The kitchen is Menno’s domain – with an inherited love for gardening from his father, a passion for cooking from his mother, and ample space to live out his culinary fantasies. Having a huge kitchen and a vegetable garden the size of a soccer field is something which is really enjoyable. He looks up recipes with ingredients from the garden and tries them out, making the guests enthusiastic about the taste of healthy, organic food. Dependent on inspiration, the harvest from what is in season, and the offer of the local farmers, he will serve not only a daily breakfast, but also prepare a sumptuous meal every other night.
Vinha Da Manta is located in a fantastic area, where small-scale farmers and producers offer unique local specialties. Renowned are the cheeses from Seia, the cherries from Faia, the wine from the Dao region, port wine from the Douro, and let’s not forget the olive oil from our own estate, whose fruity flavour may remind you of artichoke. We try to produce as much as possible from our own gardens. Guests appreciate the warm figs cooked in red wine with crème fraiche, and of course our home-brewed aguardente and jerapiga are not to be missed.
“I always take the time to cook and almost everything is homemade. The jams and chutneys, tomatoes that I dry outside in the sun, all the herbs and much of the vegetables come from our garden, I make my own hot sauce by dipping our chili peppers in self-pressed olive oil. My food is above average. I do not credit this on my cooking skills, but on the fact that I only use good wine, good olive oil, and if possible fresh vegetables directly from the land. That is my strength. I give you what nature has to offer”.