Angela and Maria are back! Join these two friends as they discuss bringing back their podcast after the worst of the pandemic over, and how life has gotten a little better.

Let's Reset The Table

In this very first podcast for Our Portuguese Table, Maria and Angela talk about what they hope to acheive with the podcast, what they'll talk about (and laugh about!), and different chefs and other guests they will speak with. Find more information about both Maria and Angela at www.ourportuguesetable.com, and more information about Maria's cookbooks at www.azoreangreenbean.com.

Meet Maria And Angela, Our Portuguese Table Episode 1

In this podcast we talk about some of the Portuguese Easter traditions and traditional foods. As Portugal is a very Catholic country, Easter is an important celebration for all Portuguese and the Portuguese-American community. 

Here are links to some of the recipes we talked about during the podcast:  

Portuguese Sweet Bread: http://azoreangreenbean.com/2015/12/portuguese-sweetbread/

Angela's favorite Nespresso flavor: https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/capsules/original/ciocattino

Folar Algarvio: http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/21097/gin-fizz.html

Rosas do Egipto: http://pratacasas.blogspot.com/2014/03/rosas-do-egipto.html




Our Portuguese Table - Our Easter Traditions And Recipes

Ana Ortins is a fellow Portuguese-American who got her love of food and cooking from her paternal grandmother.  Listen to learn about her family's history and how that influenced her cooking, her love of food, love of tradition, and a few other fun tid bits. Do you know why your mother or grandmother used to iron every piece of laundry?? Here's a hint, it wasn't just an old school habit for the sake of doing it.  For more information on Ana Ortins and her cookbooks, visit her website http://www.portuguesecooking.com/

Portuguese Cooking With Ana Ortins

June is a month of many celebrations, including Father's Day and Dia de Portugal! In this episode Maria and Angela talk about how Dia de Portugal is celebrated in different communities, including San Jose and New Bedford where they live. 

And for Father's Day, both hosts share special memories and moments about their dads and talk about the influence their dad's had on their lives. 

The conversation also covers the importance of speaking Portuguese and other languages. 

Dia de Portugal Festival in San Jose, http://www.diadeportugalca.org/ or find info on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DiaDePortugalFestivalSanJoseCA/

New Bedford Day of Portugal: http://www.nb-dayofportugal.com/, also on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Day-of-Portugal-of-New-Bedford-162452327120566/

Day of Portugal Fall River, https://www.facebook.com/diadeportugalfallriver/

Day of Portugal Newark, NJ, 

Rhode Island Day of Portugal, http://www.dayofportugal.org/index.html

Portuguese-American Wineries!

Morey Cellars, http://www.moreycellars.com/
Leal Vineyards, http://www.lealvineyards.com/
Coelho Winery, http://coelhowinery.com/
Mais Fica, http://www.maisficawinery.com/
Lusu Cellars, http://www.lusucellars.com/
St. Jorge Winery, http://www.stjorgewinery.com/
Carvalho Family Winery, http://www.carvalhofamilywinery.com/

Recipe for ALCATRA – PORTUGUESE POT ROAST IN THE SLOW COOKER
http://www.farmgirlgourmet.com/2012/03/alcatra-portuguese-pot-roast-in-slow.html

Cozido a Portuguesa
https://easyportugueserecipes.com/cozido-meat-stew/

Portugalia Store
http://www.portugaliamarketplace.com/

Bacalhau Grill, order the Febras plate or the bacalhau tacos!
http://bacalhaugrill.com/

Caserta Pizzeria, order the Wimpy Skimpy!
http://casertapizza.com/

Did we miss something? Please let us know and we'll update the show notes!



Feliz Dia De Portugal! Happy Father's Day! Let's Celebrate!

Ovos com chourico, pork loin with chourico, polvo (octopus) are just a few favorite dishes the Portuguese Kids would ask their mamas to make.  Get ready to laugh for an hour straight as we chat with the very funny Portuguese Kids about everything from how they got started, their first trip to California, their recent trip to Australia, and future plans (which includes a trip to South Africa!).  We even get serious for a minute and touch upon the sensitive subject of the “P” word.

Have a listen and let us know what your favorite part of the show was!

