Country Article / Postcards

Chestnuts, New Wine, and Sunshine

Date: 11/09/2006

Legend says that on a cold, stormy day, while riding his horse at the gates of the city of Amiens, St. Martin (then simply "Martin," a brave Roman cavalry officer) met a half-naked beggar seeking alms. St. Martin, with nothing else to give, used his sword to cut his military cloak in half, to share with the beggar. Despite the cold, and heavy rain, St. Martin happily went on his way half-cloaked. Suddenly the storm broke, the sky became clear, and a summer sun’s rays flooded the earth with light and heat.

It is said that every year, at this time of year, God brings out the warm, sunny weather in memory of St. Martin’s act of kindness. So, in popular tradition, when it is sunny at this time of the year in Portugal, it is called Verão de São Martinho, St. Martin’s summer.

The Portuguese love their celebrations. And The Day of St. Martinho is one of their favorites, associated with chestnuts, new wine, and sunshine.

Many of the popular holidays of Saints’ days in Portugal take place in the summer--Santo António (June 13), São João (June 24), and São Pedro (June 29). But fall and winter bring revelry, too, and the Portuguese celebrate Dia de São Martinho (St. Martin’s day) tomorrow, Nov. 11.

The Portuguese celebrate this date with a magusto--a popular traditional party that includes roasted chestnuts and plenty of wine. Throughout the country chestnuts are roasted, and people drink água pé, an alcoholic drink from the second pressing of grapes. It comes from water thrown on the grape’s husk and jeropiga, a sweet unfermented wine.

Most agricultural work has ended, and the Portuguese consume what has been harvested--wine, fruits, and animals. The new wine that was made in September is opened and tasted now, too; for this reason, St. Martin is also considered the saint of good drinkers, giving rise to the popular saying: Pelo são Martinho vai à adega e prova o teu vinho, "On St. Martin’s day, go to the cellar and taste your wine."

Patricia Westheimer
For International Living

P.S. The basic recipe for celebrating St. Martin’s day in Portugal is always the same--with chestnuts and wine--although specific customs vary from north to south. Particularly in urban centers, you may simply spot several stalls selling a dozen chestnuts for $2.50, wrapped in newspaper or phone book pages. In the more rural villages and towns, people still gather family and friends around a bonfire to eat chestnuts and drink wine.