The stamp issue that complements the CTT’s thematic book Arroz Português – Um Mundo Gastronómico (Portuguese rice – a gastronomic world), by Fortunato da Câmara, depicts the most important rice-growing regions in the country – Mondego, Sado, Sorraia and Tejo – in each case exploring the culinary context through a recipe in which the traditional grain of each of these regions is the star of the show.
The recipes chosen to identify this mouthwatering heritage were ‘Arroz de Cabrito’ (rice with goat meat) for the flood plains of the river Sorraia, ‘Arroz de Grelos’ (rice with greens) for the rice fields of the river Sado and ‘Arroz de Bacalhau’ (rice with salt cod) for the marshlands of the river Tejo.
And since no description of gastronomic rice in Portugal would be complete without the quintessence of Minho cuisine that is ‘Arroz de Lampreia’ (rice with lamprey), this was the dish chosen to represent the flooded fields of Baixo Mondego, where lamprey is a long-standing tradition.
The monks of the Monastery of Santa Cruz de Coimbra were already cultivating rice in the 18th century at their experimental property at Quinta da Fôja, and it is likely that, at the time, they would have paired it with Mondego lamprey.
There are only four illustrations – three on postage stamps, and the other in a souvenir sheet – as it was just not possible to reflect the copious use of rice in our gastronomy, nor the vast area of nearly 30 thousand hectares in Portugal devoted to this cereal that favours watery environments. However, having researched more than 100 recipes that reflect this heritage, Fortunato da Câmara has organised and recorded them beautifully in this book.
The main aim of these stamps is thus to arouse curiosity and inspire us to delve into the world of Portuguese rice, which is currently evolving rapidly thanks to rigorous scientific research that allows us to be less dependent on imported seeds and to cultivate more of the ‘grains of choice for Portuguese gastronomy’.
Philately Office