And be sure to look up the next Portuguese Kids show on their website! http://portuguesecomedy.com/ 


The Portuguese Kids – from “Out of the Gutter” to Around the World

If you haven’t seen Margaret’s Portuguese Kitchen on Facebook, or read her blog, Décor and Dining, then you are in for a treat of some great decorating and cooking tips!  In this episode we interview Margaret Varela Pereira, blogger and foodie, about her experience immigrating to Canada from Portugal, learning to cook from her mother-in-law, and some of her favorite dishes to eat and to cook.  
And there’s a “call to action” at the end, so be sure to listen!
Enjoy our conversation with the lovely Margaret!
Margaret’s site - https://www.facebook.com/myportuguesekitchen/?fref=ts or http://www.decoranddineblog.com/ 
Margaret’s daughter’s videos – palmieres
Seafood Rice - http://www.foodfromportugal.com/recipe/seafood-rice/ 
Carne Guisada - http://www.theportugueseamericanmom.com/portuguese-beef-stew-carne-guisada/
Carne de Porco Alentejana - https://easyportugueserecipes.com/portuguese-pork-and-clams-carne-de-porco-a-alentejana/ 
Arroz Cabidela (it’s not chocolate!) - http://www.portugal.gastronomias.com/beira_litoral049.html 
History of Alheira - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alheira
Anglicized Portuguese Surnames - https://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/portam/names.html 


Our Portuguese Table

Our Portuguese Table in Margaret's Portuguese Kitchen

In this final episode of 2016 (actually recorded a few months ago), we talk with Chef Joe Rego, winner of two Food Network Shows – Chopped and Cutthroat Kitchen. How did he get started? Joe has always been an artist!  And growing up, Joe helped his mom cook (like many of us) growing up in Lisbon before coming to New Bedford. He graduated from culinary school at Johnson and Wales. And he’s worked in multiple places, from New England to Georgia & Florida. He also shared some advice for aspiring chefs out there. 

Chef Joe dishes about some of his favorite foods – ice cream and caracóis – before sharing some of his favorite New Bedford spots: Novo Mundo and The Black Whale, to name a few. Stay tuned for Joe’s newest project, Cask & Pig Kitchen & Alehouse, opening in Dartmouth, MA in early 2017. 

You’ll also discover how Chef Joe is a big supporter of his community, and loves to give back in multiple ways.  It’s always awesome to see someone who uses their success for good and giving back to the community.

Joe also LOVES being a daddy to his young daughter. =)

Follow him on Facebook to stay in the know.  And as always, take a listen and let us know what you think!

Joes’ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/chefjoerego/ 
Cask & Pig Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Cask-Pig-Kitchen-and-Alehouse-1831354573813436/ 
Joe’s Website – http://chefjoerego.com/ 
Joe Rego Discusses Cutthroat Kitchen Episode – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gg-uwbtn3k

Chef Joe Rego, Chopped and Cutthroat Kitchen Star Who Gives Back to His Community

Happy 2017! Welcome to our first podcast of the year! Before we chat about that – can you believe we’ve been doing this for almost a year?

We were excited to chat with Steve Chaves of Malasada World in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada for our first podcast of the year. Angela nicknamed Steve the Willy Wonka of Malasada World, which is located about an hour west of Toronto in Cambridge, Ontario, on the 401. Check out this article on malasadas from Eater. Yes, the one ‘s’ in the spelling of ‘malasada’ is intentional – Steve says it’s easier for English speakers to pronounce since the word comes from two words: ‘mal’ and ‘assada’. 

Before opening the shop about seven months ago – on Dia de Portugal weekend 2016, no less! – Steve worked as a classically-trained French chef all over Canada for over 25 years, spending time in Alberta & British Columbia, too. 

Steve took note of the specialty dessert and donut craze – Cronuts and gourmet cupcakes, anyone? – and thought “Why can’t we do that with malassadas?” He was also inspired by the malasadas of Hawaii, which have been popular for decades, thanks to bakeries like Leonard’s. Did you know that the Portuguese, primarily from Madeira & the Azores, brought them to the Aloha State in the 19th century, working on the sugar plantations? In Madeira, malasadas (similar to Bolas de Berlim) were enjoyed on Shrove Tuesday (Terça-Feira Gorda), the Tuesday before Lent. The tradition continues to this day – Mardi Gras is known as Malasada Day in Hawaii!

Which recipe does Steve use to make his traditional malasadas? Many! – Steve combined his Avó’s recipes as well as those of other family members and friends – to create the perfect malasada! Some of their specialty flavors include: Passion Fruit Meringue, Dulce de Leche, Chocolate Hazelnut, Apple Crumble, and the Doughnata – yes, a nata and malasada hybrid. New flavors are released every few weeks. Send us your suggestions to pass along to Steve, please! 

