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Esteva - brave pioneer with unexpected beauty

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 14:45:59 +0100

In the hills that connect the Algarve with Alentejo, you will find great biodiversity. Everywhere you see sobreiros (cork oaks), azinheiras (holm oaks), eucalyptus, medronheiros (strawberry trees), wild herbs such as rosemary, mint and lavender and heather. The Esteva (sometimes called xara) can also be found there in large numbers. In the spring, nature puts on a remarkable show here, transforming hills into a festival of colors and scents, in which the Esteva plays a leading role.

The "Esteva" (Cistus ladanifer, gum rock rose or cistus rose) covers the mountains and valleys in spring with millions of beautiful, sweet-smelling white flowers. The flower itself is delicate and beautiful, but the evergreen it grows on is tough and shaggy with sticky branches and leaves. It is a plant from the rock rose family (Cistaceae) that grows in dry, rocky places where nothing else wants to grow and can grow up to 2 meters high. The sticky resin is labdanum, a highly aromatic resin. This resin protects the plant from the harsh and dry climate and it also inhibits the growth of competing plants in its environment. Because of this last characteristic you often find entire hills overgrown with Esteva.

Esteva grows on acidic, non-calcareous soils, made of shale, granite and quartz. It is a very fast-growing pioneer plant that is a good biological indicator of soil degradation due to, for example, overgrazing or constant fires, as it is one of the first plants to appear in the space where oaks once grew.

In the past, charcoal was extracted from the root of the Esteva, which is extremely hard and woody. This wood was also traditionally used to fire bread ovens. It is still great good wood to start a hot fire with. In moist soil it is not so difficult to pry the plants root and all out of the soil. Because this plant is full of resin and oil, it's best to make sure it doesn't grow within at least 50 meters of your home and other buildings.

Esteva essential oils are known for their antiseptic, astringent, antiviral, toning, purifying and restorative properties. They also boost the immune system and are used in aromatherapy to combat stress.

Labdanum used to be used in analgesic patches, to treat hernias, rheumatism, ulcers and gastritis. It has also been attributed with sedative properties and it is used in herbal medicine to treat respiratory problems (cough and bronchitis).

Labdanum and Esteva essential oils are also used in perfumery, they are used in perfumes, soaps and detergents, as well as in cosmetics and beauty treatment products, which act as a tissue regenerator to slow down skin aging and fight acne.

New campervan service point in São Marcos da Serra

Sun, 09 Feb 2020 10:43:13 +0100

On 31 January 2020 São Marcos da Serra opened this brandnew motorhome service area next to the village. The area of 2000 m2 offers space for 22 campervans free of charge. There is drinkable water, electric chargers, a dump station for wastewater disposal and rubbish bins.

It is expected that this service will attract more tourists to our little village and boost local economy a bit. The people of São Marcos da Serra welcomed this facility.

São Marcos da Serra Community Centre Re-opening

Sun, 02 Feb 2014 11:16:07 +0100

If anybody was thinking that São Marcos da Serra was slowly dying, they are now proven wrong!

The community of our beloved village is alive and kicking, as could be witnessed at the great re-opening of the community centre on the 31st of January.

Full house, great music, happy people, lots of dancing, drinks and food, people of all ages gathering together. It was a lovely festivity, organised by a dedicated group of people that want to bring back activities for young and old to São Marcos da Serra.

Thank you very much and all the best for the future!

Medronho - Much More Than A Drink

Mon, 11 Nov 2013 12:40:29 +0100

These are some Medronho berries. They grow on the Strawberry Tree - Arbutus Unedo - and are mainly used to create the famous Algarvean Aguardente de Mendronho.

The berries have an acquired taste. Maybe that is why it has "Unedo" in its Latin name, which means: eat only 1. The fruit and the pretty little flowers can be see all at the same time, between October and December. It takes a complete year for the berry to develop from flower to ripe fruit. First they are green, then orange/yellow and finally they turn red. The tree - or better the bush - that they grow on is evergreen and can grow up to 10 meters high. It is a member of the Ericaceae family, which makes it a cousin of the heather and bilberry.

