A Review of Vamos à Vila Monchique – Discovering Produce from the Mountains

In its second year, the annual Vamos à Vila Monchique (Let’s go to Monchique) cultural festival, held over the first weekend in June, showcased the best of local arts, crafts and delicacies from across the district, stretching from Monchique and its surrounding areas to as far as Alferce and Aljezur.

Monchique has long been recognised as an artisanal heaven. Its natural beauty and unique setting have inspired many who are proud to call this quintessential hilltop town their home. Always interested in learning more about local cultural life, I set out to find just a handful of the wonderful products handmade right here in Algrave’s mountain reserve, the Serra de Monchique. 

A candlestick maker

Among the small log cabins decorated with a colourful array of artistic gifts and trinkets, I met Jurgen, a second-generation candle-maker who owns Velas de Monchique, a family business which was founded thirty years ago. Jurgen inherited it from his parents and has dedicated his time to preserve Monchique’s very own candle factory. Jurgen showed me the process of creating candles varying in sizes and styles. Just like a snowflake, no single candle design is the same. Jurgen takes pride in the fact that his homemade candles only include natural ingredients and stay clear from any harmful chemicals, keeping in line with Monchique’s eco-friendly nature. 

A simple 5cm candle takes half a day to produce, from moulding to cooling, whilst larger varieties can take up to a full day to completely solidify. Jurgen pulled out a ‘blank’ candle telling me, “This is what you end up with and now the fun begins,” Standing over a selection of pots filled with molten coloured waxes, Jurgen dipped the candle into various waxes and drizzled a thin layer whilst turning the candle in all different directions to create a psychedelic pattern. However, the ingredients used to make the bright fluorescent waxes remain a heavily guarded family secret! As I tried to find out a little more, Jurgen joked, “I could tell you, but we’d have to sacrifice you afterwards!” I asked Jurgen what makes Monchique so special. His reply was short, sweet, and simple, “It’s tranquil, there’s no hustle and bustle, we have a true community.”

Put a cork in it

Portugal is undoubtedly the world’s leading exporter of cork, totalling approximately €1.2 billion in revenue in 2023. The Monchique mountain range plays a key role in the country´s cork production. Its rich soil and mountainous terrain provide perfect growing conditions for one of the nation’s most protected trees, which have dotted the landscape for centuries. 

Over the years, artisans have become quite creative with cork, showing that the bark can be used for far more than just sealant for a bottle of wine. Phone cases, wallets, belts, caps, pens, and even umbrellas make for quirky souvenirs, and there are plenty available from local craftsmen in Monchique as well as across the Algarve and afar. 

Ludicia, a resident of neighbouring Marmelete, has taken cork crafts to the next level. She realised that the watertight quality of natural cork makes for a perfect eco-friendly plant pot. “It was five years ago when I started making these planters for fun and it turned into a business. Not only are my planters functional, but they bring a little bit of nature inside the home,” Ludicia told me. Much like Jurgen’s candles, no two pieces are the same; the stripped cork in its natural form is filled with soil and moss and planted with succulents, offering a long living planter that can be easily cared for and is natural to Monchique. Ludicia explained that using cacti or succulents works best given that we live in a relatively dry climate and offers a longer-lasting plant that can be enjoyed all year round. 

A single planter takes a couple of hours to prepare but the outcome is worth the wait. In addition to cork, Ludicia also creates planters from reclaimed wood, giving a rustic appeal which is right on trend. It’s not just about ‘fashion’, Ludicia adds, it’s about using local resources and upcycling economically.

A basketful of craft

Known for its farming heritage, it’s no surprise to see many agricultural products on offer. Without the budget for a state-of-the-art tractor or combine harvester, a simple but effective wicker basket is a must-buy for any tourist visiting Monchique. Once used by farmers to collect fruit and vegetables, handmade wicker baskets have become a firm favourite for tourists and locals alike for their rustic appeal and durability. With so many on offer, it would be unfair to choose a single crafter. Still, talking with Maria, one of the many basket weavers, she was more than willing to explain the process of making a traditional Monchiquense basket.

“Basket weaving, known as cestaria, originally used cavaca or saiceiros, but nowadays baskets are made from either palm leaf, cane or wicker,” Maria explained, showing me the various styles on offer. Basketwork was traditionally crafted by women who had learned the craft from their ancestors. “It’s a craft handed down from generation to generation and technique varies depending on the region and the family’s preference,” she added. Maria pointed at the number of people selling baskets, assuring me that basket-making remains popular.“It is the older generation that is upholding this craft which is typical of the Algarve, especially in Monchique, but we do need younger people to carry on with it.”