What’s next? Steve dreams of being the next David Rocco, traveling through the Azores and and eating and writing about food. Cheers to that! 

Check out Malasada World on Facebook and Instagram. 

We’d love your feedback! Let us know how you enjoyed this podcast.

Have you been to Malasada World???

February already?! Can you believe the first two months of 2017 have already flown by?

Maria is “so freaking excited!” about today’s episode, where we chat with Jeremiah Duarte Bills, whom you may recognize from the latest season of The Great American Baking Show, which aired over the holiday season! 

We rooted for him and we’re sure almost every Portuguese household watching did too! Since the show aired, Jeremiah has received messages from all over the world, from Brazil to the Azores. 

Jeremiah’s Portuguese roots come from his mom’s side of the family – with family from the freguesia (parish) of Pedro Miguel in Horta, Faial and São Miguel, too. Even though Jeremiah wasn’t a big food fan growing up, he comes from a baking-obsessed family — his mom made wedding cakes and Massa Sovada is a BIG DEAL in his family. He started baking in college to connect to his culinary roots. 

After an extensive application process, Jeremiah got the call to compete on the show. We’re big fans of the fact that he’s introduced the American public to Portuguese baked goods and better yet, got creative with traditional recipes.  Just take a look at his Massa Sleigh and Christmas Tree.    	

After swapping tips about massa recipes, where Jeremiah shares one of his favorite days EVER – making mass with the people of Pedro Miguel, we talk about his favorite food memories. Oh yeah, did we mention that Jeremiah is also a part-time beekeeper? Some of his favorite foods are Alcatra, torta de bacalhau, morcela and cracas (barnacles) from the Azores. And Pudim Molotof (which is made with egg whites), too! 

What’s next for this celebrity chef? A Portuguese dessert cookbook! There aren’t any around yet. Remember friends – the exact recipe doesn’t matter – what counts is that we all work together to preserve our culinary traditions. =)

Connect with Jeremiah on social media: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

And, as always, let us know what you think of today’s podcast and share it with your family & friends! 

P.S.: we’re looking for sponsorship opportunities! If you’re interested, send us a message.

Até a próxima!

Jeremiah - The Great Portuguese-American Baker!

In today’s episode of Our Portuguese Table, Maria & Angela spend some time catching up. 

Angela thinks Maria has a future in being a motivational public speaker. Not many people are so unconditionally supportive of their friends and family, and Maria's pep talks have helped Angela get through some tough moments!  

It’s important to listen to your gut, be positive and persevere! Surround yourself with positive people who encourage and inspire you. As Angela said, “Just because other people don’t see [your] vision doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue it.” 

Angela talks about her recent experience at a trade show and how it wasn’t as successful as she’d hoped. But there were many lessons learned, and she continues to work on building her businesses. On the bright side, Angela’s bilingual Portuguese-English children’s book, “Linda Menina, Pretty Girl” is now on sale on Amazon and at http://portuguesebooks.org/books/pretty-girl-linda-menina. Additional books are in the works so stay tuned! 

Maria has also been a busy lady! Thanks to a major sponsor, her cooking show on PBS in Rhode Island is set to start filming this month and will air across the U.S. and Canada! Some of the episodes will even be filmed in the Azores! 

And last, but not least, we start talking about Easter foods. Angela is thinking of making a rack of lamb with batatas ao murro (smashed potatos). Maria talks desserts like lemon-coconut cake and, of course, sweet bread!

Do you have Maria's book? Buy it here if not! http://azoreangreenbean.com/

Keep Calm, Trust Your Gut and Love a Portuguese Girl!

In this episode we chat with Floriano (Flo) Cabral, TV producer and co-founder of the International Portuguese Music Awards (IPMA) (http://ipmaawards.com/)! The IPMA show, now in its 5th year, is a Portuguese-style GRAMMY show, aiming to encourage artists of Portuguese descent to share their work. The hope is for artists to network and collaborate, which happened last year with artist Boss AC & Paulo Gonzo’s sound engineer.  

IPMA weekend is made up of 3 events – a Friday night gala; the show on Saturday night; and the after-party immediately following the show.  This year’s show is taking place on April 22, 2017 at the Zeiterion Theatre in New Bedford.  Artists like Lucenzo, of ‘Danza Kuduro’ fame, Jorge Ferreira & Roberto Leal have been honored in the past. 

