History and products
Colonized by Portugal as early as the 15th century, Cape Verde - which didn't celebrate its independence until 1975 - is one of Europe's oldest colonies. Its strategic position at the heart of the Atlantic, but also close to the African continent, was widely used as a center for the slave trade, as a transit point for the Portuguese navy and, of course, as an experimental station for the cultivation of agricultural products from the Americas, such as corn, chillies, pumpkins and manioc, in the same way as the Canary Islands for the Spanish Crown. The same applied to plants from Asia and Africa, such as citrus fruits, bananas, coffee and sugar cane, destined for planting in Brazil.
The Portuguese also imported products such as wheat, vines and livestock from Europe, although Cape Verdeans always knew how to make the most of what nature had to offer. Fish and seafood have always played a central role in this island nation surrounded by particularly generous waters. Tuna, swordfish, gilthead bream, grouper, sole, mackerel and red mullet take pride of place, not forgetting a host of other seafood, from lobster to octopus, squid and prawns. Shellfish such as lapas (limpets), búzio (whelk) and the surprising percebes or barnacles, which unfortunately suffer from overfishing in Cape Verde just like the lobster, are also highly prized. These should be eaten in moderation.
In addition to seafood, the traditional diet is based on corn, dried beans, rice, root vegetables and meats such as pork, chicken, lamb, mutton and goat. The volcanic nature of the archipelago and more or less recent eruptions have enriched the soil with volcanic ash, making it very fertile, particularly on the island of Fogo, known for the Chã das Caldeiras, an immense crater where apples, grapes, quinces, pomegranates, figs, peaches, tomatoes and many other fruits and vegetables are grown.
Cape Verde also produces a small number of "queijo" cheeses, such as queijo de cabra, made from goat's milk, notably on the island of Santo Antão. As for charcuterie, linguiça is a smoked Portuguese pork sausage flavored with garlic and paprika. Originally from Portugal, it is widely consumed in the archipelago, as are chouriço and lard(toucinho de porco).
The basics of Cape Verdean cuisine
The national dish is called cachupa. A perfect encapsulation of Cape Verdean cuisine, this specialty consists of corn, beans, manioc, sweet potatoes and various vegetables. For a cachupa rica, meat is added (pork chop, chorizo, sausages, morcela/black pudding, etc.), but it can also contain chicken and lamb. Simple cachupa contains fewer vegetables and is prepared mainly with corn, beans and fish. It's such a popular dish that in the morning, locals even prepare cachupa refogada or frita, made from the leftovers of the previous day's cachupa, browned in a frying pan with chopped onions, sausage and fried eggs.
Portuguese influences are not far away, and can be found in recipes similar to feijoada, such as feijão congo. This stew is made with cowpea beans (sometimes also called feijão congo), bacon, choriço, white cabbage, squash and tomato. This dish is sometimes prepared with ervilha seca or split peas. Alternatively, try jagacida, rice with red beans and onion.
Another emblem of the country's rural cuisine, xérem is a kind of creamy polenta made from cornmeal. Although very basic, this dish can be garnished with fish, seafood, sausage, pork, caramelized onions or dried beans. Another simple but very popular dish, canja de galinha, is a chicken soup with vermicelli, potato and carrot.
More hearty, modje de São Nicolau is a stew usually prepared for Easter, made with goat meat and a variety of vegetables (cassava, yam, sweet potato, potato, squash and plantains). Variations include chicken or lamb. Cape Verdeans are fond of chicken, and the local frango assado (grilled chicken), marinated in a piri-piri pepper sauce, is delicious.
Grilled fish and shellfish are one of the country's specialties. Tuna is enjoyed in a variety of forms, as a steak, grilled or in salad, while caldeirada de peixe is made with grouper, poached with potatoes and other starches. Lobster is also prepared in a variety of ways. Try the lagosta suada, a recipe for lobster with a light tomato and white wine sauce. Finally, salada de grão-de-bico com bacalhau is a salad of chickpeas, potatoes, cod and hard-boiled eggs.
