Portugal: Ericeira

It was only a matter of time, but we finally got a chance to explore the beautiful parish of Ericeira on the Portuguese coast. In this video, we are also featuring a full sourdough bake, followed by a stunning hike along the cliffs north of Ericeira. Oh, and yes, there is a wine tasting. We had so much fun making this video and I just wanted to take some time to reflect on it a bit with you. I hope it is somehow helpful for those of you considering a visit. We struggled a little with this one, in all honesty, as there is so much to do in Ericeira and its surrounding areas.

It’s so nice there, in fact, that I spent a fair amount of time trying to convince Michelle that we should probably relocate there and live happily ever after. Ha! We are nomadic at heart though, so I tend to do that sometimes. The friendly people, ocean vibes and food & drink options are seriously next-level. We also like to be outside and this place is an absolute playground for people with that sort of mindset. We brought our Volkswagen California camper van on this outing, so we were able to camp at the stunning Quinta Da Almiara vineyard and also a beachside campground in Ericeira. We definitely see ourselves going back and repeating both of those experiences. Such gracious hosts and they were truly memorable for us.

For those considering a visit to Ericeira, we would recommend staying for multiple nights like we did. Not only is the ancient village charming, and full of things to do, but time can quickly slip away if you also like hiking, biking, surfing or just beach leisure in general. There are also some wonderful wine producers in the area as you can see, so you can schedule a tasting in the rolling countryside and still be back at the water that day for an unbelievable sunset. So, just be sure to give yourself lots of runway to not rush the process. It has become our way of life and I’d be remiss if I didn’t point that out for your consideration. We’ve also highlighted a few of the local establishments that made a big impression on us during our visit, but please know that there were many more over the course of our time here. Too many to squeeze into this video anyway. I have so much B roll that didn’t make the cut. And while I’m on the subject of Ericeira amazingness, if there is a special place that you would recommend, please feel free to share it in the comments section so others (including ourselves) might be able to benefit from your wisdom.

Bake

For the baking piece in this video, we decided to go longer-form and provide a glimpse into all of the effort Michelle puts into her fabulous bread-baking. In other words, I wanted to show what a badass she is. This break from her career in healthcare has seriously given her the time required to intensify her learning and it’s truly great to see just how happy she is in the Surf Bubbles sourdough lab. These two loaves that she baked did not disappoint, something you can see (and actually hear!) in the video. Just crispy and soft, in all of the right places. Too bad you can’t taste them on YouTube my friends. I asked her if I could film her maintaining one of her backup starters this time around too (this one is named Sabrina), which is what she is doing before the mix and bake chapters. She’s continually trying to up her game each day, so our beloved sourdough lab is always breathing and pumping. As a result, we have to do our best to deliver as many fresh-baked goodies as possible to our surrounding neighbors sometimes. There’s no way that I can eat them all and I’m (of course) happy to share the wealth.

Hike

In terms of our hike on this go-around, the choice was crystal clear. We simply had to wander through the paths above that beautiful blue Atlantic Ocean and (of course) take you along with us. We felt as if we were missing out by not getting into the water that day. But hey, there were other important tasks at hand as we wandered. The sun and surf were intoxicating and downright therapeutic for us and we feel so grateful for the ability to make memories like this to reflect back on someday. Contrary to what the media may focus on, it’s a beautiful and peaceful world and we plan to explore it for the rest of our days. Alongside Michelle’s bread and some creamy chèvre, there was something else to be grateful for…a bottle of exquisite Portuguese vinho. I know, I know, surprise, surprise. This time, it was a bottle from an up and coming producer (called Birtudes). To us, João has crafted an exquisite Maria Gomes release here. Maria Gomes has quickly grown to be one of our favorites over the last few years and this example was extraordinary. Also known as Fernão Peres outside of the Bairrada DOC region, it is the most widely planted white grape in Portugal. This aromatic beauty was a complete bull’s eye for our ocean zen that day. Fresh exotic fruit, zesty citrus notes and crisp minerality kept us squarely in the bliss zone. Just look at Michelle breathe it all in!

Anyway, that’s it for now. If you find our quirky videos even mildly entertaining, we’d simply love it if you would be kind as to like and subscribe for more content. We have a number of fresh episodes in various stages of production and plan to release one each month.

🫧 Please note that none of the products or establishments featured in this video are official sponsors, we are just celebrating their amazing work.

🫧 As always, don’t forget to pack out what you’ve packed in and leave absolutely zero trace.

🫧 And lastly, please also be careful to consume alcohol moderately and responsibly.

While you move forward in your day, never forget that the 🌊🫧 love you! They will always show you the way.

BAKING NOTES

Ingredients:

• 700gm flour (80% strong/bread flour, 20% spelt flour)

• 469gm water (67% hydration)

• 14gm salt (2%)

• 70gm sourdough starter* (10%)

*Stiff sourdough starter fed at 1:5:2.5 using 80% strong/bread flour and 20% whole wheat flour

Instructions:

• Mix all ingredients

• Fold after 1 hour, then every 30 minutes for a total of 4 folds (2 stretch and fold + 2 coil folds); re-cover dough after each fold

• Bulk ferment (BF) covered at room temperature for ~8 hours or until almost double in size

• When BF is complete, divide into 2 small loaves

• Pre-shape dough then let sit for 15 minutes covered

• Prepare banneton(s) with a generous coating of flour

• After 15 minutes, shape dough and place in banneton, cover and place in refrigerator overnight

• Next day: Place dutch oven(s) with lid on inside oven and pre-heat oven at 232 degrees C (450 degrees F) for 30 minutes

• Once oven is done with preheat, take banneton(s) out of fridge, remove cover and invert/release onto parchment paper

• Place each loaf with the parchment paper in the dutch oven.

• Bake in dutch oven with lid on for 6 minutes, then remove from oven and score each loaf

• Place dutch oven(s) with lid back into the oven and bake for another 29 minutes (total bake time with lid on = 35 minutes)

• Remove lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until you reach your desired crust color

• Remove bread from oven and let rest on cutting board or baking rack for 1 -2 hours ideally before slicing (at least 30 minutes if you are tempted to slice sooner)

Important Notes/Options:

• You can omit the coil folds and do all stretch and folds.

• You do not need to divide into 2 small loaves. You can bake as 1 large loaf and omit the pre-shape step in this case.

• You do not need to use a banneton, you could line a regular bowl (or whatever you have available) with a dish towel dusted with flour or parchment paper. You will still need to cover before placing in the refrigerator overnight.

• You can omit the 6 minute score and score the dough immediately before going in the oven. I chose a 6-minute score for this dough because I find the initial score to be a bit more difficult when using spelt flour. The 6 minute score helps the crust develop a little more so that scoring is easier. If you choose to score immediately prior to placing in oven, then just bake for the full 35 minutes with lid on and 10 minutes with lid off.

Happy baking! 🤗

❤️, 🌊🫧