Over the years, Floriano has faced criticism from members in the community but has pushed past them. Like we say, “Your success is our success!” We should encourage each other and support fellow Portuguese entrepreneurs and organizations. =) 

Ok, on to the food… some of Floriano’s favorites are chicharros fritos and polvo à lagareiro – he recently spent a weekend cooking for his wife’s family in São Miguel. Floriano is also a key committee member for the Day of Portugal celebrations in Fall River, MA. Floriano says his friends wonder if he actually works but as they say, “Love what you do, you won’t work a day in your life!” That’s advice we can all get behind! 

To learn more about the show, visit their website: ipmaawards.com or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter: @ipma_awards. The official hashtag of this year’s show is #2017IPMA.

Flo and The Portuguese Grammy Awards

In this episode of Our Portuguese Table, we chat with Robert Morey of Morey Cellars in Napa, California. Did you know there are around 6 or 7 Portuguese-American wineries in California and the West Coast in general?

Morey’s mom was born in New Bedford, MA and his father was from California. Robert was born in Lisbon and lived in Carcavelos and Estoril before moving to the US as a teenager. 

Wine, however, is in his blood – his paternal grandfather was a partner of the Mondavi’s and his family made wine in Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, in the Guarda region of northern Portugal. The memories of men making the wine and women cooking for them still remain. Robert recalls his first food memory that involved some steak & Sagres. He loves sardinhas, caldo verde and Avó’s bolinhos de bacalhau.

Morey Cellars opened a tasting room this past season and continues to expand as well as host events – a few are coming up soon! Visit their Facebook & Instagram  to learn more. Robert also dabbles in Oakland-style BBQ, which is inspired by the style from Houston, TX. We even talked about a Portuguese version of chicken & waffles – frango and farturas, per Angela’s suggestion! 

He loves to see how Portuguese food is spreading thanks to new hot spots like ADEGA in San Jose and Uma Casa in San Francisco. His advice for aspiring wine-makers: wine-making is a very agricultural industry and it’s a long-term commitment – “you need a small fortune to make a fortune,” as he says. Robert also operates a non-profit martial arts school in his free time.

As always, if you’ve enjoyed our podcast, share it with your friends & family and let us know!

Morey Cellars, one of the many Portuguese-American Wineries in California!

In this episode of Our Portuguese Table, we chat with Barbara Borges-Martin, also known as the Dairy Goddess of Lemoore, California. With roots in Terceira and Pico, Barbara is following in her family’s footsteps. Her grandparents met in Boston before heading to California to start a dairy.

Barbara’s cheese-making adventures began when she took a cheese-making course at Cal Poly. The Dairy Goddess now offers 6 types of Fromage Blanc, or French-style fresh cheese (also spreadable). Barbara was inspired by her favorite places and flavors during her career as a travel agent in Southern California in creating specialty flavors, which range from "Azores" (made with Malagueta chili pepper paste) to the "Central Coast" (made with Santa Maria seasoning & dill) to "The Valley" (made with peaches, almonds & honey). The Valley is her Oscar-winning cheese, having won 1st place in the American Cheese Society’s Fresh Cheese category.

The ladies talk about the importance of supporting local farmers and agricultural tourism (agritourism). The conversation soon turned to couves (kale or collard greens?) and how we’ve been eating them since before they were ‘cool’. Weigh in on the translation debate, please! Barbara’s favorite dish is her grandmother’s sopa de nabo or turnip soup.

Visit the Dairy Goddess! http://www.dairygoddess.com/

Meet the Portuguese Dairy Goddess!

In today’s episode of “Our Portuguese Table,” we chat with a fellow Portugal lover – Catarina Araújo of the blog, A Portuguese Affair. She started the blog about a year and a half ago to channel her love of Portugal for her friends & family in the U.S. and the U.K. 

Catarina recently visited Maria and they cooked together in Maria’s kitchen (lucky girl, right), and they also took a trip to Portugalia Marketplace in Fall River, MA.  We bonded over our love of all things Portuguese, and especially food and drink including the LARGE gin & tonic glasses in Portugal and visiting the Licor Beirão factory in Lousã last Christmas. Catarina’s favorite way to drink Beirão is with ice and an orange peel.  Did you know that the ribbons on the bottles are still tied by hand and fresh mountain water is used to produce the liqueur?

