Food, Glorious Food
As you’ve come to know, my type of travel is usually all about getting from one place to eat to the next. It’s all about connecting the dots, the restaurant dots. I see some stuff. I eat. I see some more. I stop at a café. Food and travel, to me, are one and the same. You can tell so much about a culture from its food – in fact I would say that food is culture to most people. And there is that age-old tradition of breaking bread with friends and family and also sharing and enjoying what you have with strangers, that seems to transcend any barrier or preconceived stereotype. Food…its the great uniter.
Sharing a Meal in Porto
In Porto, I had the pleasure of having my first meal in the Guimarães home, the family I was staying with through airbnb. We had some tasty meat and potatoes and vegetables, but more than the food, it was yet again, wonderful to get to know some locals and chat about their lives, hopes, and dreams…and fútbol (soccer), of course.
Little Frenchie
Beyond all the local, tasty fish dishes and other portuguese delights, I was told I had to try this native sandwich known as the Francesinha which means something like “Little Frenchie.”
The Franchesina: Meat on Meat on Meat…Yikes!
I Love Lunch
Gluttony
The Franchesina consists of layers of bread, ham, fresh sausage, steak or roast ‘meat’ and covered with melted cheese and a hot thick tomato and beer sauce served with french fries. If you are wondering…I got through about one third of it.
All I can say is: Don’t do it. I suppose in theory it sounded possibly interesting. But in reality – yikes. This was too much of…everything.
I chucked it all – the TV job, the boyfriend, the “conventional” life – to travel around the world. Now, I’m creating a new life based less on money and more on travel, laughs, & tasty food. 
on 
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh, more for me… Give me anything slathered in tomato and melted cheese anytime.
Yikes…you can have it. I LOVE cheese…but this was just too much…of everything!
As I told you on facebook, the problem was where you eat, and the sauce (not well done) because as you say, beer sauce, however when the sauce is done right, should not have flavor to beer, beer is only one of condiments ( few % ) from more than 15 different spices (including milk)
A big kiss for you, I miss our conversations
I'll just have to come back to try another one where you suggest.
I'm game for finishing the other 2/3 of that sandwich!
It's all yours Kevin!
You and I have similar travel styles! The food part is very important. Little Frenchie looks like a challenge I'm willing to take on.
Oh Cathy…I just love food…more and more each year. The flavors, the history, the combinations, the preparations! It's a wonder I am managing to stay on the thin side!
You’re braver than I am! In Porto a few weeks ago I watched a friend demolish one of these… I gave it serious thought and even more serious inspection but I somehow never managed to order one. Just looked too big – and I do have a major appetite. This one beat me, though.
Ha! I thought on the #EatthePlanet tweet chat you said you did try the Franchesina! I did eat about half…but wow…just to much. I’ll take a big, meat-packed Italian sub…so maybe it was the messy sauce all over it that turned me off. And, I thought I’d never EVER say this…..but too much cheese! Aack!
I didn’t try it myself but I did get up close and personal – I had lunch with Indie Travel Podcast and Craig Martin had the Francesinha, under my strict supervision! His looked rather luscious, because it was had a very small local eatery…
Hi Leyla! Yeah…my hosts told me I did NOT go to the ‘right’ place for a Franchesina…so I might have to try it again sometime. Although, for a diverse eater, I am still not sure I can stomach it!