocolat qui reste aujourd'hui encore un favori du menu !

En 2017, sous la direction de Joseph Bouchard et de deux amis universitaires, le bistrot a déménagé à son emplacement actuel, avec vue sur la rivière Tedo. La Chef brésilienne Jessica Torres, qui a ensuite ouvert son propre restaurant et sa pâtisserie gastronomique à Lisbonne, et le Chef local José Fernandes ont gardé le Bistro Terrace ouvert et occupé toute l'année. Ce duo dynamique préparait des petiscos (petites versions raffinées à partager de typiques plats portugais) gastronomiques avec des ingrédients provenant de fournisseurs locaux de produits de saison, avec lesquels nous travaillons encore aujourd'hui.

À partir de 2018, le Chef passionné, José Fernandes, a dirigé notre équipe de cuisine, la gracieuse Mafalda Miereles et le connaisseur en vins, Tiago Feliciano, ont accueilli les clients dans notre salle à manger. Le Bistro Terrace s'est depuis affirmé comme une destination délicieuse et raffinée de la Vallée du Douro à ne pas manquer. 

Sous les contraintes du Covid, nous sommes passés à un menu fixe de trois plats omnivores et végétariens composé d’une entrée, d’un principal et d’un dessert utilisant des ingrédients régionaux frais provenant du marché pour accompagner les vins primés de Quinta do Tedo, des cocktails de Porto innovants et des vues à couper le souffle.

En mars 2022, nous avons remercié notre jeune Chef José Fernandes pour les cinq belles années de collaboration et lui avons souhaité bonne chance pour la prochaine étape de sa carrière en travaillant avec l'un des grands chefs Michelin du Portugal. Nous avons accueilli Melina Lemos, mieux connue comme Mel, comme notre nouvelle Chef pour une nouvelle saison prometteuse.

Mel a 14 ans d'expérience en restauration fine entre le Brésil et le Portugal. Ce mois de juillet, elle lancera (enfin !) son menu signature d'été dont vous pouvez avoir un " avant-goût " grâce aux appétissantes photos ci-dessous.

Tout le monde vous dira que 2022 a été une véritable bataille pour trouver de la main-d'œuvre qualifiée dans les secteurs de l'hôtellerie et de la restauration. Bien que cela ait sérieusement retardé le lancement de notre nouveau menu, nous sommes heureux d'avoir pris le temps de raffiner notre concept de Bistro Terrace, de solidifier notre équipe, de parfaire nos plats, nos suggestions d'accords de vins, et de vous présenter l'un de nos meilleurs menus à ce jour.

Le menu d'été de Mel rappelle les racines du Bistro Terrace en tant que projet de la famille Bouchard qui introduit des saveurs californiennes et françaises dans des recettes portugaises avec des ingrédients locaux de la Vallée du Douro. La Chef Mel a apporté à chaque plat ses compétences culinaires, son amour de la gastronomie et une utilisation raffinée des assaisonnements et des épices à la brésilienne.

Nous vous invitons au Bistro Terrace pour un repas inoubliable du mercredi au dimanche, pour le déjeuner de 12h à 15h ou le dîner de 19h à 22h et vous recommandons de réserver à l'avance via bistroterrace@quintadotedo.com ou +351 933 428 398.

Bom proveito !

Chef Melina Lemos and Bistro Terrace's new summer menu

Bistro Terrace was founded by the Bouchard siblings to offer Quinta do Tedo’s B&B guests and tasting room visitors flavor-filled bites to enjoy alongside estate Douro DOC wines, Ports and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

In the summer of 2016, Paolo and Odile Bouchard and three university friends opened the seasonal bistro on the Bouchard Family’s private terrace overlooking Douro River. They prepared and served wine-friendly dishes that fused traditional Portuguese recipes with California’s farm-to-table concept and French attention to detail. Californian-Lithuanian Chef Marina Budrys, who went on to work in two Michelin Star restaurants in San Francisco, authored our signature flourless chocolate cake recipe that remains a menu favorite today!