The next big trend in drinks in Portgual? Craft beers and microbreweries, which have been big here in the U.S. for a number of years. Some of Catarina’s favorite foods are canja de galinha (Portuguese-style chicken soup); a lulas (squid) stew and her avó’s mocha and Bolacha Maria cake. Question: do you put egg in your canja or not? Share in the comments, please! 

If you know of someone you think we should chat with at our Portuguese table, send us a message at http://www.ourportuguesetable.com/contact 

To check out Catarina’s blog, visit https://www.aportugueseaffair.com/ or follow along on social media! 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aportugueseaffair/
Twitter: @PortugalAffair 
Instagram: @aportugueseaffair

A Portuguese Affair - The Only Kind To Have

This episode was recorded back in September 2016, and Nuno's post as Consul General of Portugal in San Francisco has come to an end after 5 phenomenal years. We will miss him incredibly - his dedication, tireless efforts, creativity and passion to bring so much to the Portuguese community on the West Coast are unmatched and he is leaving one heck of a legacy.  We know he'll do great things in New York! Good luck Nuno! Boa Sorte!

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We welcomed our first government official on this episode of Our Portuguese Table! We chatted with Nuno Mathias, the Consul-General of Portugal in San Francisco last September. Did you know that the Consulate in San Francisco is one of a handful to have its own mobile app?! Download it here!

We chatted about some of the initiatives Nuno supports like the San Francisco Portuguese Film Festival and A Year in Port. The documentary won an award at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. Nuno has been an active supporter of the different communities here in California, from the Bay Area to San Diego, for the past 5 years.

Nuno is also a foodie who loves to enjoy fresh seafood at places like A Cevicheria (he calls it ADEGA San Jose’s sister restaurant) and Mar do Inferno in Cascais. (We’ll get him to the Azores next!) His favorite childhood dessert is bolo de bolacha (made with Maria cookies, yum)! But Nuno also loves a good burger from Roam Burgers in San Francisco.

Do you have a suggestion for the podcast? Visit the Contact section on our website and send us your feedback and suggestions! Obrigada!

Meet Nuno Mathias, Consul General in San Francisco

On today’s episode of Our Portuguese Table, we chat with Alexander Dias, Founder of Ginja9, a brand of ginjinha designed for the US market. Ginja or ginjinha is a liqueur made with ginja berries (or sour cherries – Morello cherries). It’s commonly found in Lisbon and Óbidos.  Have you tried ginjinha?​​

Alexander was born in Fall River, MA but grew up in Portugal. His dad used to joke that he was made in Portugal, born in the US and his brother was made in the US and born in Portugal. He moved back to the States after visiting his brother, a video editor in LA, a few times. While working as a banker, Alexander noticed all his friends and colleagues asking about where they could find ginjinha after coming back from having tried it in Portugal, but ginjinha was hard to find in the States.

Ginja9 officially launched in January of this year. The number 9 symbolizes peace and love, which is reflected in the G9 slogan, “Crafted by hand, made with love.”  The signature G9 cocktail is the G9 Mojito. Here's the recipe: https://youtu.be/d3P_y5PqVAU

​We also chatted about how trendy Portugal has been in the travel world over the last few years. Alexander tries to visit Portugal once a year and enjoy his favorites – bitoque (Portuguese-style steak), arroz de polvo (octopus rice), and camarão de alho (garlic shrimp). 

Wanna try Ginja9? They’ll be at San Diego’s Latin Food Fest (August 18th & 19th): https://latinfoodfest.com

They will also be at the PALCUS Gala in New York as the featured cocktail and also being used for a toast!

For more info on Ginja9:
Website – http://www.ginja9.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ginja9lovers
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/ginja9/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Ginja_Nine 
We’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions! Send us a message at feedback@ourportuguesetable.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. 

Até a próxima!

Crafted by hand, made with love

Bem-vindo 2018! We spend some time catching up on the 2017 holiday season – including ideas about how to use leftover malassadas – malassada bread pudding a.k.a “Heaven on a dish”, (thanks for the name, Angela!). Some of our other great ideas include massa French toast, bolacha Maria pie crust and massa bread crumbs to make pie crust. Makes you want to start baking to create all kinds of new recipes, doesn’t it?

