Ken Bennett explains why he thinks the Portuguese are unsung culinary heroes

I WONDER if Delia Smith and Nigella Lawson, the darlings of every aspiring home cook, have even heard of a recipe called, rather mysteriously, Heaven's Bacon?

Or, then again, maybe Nun's Belly and, even saucier, Angel's Pouch.

Well, they would have to go back a thousand years to discover the original ingredients of these delicate offerings, which, even today, are still top treats in Portugal.

Because the devout nuns prayed for more than just their daily bread in the convents that dotted the country's little-known central region: they were conjuring up their own mouth-watering cakes and pastries. Not your average, heavyweight apple crumble and rhubarb pies. But light, airy, palate-fizzing surprises, with - as you can see - even more surprising names.

I am in Beiras, the country's central region, and the complete opposite to the well-worn tourist trail to the fashionable Algarve sunspots.

From Porto Airport, it is a two-hour drive to the historic university town of Aveiro, which squats contentedly at the mouth of the River Vouga on a marshy lagoon called The Ria, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean for 30 miles.

To get a heron's eye view of the town and its canals, I boarded a barcos moliceros, a distinctive, brightly coloured boat with steeply curved prow and stern. Good value at around £4.50 an hour. Better still though, you can borrow - at absolutely no charge - one of the 200 bicycles, left at strategic tourist places around the town.

I trundled along pavements and narrow, cobbled alleyways, stumbling across the town's vibrant fish market and stopping off at the elegant Mercado do Peixe restaurant where dinner cost a very reasonable £5 a head including wine.

It gave me time to contemplate that when the Duke of Wellington drove Napoleon's French Army out of Portugal in 1810, he earned their everlasting gratitude.

We are still reaping the benefits of the Iron Duke's Peninsula War campaign today as their oldest allies and are warmly welcomed as many England fans discovered during last year's European championships. And now, with some justification, tourist chiefs are confident of a bumper year in 2005.

Away from the open-handed hospitality, I was impressed with the modest prices allowing you access to some of their colourful history. For just £1.40, it's well worth a visit to the town's museum in a 15th Century former convent.

Here lies the coffin of Aveiro's patron saint, Joana, a Portuguese princess who took the veil as an alternative to marrying England's Richard III.

The coffin has a window, and every six years, during a procession through the town, the curtain on this window is drawn to reveal her hand, perfectly preserved 500 years after her death.

The museum has some exquisite filigree work in baroque-style, and a collection of unintentionally comic paintings where 18th Century artists created biblical scenes in contemporary costumes.

Aveiro and the nearby village of Ovar are famous for their azulejos - decorative ceramic tiles - which appear on many of the buildings. A 40-minute drive away is the Vista Alegre porcelain factory, founded in '824 by Jose Ferreira Pinto Basto and now run by his great, great, great, great grandson.

The city of Coimbra (pronounced Kweembra), where England played in Euro 2004, houses Portugal's oldest university and became the country's original capital.

But I am drawn back to the dining table and the country's other great tradition: fine - if little known - cooking.

To me, the Portuguese are the unsung heroes of the culinary world.

What other country could create 365 recipes - one for each day of the year - for their favourite dish, bacalhau, sun-dried and salted codfish?

They've also designed their own ranchos (meat stews), caldereidas (fish stews) and feijoadas (bean stews).

And I bet you didn't know Britain's favourite curry-house scorcher, the vindaloo, comes from the Portuguese for wine (vinho) and garlic (alho).

But hush. Hmmm, I'm tucking into a smooth, egg-paste parcel called ovos moles which have become part of local folklore. And, amen, just like the other desserts, it tastes divine!

FACT FILE

* TAP Air Portugal flies from London Heathrow to Porto from £83 return. For reservations call 0845 6010932 or visit www.tap-airportugal.co.uk

* Hotel Las Americas, Aveiro, costs around £45 a room, tel 00351 234 384640 or email info@hotelasmericas.com.

* Quinta das Lagrimas Hotel, Coimbra, costs from £80 a room per night, 00351-239-802380 or click on www.quintadaslagrimas.pt

* Bussaco Palace Hotel, Bussaco, starts at £140 a room per night, 00351-231-937970 or email bussaco@almeidahotels.com

* For further information, call the Portuguese Tourism Office ring 0845-3551212 (local rates) or email icep.london@icep.pt