In 2017, under the management of Joseph Bouchard and two university friends, the bistro moved to its current location, overlooking Tedo River. Brazilian Chef Jessica Torres, who went on to open her own restaurant and gourmet pastry business in Lisbon, and local Chef José Fernandes kept Bistro Terrace open and busy year-round. This dynamic kitchen duo prepared gourmet petiscos (small and refined versions to share of typical Portuguese dishes) with ingredients from local purveyors of seasonal produce, many of whom we still work today.

From 2018 onwards, passionate Chef José Fernandes led our kitchen team and classy Mafalda Miereles and wine-savvy Tiago Feliciano waited on our dining room visitors. Bistro Terrace has since affirmed itself as a delicious and refined Douro Valley destination not to be missed. 

Under the constraints of Covid, we moved over to a fixed three-course menu composed of omnivorous and vegetarian starters, main dishes and desserts using regional ingredients fresh from the market to pair with Quinta do Tedo’s award-winning wines, innovative Port cocktails and breathtaking views.

In March 2022, we thanked our young Chef José Fernandes for five great years of collaboration and wished him well in the next exciting phase of his career working with one of Portugal’s great Michelin Chefs. We welcomed Melina Lemos, better known as Mel, as our new Chef for a new promising season.

Mel has 14 years of fine dining experience between Brasil and Portugal. This July, she will (finally!) launch her signature summer menu which you can get a “taste” for via the mouth-watering photos below.

Anyone will tell you that 2022 has been a struggle to find skilled labour in the hospitality and food service industries. While this severely delayed our new menu launch, we are happy to have taken the time to hone our Bistro Terrace concept, solidify our team, perfect our dishes and wine pairing suggestions, and present you with one of our greatest menus yet.

Mel’s summer menu speaks to Bistro Terrace’s roots as a Bouchard Family project that introduces Californian and French flare to Portuguese recipes and local Douro Valley ingredients. Chef Mel has poured culinary skill, gastronomic love, and refined Brazilian use of seasoning and spice into every dish.

We invite you to Bistro Terrace for an unforgettable meal from Wednesday through Sunday, for lunch from 12h to 15h or dinner from 19h to 22h and recommend you reserve in advance via bistroterrace@quintadotedo.com or +351 933 428 398.

Bom proveito!

Petra’s Lemon Tart

Quinta do Tedo’s Fine Tawny Port complements many desserts to include, high on my list, tarte tatin, panna cotta, tiramisù, walnut caramel tart, crème brûlée and this hauntingly delicious Petra’s Lemon Tart.  Why does our Fine Tawny pair so terrifically with this lemon tart? During our Fine Tawny's 8 years of cask aging (according to legislation Tawny is aged for at least 6 years) the port's astringent tannins breakdown, thanks to micro-oxidation.  The long barrel aging naturally concentrates the port, as water evaporates through the wood (like reducing a syrup).  The resulting « soft » tannins together with more concentrated natural sugar and aromas heighten our Fine Tawny’s sweetness, and pairs beautifully with the lemon tart’s mellowed acidity and richness of the dessert in the following recipe.

Petra Casini is a talented precious stone cutter and accomplished jewelry designer in Florence, Italy (www.petracasini.com).  She is also a very fine cook; always a pleasure to be invited to her house for dinner.  She has shared with me this dessert, and the first slice begs for another.  Thank you Petra, I will keep this recipe close to my heart.

For 6

110 gr butter

30 gr powdered sugar

160 gr flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in a pan with high sides, and incorporate on a very low flame the powdered sugar, flour and salt until a ball forms. Let it rest while you butter a 24-cm tart pan. Press the crust mixture on the bottom and the sides, using a bit of “patch work” to mend the very rich crust.   Be patient - it is worth the effort. Pierce the crust with a fork and cook at 180°C for 15 minutes.