Maria is working on her second cookbook, which will be a continuation of the first. The third book may be a collection of Azorean recipes – any ideas or suggestions are welcome! And who knows – more books with a rural spin – Maria wants to cook with the old ladies in the mountains.  And don’t forget – Maria’s show, Maria’s Portuguese Table is set to air later this year. Stay up to date with her show’s page: https://www.facebook.com/MariasPortugueseTable or the Azorean Green Bean page: https://www.facebook.com/AzoreanGreenBean for more info.  Angela is working on more books too – ‘Lindo Menino’ is coming plus another special announcement… We also reveal our next guest…stayed tuned!

Don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes, Soundcloud & Stitcher so more people can sit down with us at Our Portuguese Table!

Malassada Bread Pudding? Yes Please!

In today’s episode, we chat with Lucy Pepper. No, her name isn’t Portuguese, but guess what, she lives in Portugal and possibly loves Portugal more than some Portuguese people we know! Lucy first visited the Douro Valley as an art student. She tells us of the time she found the note she’d written to herself about moving to Portugal and a few years later it happened! 

She is an illustrator and artist by trade but has co-written a few books including How Not to Starve in Portugal and Eat Portugal: The Essential Guide to Portuguese Food as well as being a fellow podcaster. She is host of Pie, a podcast about (Portuguese) food (www.piepodcast.com/) and co-host of Stories of Saudade / Histórias de Portugal de Saudade e Outras Coisas, an English-Portuguese podcast with partner Marco António (www.storiesofsaudade.com/). Angela recently shared her own story of saudade with Lucy and Marco: www.storiesofsaudade.com/14-from-america-with-love. 

Angela, Maria & Lucy talk about their favorite Portuguese foods and about the Portuguese old ladies who don’t wanna share their secrets, among other things...

If you’re looking to explore the food of Lisboa, her Eat Portugal co-author Célia Pedroso hosts a food tour in Lisbon with Culinary Backstreets: culinarybackstreets.com/category/cities-category/lisbon

To learn more about Lucy and her work, connect with her at the links below.

Website: www.lucypepper.com
Twitter: twitter.com/lucypepper
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lucypepper

Stay tuned for more podcasts with Lucy – maybe even a Stories of Saudade / Our Portuguese Table fusion episode live from Lisboa! ;)

Lucy Pepper - A British Ex-Pat Who Loves Portugal More than You Do

This episodes was recorded a few months ago, and since then we've received word that Cafe Lucia has closed down.  We are so sad to hear this! it was still a great conversation and so we hope you will still enjoy hearing about what Lucia and Jason were able to accomplish.  And here's hoping that Cafe Lucia opos up somewhere else!

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We’re back on the West Coast today!

In today’s episode of Our Portuguese Table, we chat with Lucia Azevedo Fincher, owner nd Jason Santos, Director of Administration of Café Lucia in Healdsburg, California, in Wine Country. Maria had the chance to meet them and cook with Lucia and her brother, Chef  Maneul Azevedo on her recent trip to California. Stay tuned for the California episode of Maria’s Portuguese Table, coming this spring!

Lucia opened the restaurant 5 years ago along with her brother Chef Manuel (who also owns LaSalette and Tasca Tasca in Sonoma, California).  Jason started out as the Café Lucia’s Chef de Cuisine when he graduated from culinary school. Some of Café Lucia’s popular dishes include Bacalhau No Forno (inspired by Bacalhau à Brás) and Arroz de Camarão (rice with prawns) as well as regional dishes like Goan-style clams and Feijoada. For weekend brunch, try the Massa French Toast with Portuguese sweet bread or Eggs Benedict with Piri-Piri Hollandaise. Jason and Lucia have noticed more people who have traveled to Portugal coming in for the dishes they first tried on their travels. Café Lucia has hosted an annual Fado night, which has grown and sold out over the years. Check their Facebook or website for the next one.

We also chat about some of our first food memories – making flan with Boca Doce brand packets, making filhós, and cooking with morcela.

Next time you’re in Wine Country and searching for Portuguese food, visit Café Lucia (and tell them Angela & Maria sent you)!

Who should we interview next – send your suggestions to feedback@ourportuguesetable.com.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cafeluciahealdsburg  
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cafe_lucia/
Website: http://www.cafelucia.net/

Cafe Lucia - Hidden Gem in California's Wine Country

In today’s episode of Our Portuguese Table, Angela and Maria answer your questions! We chat about pantry staples—Portuguese olive oil (azeite), vinegar (wine or cider), dried and/or canned beans, and sea salt (or Kosher) & spices—are a must; and how to make the perfect arroz doce. 