Medronho berries have a high pectin content, which makes them very good for preparing jams and preserves. The fruit, as well as the leaves, are being used in folk medicine for ages to treat problems like diarrhoea, arteriosclerose, kidney and bladder infections or liver diseases. The berries have many phytochemicals, including polyphenols, which are thought to reduce cancer risk, coronary heart disease en degenerative diseases. They are also rich in antioxidants such as vitamines C and E and carotenoids.

For treatment of kidney/bladder problems you can try this:
Boil a liter of water, add 20 grams of leaves and leave them there for 10 minutes. Drink a cup 3 times a day for 3 weeks. You can sweeten the tea with a little honey.

Be careful though and do not eat too many fresh berries (in case you like the taste), because they also contain a lot of tanines wich can give you some problems.

The Portuguese became very skilled in distilling the fruit in late winter, after weeks of fermentation, and create the famous Aguardente de Medronho. Read more about this in the website on the page "way of life".

The

The new members of the council of S. Marcos da Serra

Tue, 22 Oct 2013 10:28:16 +0100

The new equipe of the freguesia of São Marcos da Serra have been installed now.

President - Luís Manuel Viegas Cabrita (PSD)

Secretary - Maria Esmeralda Ramos Rosa (PSD)

Teasurer - Rosa Maria Coelho Guerreiro (CDU)

Members of the council:

President - José Manuel de Oliveira Rodrigues (PSD)

1st Secretary - Rui Miguel Fernandes Grilo Freitas Monteiro (PSD)

2nd Secretary - Licínio Roberto Lourenço Ramos (CDU)

Members

PS - Ricardo José Guerreiro, José António Montes Folgado, Maria Teresa Calado Sequeira

PSD - Maria Francisco Coelho Guerreiro Almeida, Nelson Miguel Palma Guerreiro

CDU- Ana Lúcia Baptista Correi

We wish them all the best for the coming 4 years and hope they will do a lot of good for our beloved São Marcos da Serra.

Elections 2013

Thu, 03 Oct 2013 09:39:10 +0100

The elections for the junta de freguesia of São Marcos da Serra were held on the 29th of September and the results surprised many. 72,47% of the registered voters came to town to make their choice!

The PSD won with 39,74% (341 votes), which means that Luis Cabrita will be the new President of São Marcos da Serra for the coming 4 years.

Here some numbers:

PSD - 39,74 % - 341 votes - 4 seats in the council + the president (2009: 25,45% - 224 votes - 2 seats)
PS - 29,60 % - 254 votes - 3 seats in the council (2009: 46,14% - 406 votes - 5 seats + president)
PCP - 25,17 % - 216 votes - 2 seats in the council (2009: 23,86% - 210 votes - 2 seats)

more info at: http://www.autarquicas2013.pt/resultados-eleicoes-2013

We wish the new President, Luis Cabrita, and his team a lot of energy, wisdom and determination, to work for the future of our beloved São Marcos da Serra!

Festas de Verão - 2013

Tue, 06 Aug 2013 17:31:11 +0100

Its summertime again and São Marcos da Serra looks forward to celebrate. This year the event will take place in the centre of the village. Come and join in on 9 and 10 August. Lots of live entertainment, food and drinks will provide the circumstances for a wonderful evening.

Feira do Folar 2013

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:39:58 +0100

São Marcos da Serra would like to welcome you to the XVth edition of the Feira do Folar (Easter Cake Fair) between 29 and 31 March 2013.

The event is sponsored by the city of Silves (CMS), with support from the local Parish Council, the Serrano Football Club and the Association of Humanitarian S. Marcos da Serra.

Traditional folklore will be presented by approximately two dozen exhibitors with the region's traditional products such as jams, honey, medronho, liquors, dried fruits, olive oil, teas and herbs, handmade baskets, utensils in brass, wood and cane. São Marcos da Serra is however especially famous for its traditional Folar - Easter cake.

There will be plenty of food and drinks with traditional aromas and flavors of the region.

