From cataplana to sea salt, and from serra honey to porco preto. Join us on a foodie tour through the south of Portugal.
Expat Jeroen van den Bos shares his homemade Algarvian orange liquor recipe. Jeroen: “Nothing could be more true than what Alain Ducasse, a multiple Michelin-starred chef from France once said: “The only star in the kitchen is the ingredient; fresh and local.” So, put on your walking boots, go explore the Algarve, and pick a few […]
In China fried scorpions on a stick are considered a snack, Germany has its Currywurst, in Canada they tuck into poutine and almost every single country in the world has the Golden Arches or some other outlet offering burgers. But what’s typically Portuguese street food? Where do all those sweet pastries come from? And why […]
Discover fascinating facts about Portugal’s azeitonas See the original article in Enjoy the Algarve – magazine September 2017 Fruit of the Olea europaea Olives, azeitonas in Portuguese, are fruit of the olive tree, the Olea europaea. This is the oldest cultivated tree in the world; many are over a thousand years old. How many olives […]
Want to taste something different? You’re in the right place in the south of Portugal. The Algarve offers anything from dried & salted cod to octopus cataplana and snails. Looking for flavours that are even more extreme? Try these three. See the original article in Enjoy the Algarve – magazine September 2017 Hot, hotter, piri […]
Food is important in Portugal. Algarvians don’t only care about preparing and eating the dish, they also take the time to select good ingredients and enjoy their dinner conversation. Fed up with hastily put together meals eaten behind the computer, Enjoy the Algarve learns how to cook cataplana near Tavira. See the original article in Enjoy […]
There’s more to the Portuguese cuisine than chicken piri piri, bifana and grilled sardines. Way more. Next time you’re wondering what to have for dinner, go to a local restaurant and try one of these nine typically Portuguese dishes. (Spoiler: there’ll be loads of pork and seafood included in the comidas below). See the original article in Enjoy the Algarve […]
Looking for a typical Portuguese present for friends or family abroad? You could of course go to the nearest China-shop and spend €1.75 on a Portuguese flag or a plastic fridge magnet showing the rooster of Barcelos. You could also purchase a souvenir that’s actually made in Portugal. Don’t know what to get? Food is […]
Discover fascinating facts about Portugal’s dried and salted cod See the original article in Enjoy the Algarve – magazine May 2017 Picture by Shatabisha Not from Portugal One of the most famous Portuguese dishes isn’t actually from Portugal. Cod is caught near Norway, Iceland and Newfoundland. The Portuguese first discovered it off the Newfoundland coast, […]
Discover fascinating facts about Portugal’s traditional sweet cherry liquor. See the original article in Enjoy the Algarve – magazine April 2017 Picture by Rosino Morello cherries, alcohol & loads of sugar Those are basically the three things you need for ginja. Infuse the sour ginja berries (fruits of the Prunus cerasus austere) in aguardente, add plenty of […]
Dishes like grilled sardines and pork sausages are very popular in the Algarve. But an increasing number of people prefer to let the animals live and eat something else instead. And yes, there’s more to being vegetarian or vegan than nibbling on a carrot stick. Enjoy the Algarve talks to Melanie Pascual, owner of vegan […]
Going back is the way forward, at least when it comes to farming. Ditch the pesticides and the heavy machinery and work in harmony with nature like they did centuries ago. Organic agriculture is popular again, also in Portugal, where more and more people make a change from supermarket-bought to home-grown. Enjoy the Algarve investigates […]
Discover fascinating facts about Portugal’s best known fish See the original article in Enjoy the Algarve – magazine January 2017 Picture by Liselot Sijm Where have all the fish gone? In the 1980s and ‘90s, it wasn’t uncommon for Portuguese fishing boats to haul in 200,000 tons of sardines a year. In 2005, the catch had […]
One thing is certain: it’s more than just port and vinho verde. But although most of us drink a glass (or two) with our dinner and know which local restaurants offer the nicest vinho de mesa with their prato do dia, how much do we really know about this country’s fermented grape juice? From the […]
Discover fascinating facts about Portugal’s best known mildly fizzy wine See the original article in Enjoy the Algarve – magazine December 2016 Picture by Feliciano Guimarães It isn’t green Although ‘vinho verde’ literally translates as ‘green wine’, ‘young wine’ would be a more accurate translation – it’s meant to be drunk soon after bottling (ideally within a […]
The Algarve’s most famous firewater is, of course, Medronho. But for those who’d rather have something with a bit less kick, there are many other types of locally made liquors. Enjoy the Algarve is more than happy to try them all. This month, we try making carob liquor in Lugar da Renda, near Loulé. See […]
Want to know a bit more about the wine you’re drinking? Visit a winery and see how it’s made. We’ve selected four award-winning vineyards in the Algarve that all offer guided tours & wine tastings. Enjoy! See the original article in Enjoy the Algarve – magazine December 2016 Quinta dos Vales With 15 different grape […]
Don’t fancy wine by itself? Want to spice it up a bit? Try something new and use vinho in a cocktail. Yes, there’s sangria of course, but there’s so much more you can make with wine. Next time you’re thirsty, try one of these five. See the original article in Enjoy the Algarve – magazine […]
Name the most important ingredient of wine. Ten to one your answer is grapes. Not always though. Japan and Korea produce plum wine, in Guadeloupe they have banana wine, and in the Odelouca valley near Silves, Nick and Stella Downs make wine out of oranges. Why? “It’s very difficult to find anything that’s as good […]
Need food? You could of course go to a restaurant or shop. But in the Algarve, it’s also possible to go back to basic and do it yourself. Five tips to take care of your own dinner. (A plus: it might teach your kids that fish doesn’t grow in fish-stick shapes in the freezer section […]
Some people are happy with any coffee-like beverage as long as it’s hot and wakes them up; others strive for perfection. Founder of Academia do Café Sandra Azevedo belongs to the latter category. Passionate about beans & brewing, she doesn’t rest until great coffee is available everywhere in Portugal. Because this isn’t yet the case, she […]
Coffee improves your energy levels, is full of anti-oxidants and even contains some nutrients. Enough reasons to use it in your cooking. Now everyone knows you can use coffee to make tiramisu, add it to cakes or just serve with a shot of liquor and some cream. Boring! Next time you’re in the kitchen, try […]
From seeds that were smuggled into Brazil to statues of frequent café visitors in Lisbon, Enjoy the Algarve explores the world of Portuguese coffee. Next time you’re drinking a bica in your local restaurant (or having a capsule-brew from your machine at home) read this instead of the newspaper. See the original article in Enjoy the Algarve – magazine […]
The honey you buy in supermarkets is mostly mass-manufactured, processed and pasteurised. Shame, as this way all the good qualities disappear. In the Algarve, some beekeepers still produce honey the artisanal way. Enjoy the Algarve visits beekeeper and small-scale honey producer José Chumbinho to find out more about the syrupy liquid that’s also called ‘nectar […]
Discover fascinating facts about Portugal’s traditional fruit brandy See the original article in Enjoy the Algarve – magazine September 2016 Strawberry tree Aguardente de medronhos, aka Medronho, is made from the fruit of the medronho tree, the Arbutus Unedo. Although this translates as ‘strawberry tree’, the fruits aren’t strawberries, but look more like small lychees. The […]
