Join Maria as she journey’s to Boston, Massachusetts and the surrounding community to explore culinary and cultural connections! She meets the Portuguese family that built much of Boston’s skyline, and cooks canja with the Boston Pop’s Director of Artistic Planning.
Boston has a long and rich history with the Portuguese community. The first Portuguese immigrants arrived in Boston in the late 19th century and early 20th century, seeking economic opportunities and a new life in America. Many settled in the area of Cambridge known as “Little Portugal” and worked in industries such as fishing and construction. In the mid-20th century, a new wave of Portuguese immigrants arrived, many from the Azores, seeking opportunities in the growing textile industry. Today, Boston is home to a large and vibrant Portuguese community, with many Portuguese-American cultural organizations, festivals, and events. The community has made significant contributions to the city’s culture, economy, and social fabric.
Maria visits the construction site of a skyscraper in Boston built by two brothers who immigrated from the Azores, Tony and Joseph Frias. She learns that the Frias family has played a major part in altering the skyline of this amazing American city, and Maria gets an exclusive tour of one of their tallest construction sites from grandson Tony Frias III. It’s inspiring to see how the passion and hard work of Portuguese immigrants without the benefits of higher education carved a place for themselves and their family in a new country.
Maria also meets with Dennis Alves, the Director of Artistic Planning for the Boston Pops Orchestra and a proud Portuguese-American. She tours the world famous Symphony hall and learns about the history of this world-famous orchestra. At the end of the day they meet back in Dennis’ kitchen where they make canja, a traditional chicken soup that’s also creamy. The episode ends at the dining room table where Maria and Dennis sit down and discuss what their Portuguese heritage means to them.
Married to Portuguese Podcast
Listen Maria and her husband Bob talk about the making of Season 2 Episode 2 on YouTube.