Fish is eaten as snacks and appetizers, such as morreia frita, bite-sized fried moray eels, or croquetes de atum (tuna). Pastel de milho is a cornflour turnover with a tuna filling. There is also a wheat flour version, which is so popular that it has even become popular in West Africa, such as Senegal and Mauritania. The Portuguese brought back samoussas from South Asia, known here as chamuças. They are commonly stuffed with chicken. Finally, torresmo de porco - fried bacon cut into cubes - is very popular as an aperitif with a glass of wine or beer.
Desserts and drinks
Cape Verdean sweets have similarities with Portuguese pastries, but have also borrowed exotic influences, such as cuscuz, brought from Africa by slaves. Made from pounded corn, it is steamed in bindes, a kind of terracotta couscous pot. It is then sliced and eaten hot, spread with molasses (sugarcane molasses) and accompanied by a cup of tea, coffee or hot milk. It is sometimes served with fresh, unripened goat's cheese.
Bolinhos de mandioca com mel ("little cassava balls with honey") are fried cassava croquettes coated in molasses. Or gufong, a type of croquette made with banana and fine cornmeal, bolinhos de areia, lemon-cinnamon cookies, or bolo de milho, a classic cornmeal cake. You can't miss pudim de leite, an egg and caramel flan with an Iberian accent. Ice creams and sorbets are very popular.
In addition to the apples, grapes and pomegranates that grow on the high hillsides, the archipelago's hot, dry climate allows the cultivation of tropical species such as papaya, banana, mango and passion fruit, which are often used to make fruit juices. You can also try calabaceira or baobab juice. It's very rich in vitamin C, minerals and fiber. Unless you prefer bissap, a dark red infusion made from hibiscus flowers, served iced.
Coffee has been grown for almost 300 years in Cape Verde, notably on the island of Fogo (known as café do Fogo or café das Caldeiras). Its low production means that it is hardly ever exported, and is therefore little known, even though it is often considered one of the finest coffees in the world, not least for its low caffeine content. Monte Queimado coffee even won the "Best coffee in the empire" award at the 1934 Porto Colonial Exhibition. Quite a feat, given that the archipelago's very dry climate does little for coffee plants. Producer Dja'r Fogo harvests, roasts and sells his coffee from his store in São Filipe.
Alcohols
Conversely, at around 1,500 m altitude, the sunny, windy microclimate of the island of Fogo, combined with rich volcanic soils, is well suited to viticulture. Despite the lunar rock landscapes, the thick fog that covers the peaks at night provides sufficient humidity to obviate the need to irrigate these unique vineyards. Produced for almost 120 years, Cape Verdean wine was originally destined for the former colonies of the Portuguese Empire, such as Brazil and Guinea-Bissau. The grape varieties used are white muscatel and preta tradicional, originally from Setúbal, south of Lisbon. The Chã wine label (named after the village of Chã das Caldeiras) is produced by the Associação dos Agricultores de Chã, and marketed under the Vinho de Fogo appellation. Full-bodied reds, fruity whites and light rosés are all available at 14°. And let's not forget vin de paille or vihno passito, in which the grapes are dried on straw before being pressed, producing a rich, syrupy wine, ideal for dessert or as a digestive. Manecom is a traditional wine, semi-sweet or dry, homemade, often for personal consumption.
Grape brandy (destilado de uva) and quince brandy (destilado de marmelo) are also produced, with the "Espírito da Caldeira" label and an alcohol content of 45%. Also worth mentioning is destilado com ervas digestivas, a spirit with medicinal herbs. Close to rum, grogue (grogu) is a sugarcane brandy. The best is from the island of Santo Antão, where the country's sugarcane production is concentrated. Often considered the national drink, it is brown or white and very strong, between 50° and 70°. It is used to make ponche (derived from the English word "punch"), which also contains lime and molasses. There's also a herbal version with rosemary, aniseed or rue officinale. Finally, Strela is the local beer, whose name comes from the Cape Verdean Creole for "star". It is the second most consumed beer in Cape Verde, covering 35% of the market, just behind the Portuguese brand Super Bock.
