What does food say about the nation that prepares it? This is the starting point for research by Óscar Cabral, whose article in Frontiers in Political Science examines the menus of 457 state dinners presented by Portugal between 1910 and 2024. Cabral treats menus as political documents that express trends in Portugal's internal politics and diplomatic objectives over the course of a century.
The first year, 1910, is fitting because it is the year in which a revolution permanently overthrew the 800-year old monarchy. In a press release, Cabral explains that although Portugal has not had a clearly defined "culinary diplomatic strategy" since the foundation of the Portuguese republic, certain trends are clearly evident.
For example, during the nationalist Estado Novo period, state dinners offered less of the traditional French cuisine offered to foreign diplomats and instead emphasized authentic Portuguese foods. This trend culminated in a 1957 state dinner offered to Queen Elizabeth II with a menu designed by Portugal's most respected ethnographer at the time.
-via Discover magazine