Many thanks to Maria and Francisco Lavrador for having us out to Quinta das Amoreiras for Easter Lunch. When I asked if it was "OK" if my Dad and Nancy came out, making us four, Maria quickly replied via SMS text "Its Ok. We'll have an international lunch!" Little did I know that a good friend we had made during a cooking class in Chiang Mai, Thailand, would give us an Easter day experience of a lifetime.
For those of you that think that La Quinta is a hotel chain in the western US that accepts dogs, I'm here to set you straight.
Spanish & Portuguese, quinta, farm rented at one fifth of its income, from Latin, feminine of quintus fifth. Modern definition: Exactly the type of country estate that I am trying to emulate (along with the entire population of the San Francisco Bay Area). Dogs, Cats, Chickens, Exotic Birds, Black Pigs (AKA chorizo ala casa), ducks (at also part of lunch), friendly pet donkeys, year-round vegetable garden, 200 olive trees that produce 360 litres of olive oil on a good year and lemon trees to boot. Now I understand why Maria makes the commute to from Azeitoa to Lisbn to work everyday. The Portugese countryside is unparalleled in our travels!
Nancy's first reaction was, "It feels like we are in a photo shoot for Food and Wine magazine!" My dad seemed like he would never stop smiling. Mara just enjoyed the food and the company. I had a couple smokes and a whiskey with Francisco while we checked out the antiques around the house. What a day! There were 14 place settings at this wonderful country table (Maria is a bit superstitious, for good reason). Where were you?
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