We also discuss menu ideas for a Portuguese meal for those who may not be familiar with Portuguese cuisine. Another live podcast and book-signing may be in the works, but stay tuned! Lastly, Maria taps into her roots and shares a little family history from where her mom’s side of the family migrated to the Azores from.
Keep sending us your questions – another Q&A episode is in the works: feedback@ourportuguesetable.com

Maria & Angela Answer Your Questions

In today’s episode of Our Portuguese Table, Angela and Maria chat with Mariah Vitoria, who is a cryptocurrency enthusiast.

Mariah was a student when she began dabbling in online sweepstakes. She sold many of the cars and prizes she won.  In 2013, she purchased a donut fryer online before making the jump to food trucks. During the off-season, Mariah began learning about cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin, and hasn’t looked back. She eventually sold her food truck, and began investing almost exclusively in Bitcoin. She suggests looking on YouTube to learn more about Bitcoin and other types of cryptocurrency.

Mariah is currently based in Puerto Rico, where she trades cryptocurrency as well as advises and educates others about it. She also volunteers at orphanages during her free time.

Mariah has traveled around the world, educating others about cryptocurrency. She enjoys visiting Hawaii and stopping at Leonard’s for malassadas. Mariah also tells us about the time she booked a trip to Terceira and left later that day. We also chat about some of her favorite foods, like linguiça soup; and her first food memory (hint: it’s not Portuguese).

Connect with Mariah on YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCGSwCioVpcYIdqGgmf9DerQ or Instagram: instagram.com/mariahvitoria

Portuguese Crypto Queen - Mariah Vitoria

In today’s episode of ‘Our Portuguese Table’, we chat with Nancy Fernandes of Saudade Toronto in Toronto, Canada. Nancy, who has admired design from a young age (thanks in part to traveling around Portugal), suggested an idea to a couple friends about opening a local shop that celebrates design and selling artisanal goods made in Portugal. (Nancy’s roots are in the Minho and Baixo Alentejo.) 

They found a space in Little Portugal and it’s been a hit since the shop opened in 2015! The shop features items for all budgets and styles from well-known brands like Vista Alegre and Bordallo Pinheiro to B.Joy to one-of-a-kind pieces from local artisans. She visits Portugal 2-3 times a year to connect with artisans. 

One of Nancy’s goals was to stock pieces from all over Portugal, Açores, and Madeira – showcasing different Portuguese design and products, and especially those with a modern spin. The shop’s inventory is constantly changing – contact Saudade if you’re looking for a particular item.

To shop, visit: www.saudadetoronto.com or check them out on Facebook: facebook.com/Saudadetoronto or Instagram:  instagram.com/saudadetoronto  

Address:
1191 Dundas Street West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M6J 1X3

Saudade Toronto - You HAVE to go

Maria and Angela talk about the passing of Angela's son Alexandre.

Losing Alexandre

NOTE: This episode was recorded in early 2018

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In today’s episode, we chat with Ana Diogo-Draper, of Artesa Winery, based in Napa, California. Growing up in Portugal, Ana often spent time in the Alentejo, where her dad’s family is from, although her family was not in the wine business. It wasn’t until Ana took a course at the University of Évora, with famed Portuguese wine-maker Paulo Laureano, that she decided wine was going to be her career. His and Ana’s biggest piece of advice about breaking into the wine industry is working a harvest to figure out if it really is a passion. Ana interned in Napa before taking a full-time position and moving to the U.S. to make wine. Opportunities for women in this male-dominated industry were more limited in Portugal. Things are slowly changing…
 
Ana currently experiments with Iberian varietals, to which she brings a European twist. She often travels to Portugal and we chat about the current boom in Portuguese wines.  She often attends and hosts wine events but has yet to host a Portuguese wine and food pairing class. We’ll be working on that next. ;)  
 
To learn more about Portuguese wines, visit the Wines of Portugal website: http://www.winesofportugal.info 
 
Plan a visit to Artesa Winery: https://www.artesawinery.com and tell Ana hello!
 
If you have any questions for Ana, e-mail us at feedback@ourportuguesetable.com  and we’d be happy to connect you. 
 
Até a próxima!

