Chouriça doce de Vinhais

This sweet, smoked chorizo sausage is a specialty of the Vinhais region in northeastern Portugal, and it is made from lean meat and fat taken from the Bísaro breed of pig or its cross-breeds. The chopped meat is mixed with pig's blood, local wheat bread, honey, walnuts, almonds, and olive oil. After it has been seasoned and flavored, the mixture is stuffed into thin sausage casings and slowly smoked until it develops a dark color and an intense, smoky flavor. The sausage must be fried to be fit for consumption, and it is usually served with fresh bread, local cheese, and a glass of full-bodied red wine on the side.