I Have Always Been Fascinated With Portugal

This fascination goes way back to my high school days when my best friend would collect postcards adorned with rich, colorful azulejo tiles and snapshots of Portugal’s stunning architecture.

Add to that my and Jerry’s deep love for sardines and bacalhau, and it seemed inevitable that Portugal would one day call to us. (We were told it was the best place in the world for both, second only to the codfish fritters I grew up eating back home in Guyana.)

When we set out on the journey of sourcing artisanal pieces for JJUIN, Portugal was right at the top of our list. I kept envisioning those postcard hues coming to life through our collection, with the blues, yellows, greens, all saturated with history and soul.

What we found during our travels across regions like Alentejo and Algarve, and cities and towns like Lisbon, Porto, and Sintra, was even more inspiring. Each place had its own distinct artisan styles, cultural traditions, culinary flavors, and color palettes.

The only downside? There wasn’t nearly enough time to experience it all. That made it essential to narrow our focus and thoughtfully select the pieces that would become part of the JJUIN Portugal Collection.

Oh, and about those bacalhau fritters... I still think it’s a tie between Portugal’s version and the ones I could smell lingering in the air as I walked home from school. Comforting, savory, and forever tied to memory.

- June