HOW WE WORK

Editorial methodology

Last reviewed: 10 September 2026 · reviewed quarterly

What we consider a typical speciality

We include a recipe, product, drink, festival or tradition when there is a consistent cultural link to a territory: a protected production area, historical or heritage documentation, local institutional sources, or a widely recognised regional association.

Association with a place does not necessarily mean that the speciality was created there. It may represent a regional tradition, a protected production area or a particularly strong cultural connection.

Geography, disputed origins and shared traditions

We distinguish districts, places and autonomous regions. When an origin is uncertain or disputed, we use cautious wording, present the relevant accounts and do not turn a regional tradition into an exact local invention.

A speciality may appear in more than one district. In those cases, we identify local variants, preparation methods or cultural links, and avoid claiming exclusivity without sufficient evidence.

DOP, IGP and ETG

DOPProtected Designation of Origin: the essential production stages take place in the defined area and the product's characteristics depend on that geographical environment.

IGPProtected Geographical Indication: at least one stage takes place in the area and a quality, reputation or characteristic is attributable to that origin.

ETGTraditional Speciality Guaranteed: protects a traditional composition or method without requiring an exclusive link to a territory.

Sources and verification

We prioritise official registers, public heritage inventories, product specifications, municipal and regional bodies, responsible associations, and identifiable historical or academic research. Unsourced blogs and automatically generated lists are not sufficient evidence.

Festivals, dates and review

We show exact days only when a celebration has a fixed date. For movable calendars, seasonal festivals and municipal programmes, we show the recurring month or period and ask visitors to check the annual programme before travelling.

The catalogue is reviewed quarterly. Event dates are checked again before their season whenever an official programme is available.

Translations and corrections

Translations are editorial adaptations rather than literal machine translations. We preserve official Portuguese names and explain their meaning in English when this helps visitors.

Found an incorrect attribution, a better source or an outdated date? Write to mrt.negocios@gmail.com.