Filling:

4 whole eggs

350 gr powdered sugar

½ tsp baking powder

grated lemon peel from 2 lemons (preferably untreated)

5 T lemon juice

Mix the above ingredients with a whisk by hand. Put the filling in the precooked crust and cook for 30 minutes.

Don’t use a robot or electric beaters, and be patient with the crust!

Serve warm or at room temperature with a glass of chilled Tawny, and enjoy.

~KayQuinta do Tedo’s Fine Tawny Port complements many desserts to include, high on my list, tarte tatin, panna cotta, tiramisù, walnut caramel tart, crème brûlée and this hauntingly delicious Petra’s Lemon Tart.  Why does our Fine Tawny pair so terrifically with this lemon tart?

During our Fine Tawny's 8 years of cask aging (according to legislation Tawny is aged for at least 6 years) the port's astringent tannins breakdown, thanks to micro-oxidation.  The long barrel aging naturally concentrates the port, as water evaporates through the wood (like reducing a syrup).  The resulting « soft » tannins together with more concentrated natural sugar and aromas heighten our Fine Tawny’s sweetness, and pairs beautifully with the lemon tart’s mellowed acidity and richness of the dessert in the following recipe.

Petra Casini is a talented precious stone cutter and accomplished jewelry designer in Florence, Italy (www.petracasini.com).  She is also a very fine cook; always a pleasure to be invited to her house for dinner.  She has shared with me this dessert, and the first slice begs for another.  Thank you Petra, I will keep this recipe close to my heart.

For 6

110 gr butter

30 gr powdered sugar

160 gr flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in a pan with high sides, and incorporate on a very low flame the powdered sugar, flour and salt until a ball forms. Let it rest while you butter a 24-cm tart pan. Press the crust mixture on the bottom and the sides, using a bit of “patch work” to mend the very rich crust.   Be patient - it is worth the effort. Pierce the crust with a fork and cook at 180°C for 15 minutes.

Filling:

4 whole eggs

350 gr powdered sugar

½ tsp baking powder

grated lemon peel from 2 lemons (preferably untreated)

5 T lemon juice

Mix the above ingredients with a whisk by hand. Put the filling in the precooked crust and cook for 30 minutes.

Don’t use a robot or electric beaters, and be patient with the crust!

Serve warm or at room temperature with a glass of chilled Tawny, and enjoy.

~Kay

A perfect Easter pairing: our Ruby Port and the best ever chocolate cake

Easter is a time for celebration with family and friends, and I can proudly share with you my "irresistible chocolate cake", a melt-in-your-mouth, dense and simply delicious bittersweet chocolate cake that pairs beautifully with our Ruby Port. The recipe is from Maison Lameloise, Burgundy's 3-star Michelin restaurant in Chagny, where we have proudly held a tasting dinner for Quinta do Tedo. Why a Ruby and not another Port? This fresh and fruity port, a blend of 3 harvests and aged for 3.5 to 4 years in wood (a short time compared to other port types), is less rich in tannins and thus pairs perfectly with an intensely-flavored and dense chocolate cake. As husband Vincent says, imagine the Ruby as  "fortified" red fruit - slightly chilled, fresh and full in the mouth and the cake as a delicious bittersweet truffle.

Serve with fresh red berries - raspberries, strawberries, currants - tossed in a light orange-peel infused syrup and a dollop of whipped cream.  Oh la la!

Melt-in-your-mouth Chocolate Cake

For 8 px

250 g bittersweet chocolate, cut in small pieces

250 g butter

200 g sugar

4 eggs

25 g flour

Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler until almost melted; remove from double boiler and let cool, it will finish melting.  Mix sugar and flour, add to chocolate/butter mixture.  Beat the eggs and add to the above mixture. Transfer to a buttered pan. Cook at 170 C/350F for 1 1/2 hours. Let cool and serve with red fruit berries, ideally a mix of strawberries, raspberries, currants – in a orange peel-infused syrup, with whipped cream or creme anglaise.

