Lugar do Olhar Feliz

The warm colors and sweet aromas of more than six hundred varieties of fruit and vegetables make the property of Ann Kenny and Jean-Paul Brigand the Lugar do Olhar Feliz. A true paradise on Earth for many cooks and admirers of these gifts of nature shared by the couple who, in 2001, chose Alentejo to enjoy one of life's greatest pleasures: sharing knowledge.

Hirado butan, Javanese turmeric, kumquat, kaffir lime, buddha's hand, sudachi, yuzu. These and other equally exotic words attributed to fruits and other vegetables are part of the daily lexicon of this long-known couple, also, for the friendly way they receive in this Lugar do Olhar Feliz located on the outskirts of Cercal do Alentejo, Santiago do Cacém, in the municipality of Setúbal. When, at the beginning of the 21st century, they arrived in the largest region of Portugal, they brought the dream of creating a garden cultivated in the image of many others who were part of the travel itinerary drawn by both.

After nearly two decades, the 33-hectare property brings together an impressive horticultural heritage. In addition to the famous varieties of citrus fruit - most of which come from Japan - that exceed 350, there are pomegranates for all tastes, or the varieties of this fruit wouldn’t exceed 120. Add over fifty varieties of blackberries, and about four dozen species of persimmons, figs - from fig trees in Syria, Afghanistan or Jordan -, plum trees, as well as Asian vegetables, among others, to make the calculations, make a total of more than 600 varieties of horticultural products. A portent for young farmers who appreciate this mix of experiences in a land where the conditions for acclimating fruit trees and vegetables prevail, to know that Jean-Paul Brigand and Ann Kenny are so fond of sharing. "The most important thing for us is not to produce, but to acclimatize the plants and find young farmers to plant them," says Ann Kenny. The same happiness is shared with chefs from and with restaurants in Portugal - adding to other countries, like Spain, France or the United Kingdom - who, every day, look for different and differentiating raw material, and harvested with the greatest delicacy as the one that denotes each gesture of the hosts of this house or it was not common to see citrus fruits protected against insects and birds, and Jean-Paul Brigand to show, without formalities, the interior of the fruit of his work. So, it’s best to go, to hear the whole story and discover, with your own eyes, the happiness of this place.