Join the Robert Hall Secret Supper Society for a Taste of Portugal

Portuguese cuisine boasts a delightful tapestry of flavors, influenced by the country’s rich history, diverse landscapes, and vibrant cultures. From the sun-soaked coastal regions to the lush inland valleys, Portugal offers a culinary experience that is both varied and unique. 

Next month, the Robert Hall Secret Supper Society will be bringing a piece of Portugal to downtown Winston-Salem. Our Taste of Portugal event will feature a four-course meal prepared by Chef Ben McManus and Holly Tate Catering alongside a sampling of Portuguese wines curated by Kerrie Thomas of Winebow Fine Wines + Spirits.

In anticipation of the event, our team sat down with Holly and Kerrie to learn more about Portuguese cuisine and what Society members can expect from next month’s event. 

 

 

Prepare for Portuguese-Inspired Bites With a Modern Interpretation

Holly Tate’s love for Portuguese cuisine goes well beyond an appreciation for its flavors—she and her husband John call Coimbra, Portugal home half of the year. 

“We could literally write a book about Portugal because we absolutely love living here,” said Holly. “Coimbra is a beautiful town of 140,000 people—with an additional 40,000 students studying at the University of Coimbra. It’s a walkable city that’s full of wonderful Portuguese restaurants and pastry shops on every corner.”

When it comes to Portuguese food, Holly says it’s clear that the country’s cuisine was heavily influenced by the Age of Discovery—when explorers like Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral set sail for the New World at the encouragement of 15th-century Portuguese Prince Henry the Navigator—as well as its own 1,115 miles of Atlantic coastline. 

“As a result, seafood rules Portuguese kitchens—think salted cod, sardines, and octopus,” said Holly. “Inland, pork holds its own. The hearty regional cuisine of the Alentejo, for example, is based around slow-cooked porco preto (Iberian black pig), lamb, and bread, all of which are served numerous ways. By land or sea, Portuguese food is backed by a long list of classic dishes with Mediterranean foundations but peppered with portions of African, Brazilian, and Spice Route pizzazz.”

When it comes to what next month’s four-course dinner has in store, Holly said that her and Chef Ben’s inspiration in creating the menu was to offer ingredients that are readily available and often used in Portuguese dishes, but with a modern interpretation. 

“For example, the evening will begin with a passed hors d’oeuvre of mini parmesan cups filled with an apple salad, toasted walnut, and a maple Dijon vinaigrette,” said Holly. “Cheese, apples and nuts are in abundance in Portugal.”

After three courses of dishes filled with ingredients loved by the Portuguese people, Society members will get to partake in one of Portugal’s favorite pastimes—dessert. 

“The dessert, called the sobremesa in Portugal, literally means ‘upon the table,’” said Holly. “It implies the tradition of relaxing at the table after a meal with conversation. Guest’s sombremesa will include a house-made pastry cup with chocolate mousse and vanilla-scented berries. Chocolate is a must for a sobremesa in Portugal, and restaurants take pride in their creations of chocolate mousse.”

 

Savoring Portugal, One Sip at a Time

Portuguese meals are often accompanied by a glass of wine, with each region boasting its own specialties. From the robust reds of Douro Valley to the crisp whites of Vinho Verde, Portugal’s wines are as diverse as its cuisine. As a complement to the night’s dishes, guests at next month’s Taste of Portugal event will have the opportunity to sip Portuguese wines that have been hand-selected by Winebow’s Kerrie Thomas. 

Having worked at Winebow as a Sales Consultant for 15 years, Kerrie considers himself a fine dining restaurant veteran who spends a lot of time thinking about food and wine. When asked about his process for curating a wine list for cuisine-specific tastings and events, Kerrie says he always begins with wines in the closest proximity to the provenance of the dish. 

“I like wines with a sense of place,” said Kerrie. “Then it’s a matter of progression—dry to sweet, light to heavy. Next you have to consider the ‘weight’ of the dish, components in the sauce, acidity, and spices. All that to say, I’m looking for complementary flavors and balance.”

Each of the wines Kerrie will be bringing with him next month come from distinguished Portuguese producers that reflect the country’s rich wine heritage and vast regional variety. 

“One wine we’re featuring is the Chocapalha ‘CH’ Red,” said Kerrie. “Chocapalha is a small family winery in Lisbon and winemaker Sandra Tavares makes this distinctive wine from the indigenous Touriga Nacional grape, which we often see as part of traditional red blends. In this case it stands alone—traditional in some sense, but modern and forward-looking in another.”

As for what Kerrie hopes members will take away from next month’s Taste of Portugal event, Kerrie said that anytime he is able to turn people on to unique and interesting wines he’s happy. 

“I don’t think wine pairings should be in any way pretentious,” said Kerrie. “It’s about the pleasure of the experience. If the food is delicious and the wine is delicious then you just need good conversation for a delightful evening.”

 

How to Purchase Tickets

Tickets to our Taste of Portugal event are currently on sale for members of the Secret Supper Society and can be purchased via the Member’s Menu. 

Not a member but interested in joining? Send an email to our Event Manager, Kristopher Walter, at Kristopher.Walter@RobertHallWSNC.com or inquire via our website at www.RobertHallSecretSupperSociety.com.

We hope to share a meal with you soon!