After following the trip to Asia of Gonçalo Loureiro and João Delicado, of ‘Nas Bocas do Mundo’ blog, we talked to the Gonçalo to know more about the trip, the food and their preference for Ideal & Co: How did you came with the idea of going to Asia? This trip to Asia came after a proposal I made to the Macau Tourism, through my website “Nas Bocas do Mundo”, to explore the existing culinary links between Portugal and Macau. This was only the 1st trip outside Portugal and the aim will always be to taste and show what is literally in the mouths of the world, through interesting stories. What moments do you treasure the most? I think almost all of them. It was a surprise finding that Macau is still trying to preserve the culture and Portuguese heritage in the territory. They maintain the Portuguese cobbled sidewalks, for example. Which is very ironic, at a time when Lisbon begins to start removing Portuguese cobbled sidewalks to make way for cement. Then we were surprised with the food, of course. A mixture of Chinese with Portuguese food which origins dishes like ‘O Tacho', a kind of Portuguese stew in Macau fashion, with a sweet Chinese sausage. In Thailand, we were delighted with the cultural diversity and the opportunity to eat fantastic food in the streets for €1. It is a true capital of street food. What food means to you? Food is something that accompanies us from the beginning to the end of life. It is impossible to get around it and that’s a good thing. I often say that I do not live to eat, but if I can eat well while I'm are alive, even better. Through ’Nas Bocas do Mundo’ I try to show that a meal is not just a plate of food. It is also the story of a country, the story of someone, the culture of a people or simply the reason to join us at the table and spend a good time with someone. Without wishing to be a candidate for Miss Universe, I think the food can be delicious tool to promote unity among peoples. Pleas tell us more about ‘Nas Bocas do Mundo’? The blog started three years ago. I was food critic under a pseudonymous for a mass circulation magazine, but it was a kind of work that did not satisfy me fully. I wanted more. I also wanted to tell stories, find recipes, places and people. I wanted, above all, document and preserve some traditions which could die at any moment. That was the moment when I went through with this adventure. And has been a very rewarding experience. What did you liked the most of Valverde backpack during the trip? During the trip I carried a Valverde backpack. And I walked with it everywhere: street, beach, airplanes, big and small boats, it resisted everything. it’s still impeccable. I confess that when I acquired it a few days before leaving, I had some fear of putting it to the test, because it did not want to spoil it. But it is quite sturdy, comfortable and behaved really well. It is quite spacious, the finishes are excellent and have that handmade touch that you can’t find in any backpack. What do you like in Ideal & Co products? The fact that they are handmade and come signed by the craftsman himself. We give more value to things, because we know that there was someone who spent hours doing it, leaving no detail to chance. It is a very personal seal of approval. It's almost as if we took a work of art on the back. On the other hand, we know that they are being used resources and techiniques that must be preserved - something I give a lot of value also in food with ’Nas Bocas do Mundo’.