I had the pleasure of making this Upside Down Carrot Cake alongside my friend Manny Largo. We were filming on the island of Faial, in the Azores, on a beautiful farm-to-table property that reminded me why I fell in love with the food of my islands all over again. Fresh carrots, a rich caramel sauce, […]
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Amêijoas da Caldeira de Santo Cristo is one of the most special recipes I have ever had the privilege of sharing. I was invited to São Jorge island during Season Two of Maria’s Portuguese Table, where Nelson and Kathy Ponta-Graca graciously prepared these legendary clams for me right at the source. These Amêijoas da Caldeira
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If there’s one dish that instantly takes me back to the shores of the Azores, it’s Grilled Lapas. These little limpets cling to the volcanic rocks along the coastline and are as much a part of Azorean life as the ocean itself. I had the most incredible experience sharing lapas with Kathy and Nelson on
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Espécies are one of those recipes that instantly bring me back to the Azores — the warm scent of cinnamon and anise filling the kitchen, the careful rolling of dough, and the anticipation of pulling those golden wreaths out of the oven. These traditional Azorean spiced pastries are a Christmas season staple across the islands,
Holy Ghost Soup — or Sopa do Espírito Santo — is one of the most sacred and beloved recipes in all of Azorean tradition. This is the soup that brings everyone to the table, literally. Growing up, the Holy Ghost Feast was one of the most anticipated times of year in our community, and this
Dona Amelias are one of my favorite things to bring home from Terceira. Every time I visit the island, I make sure to stop and pick up a box — they never last long! These little corn cakes are deeply tied to Azorean history, and making them in my own kitchen always takes me back
Alcatra da Terra Chá is one of the dishes that makes me most proud of where I come from. This is Terceira’s gift to the world — a slow-cooked beef stew layered with smoky pork belly, allspice, bay leaves, and white wine, all cooked low and slow in a clay pot until the meat is
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Bolo do Caco is one of those breads that stops you in your tracks the first time you taste it. I first encountered it while filming Season Two of Maria’s Portuguese Table on the island of Madeira, and I have been thinking about it ever since. This traditional Madeiran flatbread is soft, slightly dense from
Bacalhau à Brás is one of those dishes that tells you everything about Portuguese home cooking — simple ingredients, nothing wasted, and more flavor than you would ever expect. I first shared this recipe on Season Two of Maria’s Portuguese Table, and it has been a reader favorite ever since. Salt cod, crispy potatoes, slowly
Every summer, the smell of Carne Espeto grilling over open coals is the first sign that the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament has arrived in New Bedford, Massachusetts. This recipe — marinated beef threaded onto skewers and grilled to perfection — is one of my favorites to share because it connects us to our Azorean
