“I’m going to cheat here and make the rooster boil, otherwise this will be too late.” It’s a few minutes after eight in the evening and, under normal conditions, the three animals slaughtered for dinner would take two hours to cook well. “It all depends on me, this is a lot of pressure. There were supposed to be half a dozen and now suddenly there are 28…” says Luís Montenegro. There are almost three dozen diners to taste the orange soup and the social democratic leader’s cabidela. Onion, tomato, pepper, bay leaf, paprika, salt, chilli pepper, vinegar, blood, pasta, the three roosters and so many kilos of rice. It is a gala night at Quinta da Maria Meta, in Freixiosa, Viseu.
Spectators fill the kitchen in turn to watch the PSD leader return from the pans, Levi’s jeans, sneakers and matching Carolina Herrera sweater (blue with red details), then just a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. “Do you need help, Mr. President?”; “Is chicken enough, Mr. President?”; “Have you met here with (insert the name of a local militant of your choice), Mr. President?” ask the very attentive spectators.
Luís Montenegro is responding to requests as best he can, more interested in doing good shape around the stove than in small talk. “It is better to leave those who can be impressed with blood now,” he recommends, surrounded by people, glasses and cell phones in the air.
It is the third of the seven days that the Social Democratic leader has decided to spend in the Viseu district. Right to the rain and winding roads; visits to churches, hospitals, museums and small, medium and large companies; coffees, lunches, snacks and long dinners; priests, bishops and teachers, businessmen and tourism representatives; militants, leaders, deputies and mayors of the PSD; Port from Trevões, sparkling Raposeira and “Ginja do Victor”; aged, veal, beijinhos and cod; it’s a t1 with kitchenette rented in the historic center of the city. Montenegro is on the way and there was no fairground because the rain spoiled the original plans.
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Source: Observadora
