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MEMÓRIAS DO PALATO

Context

"In Portugal, during the "Estado Novo", tourism developed based on the valorization of the national and regional, and in this context the "interest in local customs and a certain Portugueseness "was reinforced. The culmination of culinary nationalism was also noted, as an example, the Pousadas de Portugal, establishments of the state network where the decoration and cuisine included regional elements.

Regional kitchens acquired, then, a great importance and certain dishes were consecrated as symbols of territories. Still, "it was clear the defense of an articulation between cuisine and national identity". Somehow, there was a substitution of cosmopolitanism for nationalism, also at the culinary level.

However, following the 1974 revolution, there was an increase in the offer of international cuisine in various parts of the country, which did not prevent national cuisine from being promoted through books and festivals, (...) where national cuisine was represented by a medley of regional cuisines.

The atmosphere of freedom after the revolution (25th of April/1974) changed the role and the intervention of women in family and in society, reflected in the inspiration of cookbooks. The conservative discourse of the Estado Novo dictatorship and the education of women to be good housewives no longer makes sense. The woman started to have the public space open, "although with limitations".

Agriculture and fisheries were also gradually abandoned in a large part of the territory, and today it is heartbreaking to see what is happening with these economic sectors both inland and on the coast of this country."

Cuisine from other times / Cooking with another time

The changes in the social and economic fabric take us away from the traditional cuisine grown and transmitted largely by women, which also required a much longer time to prepare and execute the dishes.

The globalization of cuisine, an increasingly relevant phenomenon, also dictated the need for many chefs and cooks to approach new languages and techniques that are alien to our tradition.

Having as scenery the "Capela de Delães" (Lamas Museum) and led by the renowned chef Luís Sotto Mayor, we want to dive into the roots and value this tradition that fades in a confusion of "New Age" concepts, giving the main role to Traditional Portuguese Cuisine in a theater where the stage is the dining table and the culinary ingredients act together with Music, Digital and Performative Arts.

Contextualização

"Em Portugal, durante o Estado Novo, deu-se o desenvolvimento do turismo assente na valorização do nacional e do regional, sendo neste contexto reforçado o "interesse pelos costumes locais e por uma certa portugalidade". Também se verificou a consagração do nacionalismo culinário, sendo de referir, como exemplo, as Pousadas de Portugal, estabelecimentos da rede estatal em que a decoração e a cozinha incluíam elementos regionalistas.

As cozinhas regionais adquiriram, então, uma grande importância e determinados pratos foram consagrados como símbolos de territórios. Ainda segundo Sobral, "era clara a defesa de uma articulação entre cozinha e identidade nacional". De alguma forma, assistiu-se a uma substituição do cosmopolitismo pelo nacionalismo, também ao nível culinário.

Contudo, a seguir à Revolução de 1974, houve um aumento da oferta da cozinha internacional em vários pontos do país, o que não obstou a que a culinária nacional fosse promovida através de livros e festivais, (...) onde a culinária nacional se fazia representar pelo conjunto das diversas culinárias regionais.

O clima de liberdade após o 25 de Abril alterou o papel e a intervenção das mulheres na família e na sociedade, refletindo-se na inspiração dos livros de cozinha. O discurso conservador do Estado Novo e a educação das mulheres para serem boas donas de casa deixou de fazer sentido. A mulher passou a ter o espaço público aberto, "ainda que com limitações"."4

Cozinha de outros tempos / Cozinha a outro tempo

As alterações do tecido social e económico afastam-nos da cozinha tradicional cultivada e transmitida em grande parte pelas mulheres a qual pressupunha também um tempo muito mais alargado de preparação e execução dos pratos.

Também a globalização da culinária, um fenómeno cada vez mais relevante, ditou a necessidade de muitos chefes e cozinheiros se aproximarem de novas linguagens e técnicas alheias à nossa tradição.

Tendo como cenário a Capela de Delães (Museu de Lamas) e conduzidos pela mão do reputado chefe Luís Sotto Mayor, queremos mergulhar nas raízes e valorizar esta tradição que se desvanece numa confusão de conceitos "New Age", dando à Cozinha Tradicional Portuguesa o papel principal num teatro em que o palco é a mesa e os ingredientes culinários contracenam com a Música, as Artes Digitais e Performativas.