My first New Years in Portugal was spent in Lisbon, gazing out across the city to the Tejo river, where the yearly fireworks would flare up and burst in a spectacular display of color. Underneath the technicolor display, a cacophony of banging pots and pans alongside honking car horns rang in o Ano Novo. It was a gorgeous night […]
Traditions of a Portuguese New Year: It all comes down to your underwear Read More »
Walk into any mercado in Portugal and there will be stalls stuffed with large heads of cabbage, bunches of turnip tops, spinach and the young leaves of rapini. Go out to the Portuguese countryside and you’ll see patches of tall couve portuguesa hovering in the middle of gardens and a strip or two of grelos
Portugal: A vegetarian’s oasis! Read More »
Prior to my migration from America to Portugal in 2011, I had often heard of the love affair that the Portuguese have with their eggs, especially when used in their sugar laden sweets. I didn’t really understand that eggs were also loved as additions to savory dishes until I got here and was pleasantly surprised
Eggs: Sweet and Savory Portuguese Recipes Read More »
The sound of chestnuts (castanhas) crashing down through branches is one that I always associate with autumn in Minho. Throughout the baking summer, we watched the thick green prickly clusters growing on large majestic trees scattered about the surrounding hill slopes wondering if they would ever ripen. By the middle of October, the clusters turned
Chestnut Season in Portugal Read More »
The night before I traveled down to New Jersey to unite with my mother, aunt, cousin and niece to make “chouriço” (Portuguese smoked sausage), “O Lenço da Carolina” by Fado singer Cristina Branco came on via Portuguese satellite TV. Though it’s a song about a person in love, all I could think about (as tears
Ultimate Guide to Portuguese Chouriço Read More »
Portuguese expats in the U.S. like to joke that if there’s a waft of sizzling sardines in the air then a fellow immigrant can’t be too far. They’re usually right. Growing up in New Jersey, expats’ grills were hardly ever graced by the usual American fare of hot dogs, hamburgers, porter house steaks, ribs, lobster
Grilling Season: How Portuguese Expats Fire it Up and What They Pour to Cool Down Read More »
In the American restaurant scene, the Spanish small plates, “Tapas, ” are no conundrum. But say the word “Pintxos” (generally bread topped with a fish or meat mixture, especially popular in the Basque region of Spain) and you’ll lose a few people. Say the Portuguese word “Petiscos” and you’ll get a whole lot of blank
Petiscos: The Portuguese Cousin of Spanish Tapas Read More »
I’m pretty certain my father-in-law buys an extra dozen clams just for me each time he whips up his special recipe for the family. It’s not uncommon to catch him staring over at me as I devour mounds of the shellfish and sop up the garlicky sauce with Portuguese rolls. “Soninha, ” he says, teasingly.
Vinho Verde Wine Selection Reverts to Regional Portuguese Recipe Read More »
It’s summertime in Portugal and as the tourists flood Lisbon, the Portuguese retreat to their local restaurants and bars to enjoy the gastronomic tradition of the season: snails! Yes, that’s right, Caracóis are to the Portuguese as hot wings are to Americans. Though savvy to the tradition of eating snails in France, most Americans remain perplexed
Suck it Up and do What the Portuguese do, Eat Caracois! Read More »
