Portugal Travel

Due to its volcanic nature, Azorean cuisine is rich and varied, with plenty of fish dishes, seafood, meat and cheese.

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The famous verdelho wines of the islands of Pico and Graciosa (once the table wines of the Czars of Russia) and locally-grown pineapples form a characteristic base for much of the regional cooking.
Azores specialities include a spicy beef casserole called Alcatra à moda da Terceira and a tasty serving of sausage with yams known as linguiça com inhames.
Not to be missed is the unique cozido nas caldeiras das furnas, a traditional meal of meat and vegetables cooked in the hot springs of Furnas, a spa town on the east side of São Miguel Island. The food is slowly cooked by steam ejected from the sulphurous springs after the pots are lowered into the ground.
Famous for their dairy products, the islands offer a wide variety of cheeses to satisfy all tastes. Most notable is queijo da ilha, much appreciated on the mainland and considered the best of its kind in the region. Cured at a constant temperature for many months, the cheese is characteristic for its strong aroma and sharp flavour.

Madeira's cuisine is typically Mediterranean, with plenty of fish, olive oil and garlic.
The seas surrounding Madeira are extremely productive and full of marine life. Espada, or scabbard fish, is the island's most traditional dish. Despite its terrifying appearance, this long, sharp-teethed, wide-eyed fish provides a tasty meal of white, flaky flesh, often served with sliced banana or a delicious wine and vinegar marinade.

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Locally-caught atum (tuna) is usually grilled as a meaty steak served with slices of lemon. Other popular fish dishes on the island include grouper (garopa), red mullet (salmonete) and swordfish (espadarte).
The island's most famous meat dish is espetada, comprising several cubes of meat (normally beef), onions, tomatoes and peppers cooked over an open wood fire.
Another mainstay of the region's gastronomy is fried cornmeal (milho frito), often served as an accompaniment to main dishes.
The Madeirans grow a wonderful range of tropical fruits, most of which are displayed in Funchal's daily market. Visitors can buy locally-grown avocados, kiwi fruits, mangoes, papayas and figs, as well as custard apples, guavas, passion fruit, pittanga, loquat and tomarillo.

Fish and shellfish are the Algarve's staple foods, most notably the locally-caught tuna steaks grilled on the many beachside barbecues.

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Stuffed squid (lulas recheadas) is also a delicacy in this part of Portugal, prepared with cured meats and rice before being cooked in a tasty onion and tomato sauce.
Sardinhas assadas, grilled sardines, are a Portuguese tradition providing a feast in the summer when they are at their most succulent.
A cold summer soup known as gaspacho is based on tomato with garlic, cucumber, sweet peppers and olive oil.
A feature of Mediterranean cooking prevalent along the Algarve is the cataplana, a fish dish steamed in its own juices in a tightly sealed wok.
The vast plains of the Alentejo are home to açorda, an unusual bread-based soup with meat or fish. Pork with clams is another speciality of this region, while smoked pork dipped in dried pimento provides the basis of many recipes.
Sweetmeats in the south reflect the rich harvest of figs from the Algarve, plus 300 days of warm sunshine ensure plenty of fresh fruit for dessert.
Other treats include Alentejan sweets made with Portalegre marzipan and Évora cheese cakes.