Cheers~ Kay

Easter is a time for celebration with family and friends, and I can proudly share with you my "irresistible chocolate cake", a melt-in-your-mouth, dense and simply delicious bittersweet chocolate cake that pairs beautifully with our Ruby Port. The recipe is from Maison Lameloise, Burgundy's 3-star Michelin restaurant in Chagny, where we have proudly held a tasting dinner for Quinta do Tedo.

Why a Ruby and not another Port? This fresh and fruity port, a blend of 3 harvests and aged for 3.5 to 4 years in wood (a short time compared to other port types), is less rich in tannins and thus pairs perfectly with an intensely-flavored and dense chocolate cake. As husband Vincent says, imagine the Ruby as  "fortified" red fruit - slightly chilled, fresh and full in the mouth and the cake as a delicious bittersweet truffle.

Serve with fresh red berries - raspberries, strawberries, currants - tossed in a light orange-peel infused syrup and a dollop of whipped cream.  Oh la la!

Melt-in-your-mouth Chocolate Cake

For 8 px

250 g bittersweet chocolate, cut in small pieces

250 g butter

200 g sugar

4 eggs

25 g flour

Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler until almost melted; remove from double boiler and let cool, it will finish melting.  Mix sugar and flour, add to chocolate/butter mixture.  Beat the eggs and add to the above mixture. Transfer to a buttered pan. Cook at 170 C/350F for 1 1/2 hours. Let cool and serve with red fruit berries, ideally a mix of strawberries, raspberries, currants – in a orange peel-infused syrup, with whipped cream or creme anglaise.

Cheers~ Kay

 

 

Eating in Douro Valley

Food in Douro Valley

The Douro river inspires all

Last month I wrote about food at our quinta, and I would like to extend the topic to food in the Douro.  Now this is very subjective, and I am not native to the region.  But I know and am passionate about good food, so I will take my chances and share with you a mere glimpse of culinary possibilities in the Douro, and will focus on bolas and 2 restaurants, to tease your palate and to inspire you to come and visit!

Every culture has a bread-based speciality; pâté en croûte in France, pizza in Italy, pasties in England, empanadas in Spain and BOLA in Portugal!  In the Douro bolas vary from town to town, bakery to bakery, home to home.  An egg and olive-oil based bread dough, filled with a myriad of stuffings from simple ham, ham and cheese, or ham, chicken and bacon to the more oh! so! savory stuffings of  bacalhau, sardines, or chicken, ham or bacon layered with slowly sautéed onions, black pepper and bay laurel, in sufficient olive oil, of course!   We serve small squares of bola during our guided port tastings and they disappear in no time.

Tucked away behind the marketplace of Regua is Cacho D’Oiro, simply decorated inside with enlarged black and white period photos of the port trade in the Douro, and with an ever so pleasant staff and owner Avelino Pereira there for you.  A favorite of ours since we bought the quinta in 1992, especially for a specialty picanha com feijão brasileiro, an aged rump steak, grilled whole on a spit with the thick layer of fat downside so most melts away and flavors the cut, seasoned with coarse sea salt, served tableside, sliced before you and others at your table and then brought back for additional grilling to repeat the process and the dining experience goes on and on…...  Served with black beans, carioca, sautéed bananas, rice, hand-cut french fries and a salad of greens, tomatoes and onions.  With a Douro DOC red wine you will think that you have gone to Heaven!

5 minutes from our quinta is D.O.C., a trendy and modern restaurant on a dock at Folgosa, where tradition successfully meets modernity in Portuguese cuisine with panache and skill.   Gorgeous location, with stunning views of the steep terraced vineyards meeting the Douro river.  Try the codfish with broa, shrimp with caril, pork cheeks with wild mushroom açorda (bread soup), serra cheese with Touriga Nacional marmalada and olive oil sorbet for dessert.  The place has a wonderful upbeat feel to it, the menu is seasonal, and you will be guided effortlessly by the staff.

Would you like more impressions of and tips for Douro Valley’s food?  Just let me know, send a comment and I will follow up in another blog in the future.

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