January 18, 2018 · Cascais, Portugal
Seu Cascais e minha casa
When away from home, it is nice to feel at home, with a home cooked meal. In most countries this is not easily done, for the ingredients vary from place to place. It was refreshing to come across a nice and cozy, local market with not only local foods, but international foods. The important one’s if you are away from home, like peanut butter, Jello, Aunt Jamima pancakes and syrup and even for my Irish experience, Christmas Pudding. After 3 years of travel and 47 countries, it was nice to be in Portugal, staying at Cascais Boutique Hostel, where not only could I could cook in the common kitchen, I could prepare meals common to my life experience.
It is nice to have home cooking when you are away from home, it is even nicer when you are made to feel at home by the locals, who treat a foreigner, like their own. Yes, I can get special groceries there, and high quality local produce, dairy products, baked goods and meats. But, I also have enjoyed the welcoming treatment, of the people who work here. Not only helping me through language issues, but also giving my purchases a lift home, not to the curb, not to the door, but to the counter top in the kitchen; where I can then sort, and place as needed.
While Francisco Bispo (Bishop in English, we must be related), prepares single portion meats cut to just the right size, Valdo of Brazil makes sure I have what I need, and that it gets to my counter top, where I can prepare a meal created from the purchased ingredients. Between Francisco and Valdo I am aided by the others in the delicatessen, fresh food, beverages and check out. Nothing like a family of workers to make one feel at home, when home had not been experienced. And one was missing this day, Paulo, I look forward to the next time when I can say hi to him too, as he does for me when I walk through the door.
Nothing dynamic in today’s photo shooting, but homey, I hope. Of the people who make me feel at home, the foods I buy, and the resulting meal I create from what they have to offer. Ahhh home cooking my style…I feel at home. At the end of the day, it’s a Joya, to have experienced this day.
The name of the shop is Meu Cascais, translated into English, My Cascais (Cascais is the name of the city) Seu Cascais e minha casa, Their Cascais is my house. It will be nice someday, to share in a home meal, in a Cascais home, to see what they do differently with the same ingredients, and to experience a family meal.
