Published on Aug, 2023
We happened on cooking classes similar to this in Spain last year and had a blast, so we were excited to see offerings in Porto. Of the companies that do this, Cook in Ribiera stood out with great reviews and excellent communication. Our Market tour with cooking class was booked for our second day in Porto and it happened to be one of the hottest days we were there, so we were thankful to be mostly indoors. Vitor picked us up at our hotel around 10:30am. Immediately we love his personality and wit! We shared our class with a young couple from the US who were very nice.
The market tour was fantastic. We procured fresh seafood from one vendor in particular and produce from another. Vitor showed us a few Portuguese specific fruits/veggies and once we had everything, we headed back to Porto proper.
I enjoy cooking, so the next part was my favorite. We made seafood rice with sea bass, fresh made seafood stock, a sausage/cheese/bread plate as an appetizer and Almond tart for dessert. All of the participants were engaged and we all shared delicious wine and great conversation. Once the meal was ready, we ate together and shared more conversation/wine.
In what seems to be the Portuguese way, we NEVER felt rushed or that we were taking too long. The conversation flowed (and the wine) and when it was time to leave, we had full bellies and minds. We will absolutely seek out more cooking adventures in our travels, but I have my doubts that they will be as exceptional as this one. Thanks Vitor!