Aiming to promote music and traditional dances and folklore, the Rancho Folclórico Infantil from SB Messines and the Percutunes will be present on March 29, the Fado singer Maria da Saudade and "The Real Band" will perform on 30 March and Grupo Coral Alentejano da Associação Comunidades de Tunes e Rancho Folclórico de Algoz can be seen and heard on the 31 of March.

The Feira do Folar is open every day between 11.00 and 20.00 hours.

Full Moon In The Serra

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:27:34 +0100

Normally we live a quite "natural" life, speaking about getting up and going to bed. We more or less rise with the sun and go to sleep early after the big light has gone. But there are exceptions, occasions and special events that make us stay up late.....

Last night was one of these nights. With the full moon rising over the serra, we decided to go to São Marcos da Serra for a drink and some chocolate from the gambling machine in one of the local café´s. At the same time, we would use this 8 km trip on the dust road (now more of a mud road) to fill up our empty water bottles at the fonte, thus making the trip worth the diesel.

So when we arrived at the café we found all the local men watching a football match on TV and I found out I forgot to bring my purse. "No problem" the lady at the bar said, "you pay next time". Wow, I love our village! Where else would this be still possible? I did not dare to ask for money for the chocolate gambling machine though, so we settled for a beer and a martini.

Afterwards we filled up all our water bottles and put on some of our favourite music for the road. Slowly, very slowly, we drove the dirt road back to our little farmhouse, carefully avoiding frogs on the road, and for eight kilometres enjoyed the serra bathing in the light of the first full moon of the year, meanwhile listening to Supertramp, then Jackson Brown´s Stay (long version) and arriving at the house with Gladys Knight´s beautiful voice singing Help me make it through the night. Hmmmmmm, it are days like this that makes you feel so blessed to live here in this beautiful piece of earth.

Coffee, Just The Way You Like It !

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 14:33:41 +0100

um meia de leite

The Portuguese are proud of their coffee. And not without reason! Some of the richest coffee growing countries in the world are ex-colonies of Portugal. Although the sound of the coffee grinder and the espresso machine can be annoying at times, it also promises a great quality coffee is nearby. The Portuguese generally do not drink their coffee at home, but rather have one in the local café or pasteleria. Here they can order their beloved coffee, just the way they like it.

If you want to have a coffee in São Marcos da Serra, here is a list to help you pick the one you like best:

uma bica

uma bica or um café: A dark, rich espresso. A single measure of strong black coffee served in a small cup. A bica usually half fills the cup and has a creamy golden brown head called a crema. The origin of the word bica is not really known. One of the stories says it stands for bebe isto com açucar (drink this with sugar), like most Portuguese do....

uma bica cheia (um café cheio): the same as a standard bica but the small cup is topped up with hot water

uma bica dupla (um café duplo): a double espresso served in a standard sized cup.

uma bica curto or um café Italiano: a very strong bica with half the usual water.

uma carioca: an espresso made with half the amount of coffee.

um bica com cheirinho: a bica with a dash of medronho or aguardente. This gets the fire started on a cold winter morning!

um abatanado

um abatanado: a long weak coffee in a medium cup.

uma bica pingada (um café pingado): a bica topped up with a little milk, served in an espresso cup.

um meia de leite or um café com Leite: coffee mixed with hot milk, usually a bica but sometimes a weaker coffee brew, served in a larger cup. If you like it a bit stronger, ask for a meia de leite escuro.

um galão

um galão: an espresso mixed with hot milk served in a tall glass. Depending where you go, this may be very milky. If you prefer it a bit stronger, ask for a galão escuro.

um garoto: um garoto is a little boy in Portuguese. This means a little coffee, usually made from the second run, filled up with milk, served in an espresso cup. It is a miniature version of a weak galao and is usually ordered for children.

um café descafeinado: decaffeinated coffee, usually granular dissolved in water and not from the espresso machine.

So, the choice is entirely up to you! My favourite cup is a meia de leite escuro, whereas my husband prefers the galão with a Constantino (type of brandy) stirred in. Ans what is your favourite???