Meet Ana, the Winemaker

NOTE: This episode was recorded in early 2018

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In today’s episode of Our Portuguese Table, we chat with Donna Pacheco of Achadinha Cheese Company in Petaluma, California. The company’s name comes from the family’s roots in Achadinha, Nordeste, São Miguel. Donna tells us about the importance of feeding your animals well and how it impacts the final product. In 2002, one of Achadinha’s cheese received the American Cheese Society Best in Show. Maria tells us about a serendipitous connection between Achadinha and Petaluma. Visit their website to learn more about their tours, cheese-making classes and more.To learn about Achadinha: https://www.achadinhacheese.com,

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AchadinhaCheese
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/achadinha_cheese_
 
Até a próxima!

It was meant to be, with Achadinha Cheese Company

NOTE: This episode was recorded in early 2018

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Today, we chat with Helia Sousa, an artist from San Jose, California. Angela & Helia are good friends and met during their time organizing the Day of Portugal festival at Kelley Park. For more info, visit: https://www.diadeportugalca.org. 

Helia discusses her family’s creative roots in Terceira, Azores, where she was born – her dad was a barber and mom was a seamstress. She began painting after taking an art class in high school and hasn’t stopped since. Helia’s favorite subjects are rural scenes of life in the Azores, especially in Terceira and São Miguel—where she still has family—although she has expanded her portfolio since. 

Angela mentions that she thought she was in one of Helia’s paintings after visiting the Azores – Helia captured the magic so perfectly on a canvas it transports you to the real-life scene. “Never stop learning” is one of Helia’s mottos! A self-taught artist, she jumped into a new artist career after retirement and teaches classes at local craft stores.  

Fun fact: Angela and Helia also work together on the series of books Angela authors, along with Angela Silveira. Cheers to strong Portuguese women working together! 

Now on to food… Helia shares her love of baking and she often makes Maria’s queijadas de leite (milk tarts). Find the recipe here: https://azoreangreenbean.com/2017/08/milk-tarts-queijadas-de-leite/ 
Surprisingly, Helia is not a big fan of shellfish, but she does love an açorda and linguiça (who doesn’t?!) 

View Helia’s artwork on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEkkW1QziWQ
Helia’s Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/HeliasPortugueseArt

Have a suggestion about who we should interview next? Send us an e-mail at feedback@ourportuguesetable.com! 

Até a próxima!

Art from the Heart

NOTE: This episode was recorded in early 2018

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It’s our 50th episode! And to think that we met doing a webinar and now it’s been 2 years! Maria and Angela discuss what they’ve been up to – from holiday gatherings to cooking classes with Jeremiah. If you haven’t listened to Jeremiah’s podcast, listen here: https://soundcloud.com/our-portuguese-table/jeremiah-the-great-portuguese-american-baker 

We also chat about some of the experimenting we’ve been doing with food – Alheira meatballs and Portuguese mac n’cheese. Maria’s Portuguese Table has been doing well – Maria’s been receiving calls from PBS all over the U.S., including Hawaii! Contact your local PBS station to request them to air Maria’s Portuguese Table!

It's all about the cake!

Maria and Angela are back in action recording new episodes.

Let's Get Started Again

This is a unique episode in that our guest is Dr. Darlene Sousa and we talk about some of the more "taboo" topics in our community such as some of the anxiety and worry that plagues so many in our community, but we never talk about it.  This is the first of many episodes where we talk about some of the social and relationship challenges we face.  

If you'd like to reach out to Dr. Sousa, you can reach her at: 
DarleneSousa@childmindnorthwest.com

Worrying is a Portuguese national past time

In this episode, Maria and Angela just spend time catching up and bitch about dealing with the COVID-19 quarantine. Join in on the laughs and let us know what you think!

Angela and Maria Bitch About Quarantine

Maria and Angela catch up with Derrick and Brian from the Portuguese Kids to talk about how we've all handled the shelter in place, new business ventures and just how much we all love each other.  

What's your favorite Portuguese Kid video?

https://www.facebook.com/portuguesekids/

Catching up with The Portuguese Kids

Hosted by Maria Lawton, the Azorean Greenbean, and Angela Simoes, a community leader in California, this podcast is meant to bring awareness and discussion about Portuguese food, culture and what it means to be Portuguese no matter where you live.  

Published every other Monday, the Our Portuguese Table podcast will feature interviews with Portuguese chefs, restaurant owners and other community leaders to raise awareness of everything from how to cook delicious Portuguese foods to what it’s like to be Portuguese to the success of so many of our fellow Portuguese. 


Our Portuguese Table

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