When asked how long it would take to weave an average-sized fruit basket, Maria gave me an example. “A small basket can be made within a day, but larger or more ornate varieties can take up to five days or a week.” Showing me a wicker bowl, Maria explained that “this variety is called Empreita de Palma. It’s not ready yet, but you can see the shape of the leaf.” The fan-shaped palm is rolled and can be moulded into different shapes to create a basket or bowl, or other items such as mats, hats and even caskets, which have become popular in Britain in recent decades.

The wicker bottle

Looking around for a new log basket for my fireplace at home, I noticed the trusty wicker bottle, a typical decorative piece seen in many bars across Portugal, Spain and throughout the Mediterranean. It is unknown when the unique bottle spread across southern Europe and onto the Iberian peninsula, but it is believed that during the 14th century, the Guild of Doctors and Apothecaries replaced metal containers with glass bottles covered in wicker for protection. At the time, metal containers were a common cause for health problems and glass was found to be a much more suitable alternative. As glass production became more robust, the protective wicker casing slowly became obsolete. One of the early descriptions of the wicker bottle can be found in the 19th-century book Novo Vocabolario by Crusca, which states, “A glass vase, round and thick, without a foot; covered with straws which surround the body, and support at the base.”

Today, wicker bottles serve as a tiny reminder of our gastronomic history and a fancy addition to any dining table looking for a touch of rustic aesthetics, just like any piece of wicker in the home. 

A gastronomic delight

No fair would be complete without a gastronomic experience, and for the best of countryside cuisine, Monchique produces some of the finest foods on offer. From goat’s cheese to chouriço sausages, oranges and olives, one of the most highly regarded products has to be Monchique cured ham, better known as presunto. Salted over a couple of months and lightly smoked, presunto cured ham is a staple of any Monchiquense dining table and can be found in numerous restaurants around Monchique. Traditionally hung from the roof rafters, it’s an impressive sight to any visitor but this way of storing presunto serves a practical purpose as, suspended upside down, the natural juices can be collected in a cup at the bottom rather than drip on customers’ heads. The thinly sliced presunto ham goes hand in hand with goat’s cheese and is a mountain delicacy enjoyed by many who travel far and wide to sample one of Monchique’s finest foods. 

A shot of Medronho

No meal in Monchique is complete without a shot of medronho. The gin-like spirit is iconic to Monchique and is served as a digestive relaxant after a meal. With approximately 70 legal distilleries in Monchique alone producing around fifteen thousand litres of medronho per year, it would be hard to choose a single distillery. Each creates their own version of this local tipple made with secret recipes that have evolved over time and been handed down throughout the generations. It would be a terrible tragedy to expose the secret even if I knew. But what we do know is that the ‘fire water’ is primarily made from the berries of the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), which grows wildly in abundance throughout the Serra de Monchique. Talking with João, one of the many medronho distillers, he kindly explained the medronho-making process. 

“Distilling medronho starts long after the fruits are picked,” João explained. First, they need to be washed, then left to ferment.” Six to ten kilos of fruit are needed to produce one litre of medronho. Once picked, the fruits are left for several months before they are distilled in the traditional way. “We use a copper tank. In Portuguese, we call this an alambique and we use copper not because it’s in keeping with tradition but because the copper removes the sulphur aroma in the yeast.” 

João showed me an example of the copper alambique, which looked like a device straight out of a Frankenstein movie. Pointing at the dripper, João showed me how slowly the strong, stomach-warming after-dinner tipple is extracted and gives off a powerful aroma. He offered me a sample and it was indeed powerful at 48%, but I have plenty of previous practice. In fact, João was impressed at my drinking abilities! “It’s the taste of Monchique, right?” João said, as he, too, took a shot of Monchique’s moonshine. It’s safe to say that I did take a taxi home after feeling quite merry and pleased with my bag full of Monchique purchases. 

Whilst Vamos à Vila is over for another year, the dedicated artisans of Monchique work tirelessly all year round to keep their crafts alive. So if you’re looking for a perfect gift for an upcoming celebration, or maybe even a locally produced platter for a summer soirée, why not head up to Monchique, a beautiful town set in nature and filled with a host of local crafters working hard to preserve Monchique’s artisanal culture. 

PHOTOGRAPHY Luka Alexander

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