i L S B O N
Bite
By
Bite
How to eat and
drink like
a local in
the Portuguese
capital
“Sip or swig—either way,”
instructs bartender José Paiva after pouring me
a shot of ruby-coloured liquid. He offers a parting
saúde (cheers) and hurries me through his
growing queue of thirsty patrons at A Ginjinha
Espinheira, a cupboard-size bar in central Lisbon.
I gulp the glass of sweet Ginja, a Portuguese
liqueur infused with local cherries. My once-in-
a-lifetime treat is actually a daily ritual for
many Lisboetas.
In Lisbon, traditions like Ginja run as deep as
the nearby Tagus River. During my first visit to
the sun-drenched capital, I imbibed some of the
40
spring 2019
CAA Manitoba
world’s best wines, inhaled the city’s iconic custard
tarts and dined to the sounds of soulful music—
while uncovering the deep connections between
Portuguese food, history and culture.
After Athens ,
Lisbon is Europe’s second-oldest
capital; it even predates Rome by several cen-
turies. The 3,200-year-old city, famous for its
seven hills, has seen empires topple, explorers
discover far-off lands and foreign invaders move
in. Today, more than a quarter of Portugal’s 10.3
»
By Kellie Davenport