Madeira blog

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Arco da Calheta: Octopus

gepubliceerd op: 09 May 2019
After living in Madeira for almost 15 months, we moved in to our own newly renovated house 2 weeks ago. A reward for the long and intensive 6 months of renovation while living in the middle of the 'construction pit'.


It had many advantages for the flow of construction, but was also challenging due to the constant sound of cement mills, circular saws, a lot of dust, radio from the local broadcaster through the speakers (labor vitamins) and jackhammers.

We are very happy with this new phase which will add new experiences to our life on an island like Madeira. It also means that we can start using the kitchen where we can enjoy all the space while cooking together. We love to do this and try out lots of new things. Add a glass of wine and music to make it complete. Things that we didn't get to do in the Netherlands before, including making dishes that were not as simple or less available there.

 

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For example, we intend to prepare our own various Octopus dishes (polvo in Portuguese). The secret in a well-prepared dish of this special marine animal is in a number of things. Technique and time play an important role, so it is certainly not for a quick snack at home. Meanwhile the versions of stewing, baking and fresh with oil and vinegar have already come out well. We’ve even had some successful taste tests with other people.

Recently we also ate fantastic food at Praia Formosa (a beach area near Funchal). We saw it passing by and smelled the wonderful scent of freshly baked mackerel. Small mackerel with a head and all of about 15 cm that are deep fried in peanut oil. These fish are simply served with a few slices of lemon and you can eat them head and tail. They are wonderfully crispy and have a lot of taste. A fantastic alternative to the eternal bitterballen with a drink in the sun!

Calheta-boutique-houses_blog_octopus_02.png
 

The Portuguese have a wonderful cuisine, especially in the pure and simple dishes. The great thing about this area is that almost everything here grows in nature, such as herbs for Portuguese cuisine. Laurel, rosemary and thyme are simply picked during a walk, how beautiful is that?

For the time being we can enjoy experimenting in our kitchen. Not a high-tech kitchen, but with a lot of space. Because cooking is a skill of knowledge, preference for ingredients, love for food and a good sharp knife set.

Abraço,

Anne & Dave

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