We’re enjoying autumn in the Alentejo at the moment, and these are the things that make it special.
Autumn is something of a relief after the intensity of the summer months; the land starts turning green again, and trees and plants start blooming. It’s a beautiful time of year, and cooler temperatures mean it is easier for those of us more used to cooler climes to be out and about in the countryside enjoying it all.
At this time of year, the acorns on the cork oaks grow huge, and are eaten by the locals (and are really very nice!). Everyone starts roasting trays and trays of sweet chestnuts which we peel quickly and eat hot. The quince are ripe and ready to be used to make jams and puddings, or roasted and eaten after dinner.
The olives are swelling and turning a beautiful black. We have two trees on our land that produces olives, and it’s a real event here when it’s time for picking and processing the olives for the year. I processed my own for the first time last year and my husband has been happily munching on them ever since. It was great fun and very satisfying to learn so I’m really looking forward to olive season this year.
It is also medronho season. Medronho is a Portuguese drink with one heck of a kick. It is made locally from the strawberry tree, an amazing bush whose fruit are bright red and closely resemble strawberries.
Autumn harvest in the Alentejo.
The vegetable gardens in the village are coming to the end of the summer crop and beginning to produce the winter vegetables, with cabbages taking centre stage. I am trying hard to begin my own vegetable patch, but it has been a real challenge. I started a few months back and have had more failures than successes. Growing vegetable is so different here to the UK; over here there are two growing seasons with certain types of veg brown at certain times of year and the scorching heat of the summer proving a real enemy to young plants.
It doesn’t help that the village plots are incredible – full to the brim of beautiful veg, and perfectly manicured. Out here living is very simple and almost every house grows their own veg and rears chickens, turkeys, rabbits or pigs for food so these veg patches will have been in the family for many years and are central to survival. They represent years of investment and care, whereas my scraggy little patch is a bit of a runt.
I have so much to learn about the rhythms of life here, and the changing seasonal tasks and events, but I am lucky enough to have many good friends around who are all on tap to offer advice and guidance.
